Rookie Jonathan Mogbo registered his first triple-double on Wednesday, helping the Toronto Raptors to a 126-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets at Scotiabank Arena.
Mogbo tied a career high with 17 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and three steals in the victory, as the Raptors won their second straight game. He finished by shooting 7-of-16 from the field, including 1-of-5 from 3-point range, and was a plus-20 in 37 minutes on the court.
The 31st pick joined Damon Stoudamire (Nov. 21, 1995) as the only two rookies in franchise history to record a triple-double in a game. He is the first rookie to accomplish that feat this season and the first since Amen Thompson on April 14, 2024.
“I’m really happy for (him),” Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said. “People inside the organization know how much work he put (in) this year. I’m really proud of the kid. It was great to see him go out there and perform that way. It was also great to see (his) teammates how they celebrated him.”
Mogbo notched his first-ever triple-double at any level of basketball after falling short numerous times in high school and college. He surpassed his previous career high of seven assists with the performance, which came one game after recording his first double-double.
The 23-year-old became the 14th player in franchise history to record a triple-double and the first since RJ Barrett on Dec. 12. His teammates mobbed him on the bench after checking out for good with 1 minute, 37 seconds left in the game.
“It was a lot of stuff going on, but it was great to see everybody happy,” Mogbo said of the celebration. “I was shy a couple of times in college and never got it, so I finally got it in the NBA — I wouldn’t expect it. I’m just blessed and thankful for my teammates.”
Mogbo is averaging 6.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 45.4% shooting from the field in 61 games, including 16 starts, this season with the Raptors. He has scored in double figures 13 times, including two other 17-point performances.
The former San Francisco standout has had the opportunity to log extended minutes of late, with the Raptors out of the playoff picture. He has dazzled in several facets of the game, and is looking to finish out his rookie campaign on a high note.
“It has been a great journey,” Mogbo said. “Every day, I try not to take anything for granted. It is a blessing to be here, at the end of the day, so I just take it day by day. There are a lot of learning experiences that we go through, so I’m just trying to learn the most and continue out the season.”