John Paxson vs. Kenny Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kenny Smith and John Paxson, 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.

John Paxson played 11 years in the NBA, 1 more than Kenny Smith, who played 10. John Paxson had the first of his seasons in 1983-84, while Kenny Smith had his rookie season in 1987-88. 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
John Paxson 11 10 1983-84 to 1993-94
Kenny Smith 10 5 1987-88 to 1996-97

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1983-841987-88
Team San Antonio SpursSacramento Kings
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 %
John Paxson 49 9.3 2.9 0.1 0.6 0.7 3.0 0.2 0.0 0.7 1.0 1.2 2.8 .445 0.1 0.4 .182 0.3 0.5 .615
Kenny Smith 61 35.6 13.8 0.7 1.6 2.3 7.1 1.5 0.1 3.0 2.3 5.4 11.4 .477 0.2 0.6 .308 2.7 3.3 .819
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson ------- --- ----------
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1984-851988-89
Team San Antonio SpursSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs 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 %
John Paxson 78 16.1 6.2 0.2 0.6 0.9 2.8 0.6 0.0 1.0 1.5 2.5 4.9 .509 0.1 0.4 .294 1.1 1.3 .840
Kenny Smith 81 38.8 17.3 0.6 2.2 2.8 7.7 1.3 0.1 3.1 2.1 6.8 14.6 .462 0.6 1.6 .359 3.2 4.4 .737
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 5 22.8 10.2 0.0 1.0 1.0 4.2 1.0 0.0 1.0 1.8 4.2 8.4 .500 0.4 1.8 .222 1.4 1.8 .778
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1985-861989-90
Team Chicago BullsSacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East 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 %
John Paxson 75 20.9 5.3 0.2 1.0 1.3 3.7 0.7 0.0 0.8 2.3 2.0 4.4 .466 0.2 0.7 .300 1.0 1.2 .804
Kenny Smith 79 30.6 11.9 0.2 1.8 2.0 5.6 1.0 0.1 2.1 1.8 4.8 10.3 .466 0.3 1.1 .313 2.0 2.5 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 3 26.7 9.0 0.0 0.0 0 1.7 1.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 2.3 5.0 .467 0.0 0.0 - 4.3 5.7 .765
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 4

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1986-871990-91
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st RdRockets 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 %
John Paxson 82 32.8 11.3 0.3 1.4 1.7 5.7 0.8 0.1 1.3 2.5 4.7 9.7 .487 0.6 1.7 .371 1.3 1.6 .809
Kenny Smith 78 34.6 17.7 0.5 1.6 2.1 7.1 1.4 0.1 3.0 1.7 6.7 12.9 .520 0.6 1.7 .363 3.7 4.4 .844
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 3 29.0 8.7 0.0 1.0 1.0 3.7 0.7 0.0 1.7 3.0 3.7 7.3 .500 1.0 2.3 .429 0.3 0.3 1.000
Kenny Smith 3 37.7 15.3 1.3 1.3 2.7 8.0 1.3 0.3 2.0 1.7 6.0 12.7 .474 0.7 1.3 .500 2.7 3.0 .889

Season 5

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1987-881991-92
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls 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 %
John Paxson 81 23.3 7.9 0.2 1.1 1.3 3.7 0.6 0.0 0.8 1.9 3.5 7.2 .493 0.4 1.2 .347 0.4 0.6 .733
Kenny Smith 81 33.8 14.0 0.4 1.8 2.2 6.9 1.3 0.1 2.8 1.4 5.3 11.2 .475 0.7 1.7 .394 2.7 3.1 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 10 16.5 4.6 0.0 0.4 0.4 3.0 0.1 0.1 0.5 2.4 2.0 5.3 .377 0.2 1.2 .167 0.4 0.4 1.000
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 6

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1988-891992-93
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf FinalsRockets 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 %
John Paxson 78 22.3 7.3 0.2 1.0 1.2 3.9 0.7 0.1 0.9 2.1 3.2 6.6 .480 0.6 1.7 .331 0.4 0.5 .861
Kenny Smith 82 29.5 13.0 0.3 1.6 2.0 5.4 1.0 0.1 2.0 1.3 4.7 9.1 .520 1.2 2.7 .438 2.4 2.7 .878
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 16 18.9 5.8 0.1 0.5 0.6 2.1 0.8 0.0 0.9 2.2 2.3 4.9 .474 0.3 1.2 .263 0.9 1.0 .875
Kenny Smith 12 32.6 14.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 4.2 0.8 0.1 2.2 1.5 5.3 10.7 .492 1.9 3.8 .500 2.3 3.0 .778

Season 7

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1989-901993-94
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 82 28.8 10.0 0.3 1.1 1.5 4.1 1.0 0.1 1.0 2.1 4.5 8.6 .516 0.4 1.1 .359 0.7 0.8 .824
Kenny Smith 78 28.3 11.6 0.3 1.5 1.8 4.2 0.8 0.1 1.6 1.6 4.4 9.1 .480 1.1 2.8 .405 1.7 2.0 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 15 26.3 6.1 0.1 1.3 1.5 3.6 0.6 0.0 1.0 2.8 2.5 5.8 .425 0.3 0.6 .444 0.9 0.9 1.000
Kenny Smith 23 30.3 10.8 0.2 2.1 2.3 4.1 1.0 0.2 1.4 1.7 3.7 8.2 .455 1.5 3.3 .447 1.8 2.3 .808

Season 8

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1990-911994-95
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 82 24.0 8.7 0.2 0.9 1.1 3.6 0.8 0.0 0.8 1.7 3.9 7.0 .548 0.5 1.2 .438 0.4 0.5 .829
Kenny Smith 81 25.1 10.4 0.3 1.6 1.9 4.0 0.9 0.1 1.5 1.3 3.5 7.3 .484 1.8 4.1 .429 1.6 1.8 .851
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 17 28.6 8.2 0.1 1.2 1.4 3.1 0.6 0.0 0.4 1.9 3.6 6.9 .530 0.1 0.8 .143 0.8 0.8 1.000
Kenny Smith 22 29.6 10.8 0.3 1.9 2.2 4.5 0.6 0.1 1.4 2.1 3.5 8.1 .438 2.1 4.7 .442 1.6 1.8 .900

Season 9

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1991-921995-96
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionRockets 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 %
John Paxson 79 24.6 7.0 0.3 0.9 1.2 3.1 0.6 0.1 0.6 1.8 3.3 6.2 .528 0.2 0.6 .273 0.4 0.5 .784
Kenny Smith 68 23.8 8.5 0.3 1.1 1.4 3.6 0.7 0.0 1.5 1.7 3.0 6.8 .433 1.3 3.5 .382 1.3 1.6 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 22 27.2 7.9 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 2.4 3.3 6.3 .525 0.5 1.2 .444 0.7 0.9 .842
Kenny Smith 8 23.9 8.9 0.5 1.0 1.5 4.8 0.6 0.0 1.0 1.8 2.9 6.6 .434 1.5 3.9 .387 1.6 1.6 1.000

Season 10

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1992-931996-97
Team Chicago BullsDetroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets
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 %
John Paxson 59 17.5 4.2 0.2 0.7 0.8 2.3 0.6 0.0 0.5 1.7 1.8 3.9 .451 0.3 0.7 .463 0.3 0.3 .850
Kenny Smith 48 15.9 6.3 0.1 0.8 0.9 2.4 0.4 0.0 1.5 0.6 2.1 5.0 .423 1.2 2.8 .437 0.8 0.9 .867
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 19 17.4 4.9 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.3 0.1 0.2 1.6 1.8 3.2 .583 0.8 1.3 .625 0.4 0.6 .727
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 11

John Paxson Kenny Smith
Season 1993-94-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls 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 %
John Paxson 27 12.7 2.6 0.1 0.6 0.7 1.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.7 1.1 2.5 .441 0.3 0.8 .409 0.0 0.1 .500
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 9 6.4 0.7 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.3 0.8 .429 0.0 0.1 .000 0.0 0.0 -
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------