Ed Nealy vs. Zion Williamson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Zion Williamson and Ed Nealy, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Ed Nealy played 10 years in the NBA, 6 more than Zion Williamson, who played 4. Ed Nealy had the first of his seasons in 1982-83, while Zion Williamson had his rookie season in 2019-20. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Ed Nealy 10 6 1982-83 to 1992-93
Zion Williamson 4 0 2019-20 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Rookie Season

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1982-832019-20
Team Kansas City KingsNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 82 20.0 4.4 2.1 3.8 5.9 0.8 0.8 0.1 0.6 3.0 1.8 3.0 .595 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.4 .614
Zion Williamson 24 27.8 22.5 2.7 3.6 6.3 2.1 0.7 0.4 2.5 1.8 8.8 15.0 .583 0.3 0.6 .429 4.8 7.4 .640
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1983-842020-21
Team Kansas City KingsNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 71 13.5 2.5 1.0 2.1 3.1 0.7 0.6 0.1 0.5 1.9 0.9 1.8 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.8 .800
Zion Williamson 61 33.2 27.0 2.7 4.5 7.2 3.7 0.9 0.6 2.7 2.2 10.4 17.0 .611 0.2 0.6 .294 6.0 8.7 .698
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 2 9.5 3.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.000 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.000
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Note: Zion Williamson didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 3

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1984-852022-23
Team Kansas City KingsNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 22 10.2 2.8 0.7 1.3 2.0 0.8 0.1 0.0 0.5 1.2 1.2 2.0 .591 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.9 .526
Zion Williamson 29 33.0 26.0 2.0 5.0 7.0 4.6 1.1 0.6 3.4 2.2 9.8 16.2 .608 0.2 0.7 .368 6.1 8.6 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Note: Ed Nealy didn't play in 1985-86.

Season 4

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1986-872023-24
Team San Antonio SpursNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 60 16.3 3.7 1.6 3.1 4.7 1.4 0.7 0.2 0.6 2.4 1.4 3.2 .438 0.1 0.5 .129 0.9 1.2 .739
Zion Williamson 70 31.5 22.9 1.7 4.1 5.8 5.0 1.1 0.7 2.8 2.3 8.9 15.6 .570 0.1 0.3 .333 5.0 7.1 .702
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1987-88-
Team San Antonio Spurs-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 68 12.3 2.1 1.2 2.1 3.3 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.4 1.4 0.7 1.6 .459 0.0 0.0 .500 0.6 0.9 .651
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 2 18.0 2.0 1.5 2.0 3.5 2.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 3.0 1.0 2.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1988-89-
Team Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 43 6.0 0.7 0.5 1.3 1.8 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.2 1.0 0.3 0.8 .361 0.0 0.0 .000 0.1 0.2 .444
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 4 1.5 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.8 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1989-90-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 46 10.9 2.3 1.0 2.0 3.0 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.4 1.5 0.8 1.5 .529 0.0 0.0 .000 0.7 0.9 .732
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 15 15.2 3.1 1.1 2.4 3.5 0.3 0.7 0.1 0.5 3.0 1.1 2.4 .472 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.4 .619
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1990-91-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 55 10.4 2.2 0.8 1.9 2.7 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.8 0.8 1.8 .464 0.1 0.3 .313 0.5 0.7 .737
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 2 10.0 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 0.5 2.5 .200 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 0.0 -
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1991-92-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 52 9.7 3.1 0.5 1.7 2.1 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.9 1.2 2.3 .512 0.4 1.0 .400 0.3 0.5 .667
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 8 8.4 2.9 0.5 1.8 2.3 0.5 0.4 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.9 2.3 .389 0.6 1.6 .385 0.5 0.5 1.000
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Ed Nealy Zion Williamson
Season 1992-93-
Team Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy 41 7.5 1.7 0.3 1.3 1.6 0.4 0.3 0.0 0.2 1.0 0.6 1.7 .377 0.2 0.7 .296 0.2 0.3 .750
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ed Nealy ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------