The Second-Rarest Accomplishment for an NBA Player

There's an accomplishment in the NBA that has only happened five times in its entirety and only four names belong on that prestigious list. The name on the list are Hakeem Olajuwon, Nate Thurmond, David Robinson, and Alvin Robertson. Olajuwon is the only player to make the list twice.

Now one may wonder what is the rarest accomplishment in the history of the NBA? The answer to that is averaging a triple double for an entire season. That has only happened once and that was the legendary Oscar Robertson.

But, for the NBA the second rarest accomplishment is the quadruple double. It's extremely rare and the last quadruple double happened over 15 years ago.

No. 1: Nate Thurmond, Chicago Bulls

Nate Thurmond recorded the first quadruple double in NBA history. It happened on October, 18th 1974.

Thurmond's type of quadruple is the most common one among the list meaning he had over 10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks. Of the five quadruple doubles four of them were of the variety set by Thurmond.

In the game against the Atlanta Hawks, Thurmond collected 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocks.

No. 2: Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs

Alvin Robertson had the rarest form of the quadruple when he accomplished the feat on February 18th, 1986 for the San Antonio Spurs. Robertson was the shortest on the list as well as the only guard to make the list.

Robertson throughout his career was known for his defensive abilities. So, instead of blocked shots in double figures, Robertson accomplished it by having over 10 steals in the game against the Phoenix Suns.

His line for the night was 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals.

No. 3: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets

Hakeem Olajuwon as mentioned before is the only player on the list that appears twice. In fact he accomplished the feat not once, but twice during the same season which was in 1990.

His first came on March 3, 1990. Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets were taking on the Golden State Warriors. He finished the game with the line of 29 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists, and 11 blocks.

No. 4: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets

Fast forward a few weeks in 1990 and you will find Olajuwon recording his second quadruple double of his career. It occurred against the Milwaukee Bucks, on a sidenote another member of the select group of players with a quadruple double was on the court and that was Alvin Robertson in that game which occurred on March 29, 1990.

In the game Olajuwon recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and 11 blocks.

No. 5: David Robinson

David Robinson recorded the last quadruple double in NBA history. It came against the Detroit Pistons on February 17, 1994.

For the game Robinson recorded 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 blocks.