Happy Hairston vs. David Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of David Thompson and Happy Hairston, 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.

Happy Hairston played 11 years in the NBA, 3 more than David Thompson, who played 8. Happy Hairston had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while David Thompson had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Happy Hairston 11 9 1964-65 to 1974-75
David Thompson 8 5 1976-77 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1964-651976-77
Team Cincinnati RoyalsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Royals Lost East Div SemisNuggets 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 %
Happy Hairston 61 12.1 6.1 - - 4.8 0.4 - - - 1.6 2.1 5.8 .373 - - - 1.8 2.7 .667
David Thompson 82 36.6 25.9 1.7 2.4 4.1 4.1 1.4 0.6 - 2.9 10.0 19.8 .507 - - - 5.8 7.6 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 3 13.0 4.0 - - 6.7 1.0 - - - 0.7 1.7 6.0 .278 - - - 0.7 1.0 .667
David Thompson 6 39.5 24.7 2.2 3.0 5.2 4.0 1.5 0.7 - 3.7 9.3 20.2 .463 - - - 6.0 8.8 .679

Season 2

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1965-661977-78
Team Cincinnati RoyalsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Royals Lost East Div SemisNuggets 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 %
Happy Hairston 72 24.9 14.1 - - 7.6 0.6 - - - 3.0 5.5 11.3 .489 - - - 3.1 4.5 .685
David Thompson 80 37.8 27.2 2.0 2.9 4.9 4.5 1.2 1.2 3.1 2.7 10.3 19.8 .521 - - - 6.5 8.4 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 5 30.0 15.4 - - 7.4 0.0 - - - 4.0 5.0 12.4 .403 - - - 5.4 7.6 .711
David Thompson 13 37.0 25.2 1.4 2.7 4.1 4.0 0.7 1.6 3.0 2.6 10.1 22.4 .450 - - - 5.1 6.2 .825

Season 3

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1966-671978-79
Team Cincinnati RoyalsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Royals Lost East Div SemisNuggets 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 %
Happy Hairston 79 30.9 14.9 - - 8.0 0.8 - - - 3.5 5.8 12.2 .479 - - - 3.2 4.8 .660
David Thompson 76 35.1 24.0 1.4 2.2 3.6 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.4 2.4 9.1 17.8 .512 - - - 5.8 7.7 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 4 35.0 16.0 - - 6.8 1.5 - - - 3.8 7.0 13.5 .519 - - - 2.0 3.8 .533
David Thompson 3 40.7 28.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 4.0 1.3 0.3 4.0 4.0 12.7 23.0 .551 - - - 2.7 3.7 .727

Season 4

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1967-681979-80
Team Cincinnati Royals, Detroit PistonsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost East 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 %
Happy Hairston 74 34.0 17.9 - - 8.3 1.3 - - - 2.7 6.5 13.3 .487 - - - 4.9 7.1 .699
David Thompson 39 31.8 21.5 1.4 3.0 4.5 3.2 1.0 1.0 3.0 2.7 7.4 15.8 .468 0.2 0.5 .368 6.5 8.6 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 6 24.8 11.7 - - 6.2 1.2 - - - 3.7 4.8 11.8 .408 - - - 2.0 3.3 .600
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1968-691980-81
Team Detroit PistonsDenver Nuggets
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 %
Happy Hairston 81 35.7 18.1 - - 11.8 1.3 - - - 3.1 6.5 14.0 .469 - - - 5.0 6.8 .731
David Thompson 77 34.0 25.5 1.4 2.3 3.7 3.0 0.7 0.8 3.2 3.0 9.5 18.8 .506 0.1 0.5 .256 6.4 8.0 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston ------- --- ----------
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1969-701981-82
Team Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles LakersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsNuggets 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 %
Happy Hairston 70 34.7 18.5 - - 11.1 1.7 - - - 3.3 6.9 13.9 .496 - - - 4.7 5.9 .789
David Thompson 61 20.4 14.9 0.9 1.5 2.4 1.9 0.6 0.5 2.3 2.4 5.1 10.6 .486 0.1 0.2 .286 4.5 5.6 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 16 18.5 7.4 - - 4.8 1.3 - - - 1.9 2.9 6.8 .435 - - - 1.5 2.2 .686
David Thompson 3 22.0 11.7 1.3 2.0 3.3 2.0 0.3 0.0 2.7 2.7 5.0 11.0 .455 0.3 1.0 .333 1.3 2.3 .571

Season 7

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1970-711982-83
Team Los Angeles LakersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsSupersonics 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 %
Happy Hairston 80 36.5 18.6 - - 10.0 2.1 - - - 3.2 7.2 15.4 .466 - - - 4.2 5.4 .782
David Thompson 75 28.7 15.9 1.3 2.3 3.6 3.0 0.6 0.4 2.2 1.9 5.9 12.3 .481 0.0 0.1 .200 4.0 5.1 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 12 39.3 17.0 - - 9.1 2.8 - - - 3.4 6.9 13.7 .506 - - - 3.2 4.2 .760
David Thompson 2 32.5 12.0 0.0 0.0 0 3.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 3.5 4.5 12.5 .360 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 5.0 .600

Season 8

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1971-721983-84
Team Los Angeles LakersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
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 %
Happy Hairston 80 34.4 13.1 - - 13.1 2.4 - - - 3.1 4.6 10.0 .461 - - - 3.9 5.0 .779
David Thompson 19 18.4 12.6 0.9 1.4 2.3 0.7 0.5 0.7 1.4 1.6 4.7 8.7 .539 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 3.8 .849
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 15 38.5 13.5 - - 13.1 2.1 - - - 2.9 4.9 11.2 .440 - - - 3.6 4.5 .794
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1972-73-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 28 33.5 16.3 - - 13.2 2.4 - - - 2.8 5.6 11.7 .482 - - - 5.0 6.4 .787
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 3 8.7 2.7 - - 1.3 0.3 - - - 0.7 0.3 3.0 .111 - - - 2.0 2.7 .750
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1973-74-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers 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 %
Happy Hairston 77 34.2 14.5 4.4 9.2 13.5 2.7 0.8 0.2 - 3.4 5.0 9.9 .507 - - - 4.5 5.8 .771
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston 5 34.4 9.2 3.0 7.4 10.4 3.8 1.0 0.2 - 1.6 3.0 7.2 .417 - - - 3.2 3.6 .889
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Happy Hairston David Thompson
Season 1974-75-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
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 %
Happy Hairston 74 30.9 10.3 4.1 8.7 12.8 2.3 0.7 0.1 - 2.9 3.7 7.2 .506 - - - 2.9 3.7 .801
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Happy Hairston ------- --- ----------
David Thompson ------- --- ----------