James Harden vs. Richard Jefferson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Richard Jefferson and James Harden, 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 / Games against each other

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.

James Harden played 15 years in the NBA, 2 less than Richard Jefferson, who played 17. James Harden had the first of his seasons in 2009-10, while Richard Jefferson had his rookie season in 2001-02. 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
James Harden 15 15 2009-10 to 2023-24
Richard Jefferson 17 12 2001-02 to 2017-18

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17

Rookie Season
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2009-102001-02
Team Oklahoma City ThunderNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second TeamAchievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdNets Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 76 22.9 9.9 0.6 2.6 3.2 1.8 1.1 0.3 1.4 2.6 3.1 7.6 .403 1.2 3.3 .375 2.6 3.2 .808
Richard Jefferson 79 24.3 9.4 1.1 2.6 3.7 1.8 0.8 0.6 1.4 2.7 3.4 7.5 .457 0.2 0.7 .232 2.4 3.4 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 20.0 7.7 0.2 2.3 2.5 1.8 1.0 0.2 0.5 2.3 2.0 5.2 .387 1.0 2.7 .375 2.7 3.2 .842
Richard Jefferson 20 22.1 7.0 0.8 3.8 4.6 1.3 0.6 0.5 1.3 2.0 2.7 5.7 .465 0.0 0.1 .000 1.7 3.0 .550

Season 2
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2010-112002-03
Team Oklahoma City ThunderNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf FinalsNets Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 82 26.7 12.2 0.5 2.6 3.1 2.1 1.1 0.3 1.3 2.5 3.6 8.3 .436 1.4 4.0 .349 3.5 4.2 .843
Richard Jefferson 80 36.0 15.5 1.9 4.6 6.4 2.5 1.0 0.6 2.0 2.7 5.7 11.4 .501 0.1 0.3 .250 4.1 5.5 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 17 31.6 13.0 0.6 4.8 5.4 3.6 1.2 0.8 1.6 2.8 3.9 8.2 .475 1.4 4.5 .303 3.9 4.7 .825
Richard Jefferson 20 35.7 14.1 1.5 4.9 6.4 2.4 0.8 0.2 2.3 3.4 5.5 11.6 .476 0.0 0.2 .000 3.1 4.3 .718

Season 3
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2011-122003-04
Team Oklahoma City ThunderNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement Sixth Man of the Year-
Playoffs Thunder Lost NBA FinalsNets Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 62 31.4 16.8 0.5 3.6 4.1 3.7 1.0 0.2 2.2 2.4 5.0 10.1 .491 1.8 4.7 .390 5.0 6.0 .846
Richard Jefferson 82 38.2 18.5 1.3 4.3 5.7 3.8 1.1 0.3 2.4 2.7 6.8 13.6 .498 0.6 1.6 .364 4.4 5.7 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 20 31.5 16.3 0.7 4.5 5.1 3.4 1.6 0.1 2.1 3.4 4.7 10.7 .435 1.6 3.9 .410 5.4 6.3 .857
Richard Jefferson 11 41.6 19.8 1.3 5.0 6.3 3.8 1.3 0.7 3.9 3.2 6.0 14.4 .418 0.8 3.0 .273 7.0 9.8 .713

Season 4
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2012-132004-05
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdNets 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 %
James Harden 78 38.3 25.9 0.8 4.1 4.9 5.8 1.8 0.5 3.8 2.3 7.5 17.1 .438 2.3 6.2 .368 8.6 10.2 .851
Richard Jefferson 33 41.1 22.2 1.5 5.8 7.3 4.0 1.0 0.5 4.0 3.3 7.2 17.1 .422 0.9 2.7 .337 6.9 8.2 .844
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 40.5 26.3 0.8 5.8 6.7 4.5 2.0 1.0 4.5 3.0 7.5 19.2 .391 2.5 7.3 .341 8.8 11.0 .803
Richard Jefferson 4 35.5 15.8 2.0 3.5 5.5 2.3 0.8 0.0 2.0 3.5 5.0 12.5 .400 0.5 2.5 .200 5.3 7.8 .677

Season 5
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2013-142005-06
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdNets Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 73 38.0 25.4 0.8 3.9 4.7 6.1 1.6 0.4 3.6 2.4 7.5 16.5 .456 2.4 6.6 .366 7.9 9.1 .866
Richard Jefferson 78 39.2 19.5 1.2 5.6 6.8 3.8 0.8 0.2 2.2 2.5 6.3 12.9 .493 0.8 2.4 .319 6.0 7.4 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 43.8 26.8 0.8 3.8 4.7 5.8 2.0 0.2 3.5 3.5 8.3 22.2 .376 2.7 9.0 .296 7.5 8.3 .900
Richard Jefferson 11 39.7 22.2 0.6 3.5 4.1 4.1 0.9 0.4 2.7 2.9 8.2 15.0 .545 1.1 2.6 .414 4.7 5.7 .825

Season 6
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2014-152006-07
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf FinalsNets Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 81 36.8 27.4 0.9 4.7 5.7 7.0 1.9 0.7 4.0 2.6 8.0 18.1 .440 2.6 6.9 .375 8.8 10.2 .868
Richard Jefferson 55 35.6 16.3 0.9 3.5 4.4 2.7 0.6 0.1 2.2 2.2 5.5 12.1 .456 0.9 2.6 .359 4.3 5.9 .733
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 17 37.4 27.2 0.7 5.0 5.7 7.5 1.6 0.4 4.5 2.9 7.6 17.3 .439 2.4 6.3 .383 9.6 10.5 .916
Richard Jefferson 12 40.8 19.7 0.3 5.3 5.6 2.3 0.8 0.4 2.3 2.0 6.8 14.0 .482 1.1 3.3 .325 5.1 5.5 .924

Season 7
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2015-162007-08
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
James Harden 82 38.1 29.0 0.8 5.3 6.1 7.5 1.7 0.6 4.6 2.8 8.7 19.7 .439 2.9 8.0 .359 8.8 10.2 .860
Richard Jefferson 82 39.0 22.6 1.1 3.0 4.2 3.1 0.9 0.3 2.4 2.7 7.5 16.2 .466 0.9 2.6 .362 6.6 8.3 .798
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 5 38.6 26.6 1.4 3.8 5.2 7.6 2.4 0.2 5.2 2.6 8.2 20.0 .410 2.6 8.4 .310 7.6 9.0 .844
Richard Jefferson ------- --- ----------

Season 8
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2016-172008-09
Team Houston RocketsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Assists Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 81 36.4 29.1 1.2 7.0 8.1 11.2 1.5 0.5 5.7 2.7 8.3 18.9 .440 3.2 9.3 .347 9.2 10.9 .847
Richard Jefferson 82 35.8 19.6 0.7 3.9 4.6 2.4 0.8 0.2 2.0 3.1 6.5 14.9 .439 1.4 3.6 .397 5.1 6.3 .805
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 11 37.0 28.5 0.6 4.8 5.5 8.5 1.9 0.5 5.4 3.9 8.2 19.8 .413 2.9 10.5 .278 9.2 10.5 .878
Richard Jefferson ------- --- ----------

Season 9
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2017-182009-10
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf FinalsSpurs 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 %
James Harden 72 35.4 30.4 0.6 4.8 5.4 8.8 1.8 0.7 4.4 2.3 9.0 20.1 .449 3.7 10.0 .367 8.7 10.1 .858
Richard Jefferson 81 31.1 12.3 0.7 3.7 4.4 2.0 0.6 0.5 1.3 2.2 4.5 9.6 .467 0.7 2.3 .316 2.6 3.5 .735
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 17 36.5 28.6 0.8 4.4 5.2 6.8 2.2 0.6 3.8 2.7 9.3 22.6 .410 3.1 10.2 .299 6.9 7.8 .887
Richard Jefferson 10 33.4 9.4 0.8 4.5 5.3 1.8 0.6 0.6 1.5 2.0 3.4 7.0 .486 0.1 0.5 .200 2.5 3.3 .758

Season 10
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2018-192010-11
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisSpurs 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 %
James Harden 78 36.8 36.1 0.8 5.8 6.6 7.5 2.0 0.7 5.0 3.1 10.8 24.5 .442 4.8 13.2 .368 9.7 11.0 .879
Richard Jefferson 81 30.4 11.0 0.7 3.2 3.8 1.3 0.5 0.4 1.1 2.0 3.8 7.9 .474 1.7 3.8 .440 1.8 2.4 .759
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 11 38.5 31.6 0.8 6.0 6.8 6.6 2.2 0.9 4.6 3.7 9.9 24.0 .413 4.4 12.5 .350 7.5 8.9 .837
Richard Jefferson 6 29.3 6.5 0.3 3.8 4.2 0.8 0.5 0.5 1.0 2.2 2.0 5.2 .387 1.0 2.8 .353 1.5 1.8 .818

Season 11
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2019-202011-12
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 68 36.5 34.3 1.0 5.5 6.6 7.5 1.8 0.9 4.5 3.3 9.9 22.3 .444 4.4 12.4 .355 10.2 11.8 .865
Richard Jefferson 63 27.7 9.2 0.4 3.1 3.5 1.4 0.6 0.3 0.8 1.9 3.2 7.7 .416 1.8 4.3 .420 0.9 1.3 .694
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 12 37.3 29.6 1.0 4.6 5.6 7.7 1.5 0.8 3.8 3.6 9.1 19.0 .478 3.3 9.8 .333 8.2 9.7 .845
Richard Jefferson ------- --- ----------

Season 12
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2020-212012-13
Team Houston Rockets, Brooklyn NetsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf SemisWarriors 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 %
James Harden 44 36.6 24.6 0.8 7.1 7.9 10.8 1.2 0.8 4.0 2.3 7.8 16.7 .466 2.8 7.6 .362 6.3 7.3 .861
Richard Jefferson 56 10.1 3.1 0.1 1.4 1.5 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.8 1.1 2.4 .456 0.3 0.8 .311 0.7 0.9 .717
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 9 35.8 20.2 0.8 5.6 6.3 8.6 1.7 0.7 2.9 2.6 5.7 12.0 .472 2.7 7.3 .364 6.2 6.9 .903
Richard Jefferson 7 5.6 1.9 0.3 0.7 1.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.7 0.6 1.3 .444 0.3 0.4 .667 0.4 1.3 .333

Season 13
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2021-222013-14
Team Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ersUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 65 37.2 22.0 0.8 6.8 7.7 10.3 1.3 0.6 4.4 2.4 6.3 15.3 .410 2.3 6.9 .330 7.2 8.2 .877
Richard Jefferson 82 27.0 10.1 0.2 2.5 2.7 1.6 0.7 0.2 1.1 2.0 3.6 8.0 .450 1.5 3.7 .409 1.5 2.0 .741
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 12 39.9 18.6 0.9 4.8 5.7 8.6 0.8 0.7 4.2 2.4 5.3 13.2 .405 2.3 6.3 .368 5.6 6.3 .893
Richard Jefferson ------- --- ----------

Season 14
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2022-232014-15
Team Philadelphia 76ersDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards Achievement Assists Leader-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisMavericks 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 %
James Harden 58 36.8 21.0 0.7 5.4 6.1 10.7 1.2 0.5 3.4 1.9 6.4 14.5 .441 2.8 7.2 .385 5.4 6.2 .867
Richard Jefferson 74 16.8 5.8 0.3 2.1 2.5 0.8 0.4 0.1 0.7 1.6 1.9 4.4 .444 0.9 2.1 .426 1.1 1.5 .684
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 11 38.8 20.3 0.5 5.6 6.2 8.3 1.8 0.4 3.2 2.5 6.5 16.6 .393 2.8 7.5 .378 4.4 5.0 .873
Richard Jefferson 4 12.8 3.8 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.8 2.3 1.3 3.5 .357 0.8 2.0 .375 0.5 0.5 1.000

Season 15
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season 2023-242015-16
Team Los Angeles ClippersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 72 34.3 16.6 0.5 4.7 5.1 8.5 1.1 0.8 2.6 1.8 4.9 11.4 .428 2.6 6.8 .381 4.2 4.8 .878
Richard Jefferson 74 17.9 5.5 0.2 1.5 1.7 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.6 1.7 1.9 4.2 .458 0.9 2.3 .382 0.8 1.2 .667
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden 6 40.3 21.2 0.5 4.0 4.5 8.0 1.0 1.0 2.3 2.2 6.7 14.8 .449 3.0 7.8 .383 4.8 5.3 .906
Richard Jefferson 21 18.1 5.4 0.8 2.8 3.5 0.7 0.5 0.0 0.6 1.6 2.1 4.0 .524 0.5 1.3 .393 0.7 1.0 .750

Season 16
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season -2016-17
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden ------- --- ----------
Richard Jefferson 79 20.4 5.7 0.4 2.2 2.6 1.0 0.3 0.1 0.7 1.9 1.9 4.3 .446 0.8 2.4 .333 1.0 1.4 .741
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden ------- --- ----------
Richard Jefferson 14 12.8 3.9 0.7 1.1 1.8 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.6 2.1 1.1 2.7 .421 0.4 1.4 .263 1.3 2.0 .643

Season 17
James Harden Richard Jefferson
Season -2017-18
Team -Denver Nuggets
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 %
James Harden ------- --- ----------
Richard Jefferson 20 8.2 1.5 0.1 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.6 0.6 1.4 .444 0.1 0.4 .286 0.2 0.4 .571
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Harden ------- --- ----------
Richard Jefferson ------- --- ----------
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