Manu Ginobili vs. Bill Russell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Russell and Manu Ginobili, 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.

Manu Ginobili played 16 years in the NBA, 3 more than Bill Russell, who played 13. Manu Ginobili had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Bill Russell had his rookie season in 1956-57. 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
Manu Ginobili	16	15	2002-03 to 2017-18
Bill Russell	13	13	1956-57 to 1968-69

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


Rookie Season
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2002-03	1956-57
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie Second Team	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	69	20.7	7.6	0.7	1.7	2.3	2.0	1.4	0.2	1.4	2.5	2.5	5.8	.438	0.7	2.1	.345	1.8	2.5	.737
Bill Russell	48	35.3	14.7	-	-	19.6	1.8	-	-	-	3.0	5.8	13.5	.427	-	-	-	3.2	6.4	.492

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	24	27.5	9.4	1.2	2.6	3.8	2.9	1.7	0.4	1.5	2.6	3.0	7.7	.386	1.2	3.0	.384	2.3	3.1	.757
Bill Russell	10	40.9	13.9	-	-	24.4	3.2	-	-	-	4.1	5.4	14.8	.365	-	-	-	3.1	6.1	.508


Season 2
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2003-04	1957-58
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf Semis	Celtics Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	77	29.4	12.8	1.1	3.4	4.5	3.8	1.8	0.2	2.1	2.4	4.3	10.2	.418	1.1	3.2	.359	3.1	3.9	.802
Bill Russell	69	38.3	16.6	-	-	22.7	2.9	-	-	-	2.6	6.6	15.0	.442	-	-	-	3.3	6.4	.519

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	10	27.9	13.0	1.5	3.8	5.3	3.1	1.7	0.1	2.1	3.0	4.2	9.4	.447	1.0	3.5	.286	3.6	4.4	.818
Bill Russell	9	39.4	15.1	-	-	24.6	2.7	-	-	-	2.7	5.3	14.8	.361	-	-	-	4.4	7.3	.606


Season 3
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2004-05	1958-59
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	74	29.6	16.0	1.0	3.4	4.4	3.9	1.6	0.4	2.3	2.6	5.0	10.5	.471	1.3	3.5	.376	4.8	6.0	.803
Bill Russell	70	42.6	16.7	-	-	23.0	3.2	-	-	-	2.3	6.5	14.2	.457	-	-	-	3.7	6.1	.598

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	23	33.7	20.8	0.8	5.0	5.8	4.2	1.2	0.3	2.9	3.0	6.3	12.4	.507	1.8	4.2	.438	6.4	8.0	.795
Bill Russell	11	45.1	15.5	-	-	27.7	3.6	-	-	-	2.5	5.9	14.5	.409	-	-	-	3.7	6.1	.612


Season 4
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2005-06	1959-60
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf Semis	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	65	27.9	15.1	0.6	2.9	3.5	3.6	1.6	0.4	1.9	2.4	4.8	10.3	.462	1.3	3.3	.382	4.3	5.5	.778
Bill Russell	74	42.5	18.2	-	-	24.0	3.7	-	-	-	2.8	7.5	16.1	.467	-	-	-	3.2	5.3	.612

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	13	32.8	18.4	0.7	3.8	4.5	3.0	1.5	0.5	2.5	3.3	5.8	12.1	.484	1.1	3.2	.333	5.6	6.7	.839
Bill Russell	13	44.0	18.5	-	-	25.8	2.9	-	-	-	2.9	7.2	15.8	.456	-	-	-	4.1	5.8	.707


Season 5
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2006-07	1960-61
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	75	27.5	16.5	0.8	3.6	4.4	3.5	1.5	0.4	2.1	2.1	5.3	11.4	.464	1.7	4.3	.396	4.3	5.0	.860
Bill Russell	78	44.3	16.9	-	-	23.9	3.4	-	-	-	2.0	6.8	16.0	.426	-	-	-	3.3	6.0	.550

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	20	30.1	16.7	0.8	4.7	5.5	3.7	1.7	0.2	2.1	3.1	5.0	12.4	.401	1.9	5.0	.384	4.9	5.8	.836
Bill Russell	10	46.2	19.1	-	-	29.9	4.8	-	-	-	2.4	7.3	17.1	.427	-	-	-	4.5	8.6	.523


Season 6
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2007-08	1961-62
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	All-NBA Third Team	-
	Sixth Man of the Year	-
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	74	31.1	19.5	0.9	3.9	4.8	4.5	1.5	0.4	2.7	2.3	6.1	13.3	.460	2.1	5.3	.401	5.1	6.0	.860
Bill Russell	76	45.2	18.9	-	-	23.6	4.5	-	-	-	2.7	7.6	16.6	.457	-	-	-	3.8	6.3	.595

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	17	32.9	17.8	0.8	2.9	3.8	3.9	0.6	0.3	2.8	2.8	5.8	13.6	.422	2.2	6.0	.373	4.1	4.5	.896
Bill Russell	14	48.0	22.4	-	-	26.4	5.0	-	-	-	3.5	8.3	18.1	.458	-	-	-	5.9	8.1	.726


Season 7
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2008-09	1962-63
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	44	26.8	15.5	0.5	4.0	4.5	3.6	1.5	0.4	2.0	2.0	5.1	11.2	.454	1.6	4.8	.330	3.8	4.3	.884
Bill Russell	78	44.9	16.8	-	-	23.6	4.5	-	-	-	2.4	6.6	15.2	.432	-	-	-	3.7	6.6	.555

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bill Russell	13	47.5	20.3	-	-	25.1	5.1	-	-	-	2.8	7.4	16.3	.453	-	-	-	5.5	8.4	.661


Season 8
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2009-10	1963-64
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf Semis	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	75	28.7	16.5	0.9	2.9	3.8	4.9	1.4	0.3	2.1	2.1	5.3	12.0	.441	1.8	4.7	.377	4.1	4.7	.870
Bill Russell	78	44.6	15.0	-	-	24.7	4.7	-	-	-	2.4	6.0	13.8	.433	-	-	-	3.0	5.5	.550

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	10	35.2	19.4	0.4	3.3	3.7	6.0	2.6	0.2	3.0	3.0	5.8	14.0	.414	2.0	6.0	.333	5.8	6.7	.866
Bill Russell	10	45.1	13.1	-	-	27.2	4.4	-	-	-	3.3	4.7	13.2	.356	-	-	-	3.7	6.7	.552


Season 9
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2010-11	1964-65
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Third Team	-
	-	Rebounds Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	80	30.3	17.4	0.5	3.2	3.7	4.9	1.5	0.4	2.2	2.0	5.5	12.7	.433	1.9	5.5	.349	4.5	5.1	.871
Bill Russell	78	44.4	14.1	-	-	24.1	5.3	-	-	-	2.6	5.5	12.6	.438	-	-	-	3.1	5.5	.573

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	5	34.8	20.6	0.4	3.6	4.0	4.2	2.6	0.6	3.4	2.6	6.2	14.0	.443	1.8	5.6	.321	6.4	8.2	.780
Bill Russell	12	46.8	16.5	-	-	25.2	6.3	-	-	-	3.6	6.6	12.5	.527	-	-	-	3.3	6.3	.526


Season 10
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2011-12	1965-66
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	34	23.3	12.9	0.5	2.9	3.4	4.4	0.7	0.4	1.9	1.6	4.4	8.4	.526	1.5	3.7	.413	2.6	3.0	.871
Bill Russell	78	43.4	12.9	-	-	22.8	4.8	-	-	-	2.8	5.0	12.1	.415	-	-	-	2.9	5.2	.551

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	14	27.9	14.4	0.6	2.9	3.5	4.0	0.7	0.3	3.0	2.6	4.6	10.4	.448	1.6	4.9	.338	3.4	4.0	.857
Bill Russell	17	47.9	19.1	-	-	25.2	5.0	-	-	-	3.5	7.3	15.4	.475	-	-	-	4.5	7.2	.618


Season 11
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2012-13	1966-67
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost NBA Finals	Celtics Lost East Div Finals

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	60	23.2	11.8	0.5	2.9	3.4	4.6	1.3	0.2	2.2	1.9	3.8	9.0	.425	1.4	3.9	.353	2.7	3.4	.796
Bill Russell	81	40.7	13.3	-	-	21.0	5.8	-	-	-	3.2	4.9	10.7	.454	-	-	-	3.5	5.8	.610

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	21	26.7	11.5	0.4	3.3	3.7	5.0	1.1	0.3	2.6	2.5	3.7	9.2	.399	1.4	4.6	.302	2.8	3.8	.738
Bill Russell	9	43.3	10.6	-	-	22.0	5.6	-	-	-	3.6	3.4	9.6	.360	-	-	-	3.7	5.8	.635


Season 12
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2013-14	1967-68
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
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		%
Manu Ginobili	68	22.8	12.3	0.4	2.5	3.0	4.3	1.0	0.3	2.0	1.9	4.3	9.2	.469	1.3	3.8	.349	2.4	2.8	.851
Bill Russell	78	37.9	12.5	-	-	18.6	4.6	-	-	-	3.1	4.7	11.0	.425	-	-	-	3.2	5.9	.537

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	23	25.5	14.3	0.4	2.9	3.3	4.1	1.6	0.1	2.3	2.6	4.5	10.3	.439	1.8	4.6	.390	3.5	4.1	.862
Bill Russell	19	45.7	14.4	-	-	22.8	5.2	-	-	-	3.8	5.2	12.7	.409	-	-	-	4.0	6.8	.585


Season 13
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2014-15	1968-69
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	70	22.7	10.5	0.4	2.6	3.0	4.2	1.0	0.3	2.2	2.0	3.6	8.4	.426	1.3	3.7	.345	2.1	2.9	.721
Bill Russell	77	42.7	9.9	-	-	19.3	4.9	-	-	-	3.0	3.6	8.4	.433	-	-	-	2.6	5.0	.526

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	7	18.7	8.0	0.6	2.9	3.4	4.6	0.6	0.9	2.0	2.7	2.1	6.1	.349	1.1	3.1	.364	2.6	3.3	.783
Bill Russell	18	46.1	10.8	-	-	20.5	5.4	-	-	-	3.6	4.3	10.1	.423	-	-	-	2.3	4.5	.506


Season 14
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2015-16	-
Team	San Antonio Spurs	-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Spurs 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		%
Manu Ginobili	58	19.6	9.6	0.4	2.1	2.5	3.1	1.1	0.2	1.7	1.7	3.4	7.5	.453	1.2	3.1	.391	1.6	1.9	.813
Bill Russell	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	10	19.2	6.7	0.6	2.1	2.7	2.5	0.8	0.3	0.7	2.5	2.0	4.7	.426	0.9	2.1	.429	1.8	2.3	.783
Bill Russell	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 15
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2016-17	-
Team	San Antonio Spurs	-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Spurs 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		%
Manu Ginobili	69	18.7	7.5	0.4	1.9	2.3	2.7	1.2	0.2	1.4	1.7	2.5	6.4	.390	1.3	3.3	.392	1.2	1.6	.804
Bill Russell	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	16	17.8	6.6	0.6	1.8	2.4	2.4	1.0	0.1	0.8	1.8	2.5	6.1	.412	0.6	2.5	.225	1.1	1.4	.739
Bill Russell	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 16
	Manu Ginobili	Bill Russell
Season	2017-18	-
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		%
Manu Ginobili	65	20.0	8.9	0.3	1.9	2.2	2.5	0.7	0.2	1.6	1.9	3.1	7.1	.434	1.0	3.0	.333	1.7	2.0	.840
Bill Russell	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Manu Ginobili	5	21.4	9.0	0.2	2.8	3.0	3.2	1.4	0.2	1.4	2.6	3.0	7.4	.405	1.2	3.6	.333	1.8	2.2	.818
Bill Russell	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Manu Ginobili vs. Bill Russell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Russell and Manu Ginobili, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14

Season 15

Season 16