George Mikan vs. Vitaly Potapenko Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Vitaly Potapenko and George Mikan, 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.

George Mikan played 7 years in the NBA, 4 less than Vitaly Potapenko, who played 11. George Mikan had the first of his seasons in 1948-49, while Vitaly Potapenko had his rookie season in 1996-97. 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
George Mikan 7 7 1948-49 to 1955-56
Vitaly Potapenko 11 3 1996-97 to 2006-07

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11

Rookie Season

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1948-491996-97
Team Minneapolis LakersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 60 - 28.3 - - - 3.6 - - - 4.3 9.7 23.4 .416 - - - 8.9 11.5 .772
Vitaly Potapenko 80 15.5 5.8 1.3 1.4 2.7 0.5 0.3 0.4 1.4 2.7 2.3 5.3 .440 0.0 0.0 .500 1.2 1.6 .736
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 10 - 30.3 - - - 2.1 - - - 4.4 10.3 22.7 .454 - - - 9.7 12.1 .802
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Season 2

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1949-501997-98
Team Minneapolis LakersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 68 - 27.4 - - - 2.9 - - - 4.4 9.5 23.5 .407 - - - 8.3 10.7 .779
Vitaly Potapenko 80 17.7 7.1 1.4 2.5 3.9 0.7 0.3 0.4 1.7 2.5 2.9 6.1 .480 0.0 0.0 .000 1.3 1.8 .708
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 12 - 31.3 - - - 3.0 - - - 3.9 10.1 26.3 .383 - - - 11.2 14.2 .788
Vitaly Potapenko 4 17.8 4.3 0.8 2.0 2.8 0.8 0.5 0.0 1.5 2.0 1.5 3.8 .400 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 2.5 .500

Season 3

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1950-511998-99
Team Minneapolis LakersCleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 68 - 28.4 - - 14.1 3.1 - - - 4.5 10.0 23.3 .428 - - - 8.5 10.5 .803
Vitaly Potapenko 50 27.9 10.0 2.3 4.4 6.6 1.5 0.7 0.7 2.0 3.4 4.1 8.2 .495 0.0 0.0 .000 1.8 3.1 .587
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 7 - 24.0 - - 10.6 1.3 - - - 3.6 8.9 21.7 .408 - - - 6.3 7.9 .800
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Season 4

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1951-521999-00
Team Minneapolis LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 64 40.2 23.8 - - 13.5 3.0 - - - 4.5 8.5 22.1 .385 - - - 6.8 8.7 .780
Vitaly Potapenko 79 22.7 9.2 2.3 4.0 6.3 1.0 0.5 0.4 1.8 3.0 3.9 7.8 .499 0.0 0.0 .000 1.4 2.0 .681
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 13 42.5 23.6 - - 15.9 2.8 - - - 4.8 7.6 20.1 .379 - - - 8.4 10.6 .790
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Season 5

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1952-532000-01
Team Minneapolis LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Rebounds Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 70 37.9 20.6 - - 14.4 2.9 - - - 4.1 7.1 17.9 .399 - - - 6.3 8.1 .780
Vitaly Potapenko 82 23.2 7.5 2.5 3.5 6.0 0.8 0.6 0.3 1.3 2.8 3.0 6.4 .476 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 1.9 .728
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 12 38.6 19.8 - - 15.4 1.9 - - - 4.7 6.5 17.8 .366 - - - 6.8 9.3 .732
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Season 6

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1953-542001-02
Team Minneapolis LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 72 32.8 18.1 - - 14.3 2.4 - - - 3.7 6.1 16.1 .380 - - - 5.9 7.6 .777
Vitaly Potapenko 79 17.0 4.6 2.1 2.3 4.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.8 2.2 1.7 3.8 .455 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.5 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 13 32.6 19.4 - - 13.2 1.9 - - - 4.3 6.7 14.6 .458 - - - 6.0 7.4 .813
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Note: George Mikan didn't play in 1954-55.

Season 7

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season 1955-562002-03
Team Minneapolis LakersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 37 20.7 10.5 - - 8.3 1.4 - - - 4.1 4.0 10.1 .395 - - - 2.5 3.3 .770
Vitaly Potapenko 26 15.5 4.0 1.0 2.5 3.4 0.2 0.3 0.3 1.0 1.8 1.6 3.6 .441 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .759
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan 3 20.0 12.0 - - 9.3 1.7 - - - 4.7 4.3 11.7 .371 - - - 3.3 4.3 .769
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Season 8

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season -2003-04
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko 65 21.8 7.1 1.6 2.9 4.4 0.8 0.3 0.4 1.2 2.5 3.1 6.3 .489 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.4 .641
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------

Season 9

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season -2004-05
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Supersonics 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 %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko 33 10.2 3.5 0.9 1.5 2.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.4 1.6 1.4 2.6 .517 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 0.9 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko 5 7.2 2.0 0.6 0.8 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 1.0 2.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 10

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season -2005-06
Team -Seattle Supersonics, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Kings 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 %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko 33 10.7 2.5 0.8 1.1 1.9 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.5 1.5 1.1 2.2 .521 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.5 .588
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko 4 2.3 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 1.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 11

George Mikan Vitaly Potapenko
Season -2006-07
Team -Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko 3 4.3 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.0 0.0 1.3 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
George Mikan ------- --- ----------
Vitaly Potapenko ------- --- ----------