Sean Elliott vs. James Harden Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of James Harden and Sean Elliott, 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.

Sean Elliott played 12 years in the NBA, 3 less than James Harden, who played 15. Sean Elliott had the first of his seasons in 1989-90, while James Harden had his rookie season in 2009-10. 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
Sean Elliott 12 9 1989-90 to 2000-01
James Harden 15 15 2009-10 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1989-902009-10
Team San Antonio SpursOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second TeamAchievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisThunder 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 %
Sean Elliott 81 25.1 10.0 1.6 2.1 3.7 1.9 0.6 0.2 1.4 2.1 3.8 8.0 .481 0.0 0.1 .111 2.3 2.7 .866
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 10 29.1 12.7 1.1 3.0 4.1 1.8 0.9 0.6 1.5 3.7 5.3 9.6 .552 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 2.9 .724
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

Season 2

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1990-912010-11
Team San Antonio SpursOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdThunder 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 %
Sean Elliott 82 37.1 15.9 1.7 3.8 5.6 2.9 0.8 0.4 1.8 2.3 5.8 11.9 .490 0.2 0.8 .313 4.0 4.9 .808
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 4 33.0 14.8 2.0 3.5 5.5 4.0 1.0 0.3 2.3 2.3 4.3 10.0 .425 0.0 0.8 .000 6.3 8.0 .781
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

Season 3

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1991-922011-12
Team San Antonio SpursOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdThunder Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 82 38.0 16.3 1.7 3.6 5.4 2.6 1.0 0.4 1.9 1.8 6.3 12.7 .494 0.3 1.0 .305 3.5 4.0 .861
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 3 45.7 19.7 1.3 3.0 4.3 2.7 1.0 1.3 2.0 2.0 6.3 13.3 .475 1.7 2.7 .625 5.3 6.0 .889
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

Season 4

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1992-932012-13
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 70 37.2 17.2 1.2 3.4 4.6 3.8 1.0 0.4 2.2 1.9 6.4 13.1 .491 0.5 1.5 .356 3.8 4.8 .795
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 10 38.1 15.8 0.8 4.0 4.8 3.6 0.8 0.3 2.2 2.2 5.9 12.5 .472 0.3 1.4 .214 3.7 4.0 .925
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

Season 5

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1993-942013-14
Team Detroit PistonsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 73 33.0 12.1 0.9 2.7 3.6 2.7 0.7 0.4 1.8 2.4 4.9 10.8 .455 0.4 1.2 .299 1.9 2.4 .803
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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

Season 6

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1994-952014-15
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf FinalsRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 81 35.3 18.1 0.8 2.8 3.5 2.5 1.0 0.5 1.9 2.7 6.2 13.2 .468 1.7 4.1 .408 4.0 5.0 .807
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 15 38.3 17.3 1.5 3.3 4.8 2.7 0.7 0.5 1.8 2.5 5.8 13.3 .435 1.3 3.7 .364 4.4 5.7 .776
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

Season 7

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1995-962015-16
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf SemisRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 77 37.7 20.0 0.9 4.2 5.1 2.7 0.9 0.4 2.6 2.3 6.8 14.6 .466 2.1 5.1 .411 4.2 5.5 .771
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 10 38.9 15.5 1.1 2.8 3.9 2.5 1.1 0.4 3.0 2.4 4.7 11.7 .402 1.0 3.4 .294 5.1 6.4 .797
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

Season 8

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1996-972016-17
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Assists Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 39 35.7 14.9 1.2 3.6 4.9 3.2 0.6 0.6 2.3 2.7 5.0 11.9 .422 1.1 3.2 .333 3.8 5.0 .755
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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

Season 9

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1997-982017-18
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 36 28.1 9.3 0.4 3.0 3.4 1.7 0.7 0.4 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.4 .403 0.9 2.5 .378 1.6 2.2 .718
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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

Season 10

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1998-992018-19
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Sean Elliott 50 30.2 11.2 0.7 3.6 4.3 2.3 0.5 0.3 1.4 2.1 4.2 10.1 .410 0.8 2.4 .328 2.1 2.8 .757
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 17 33.8 11.9 0.6 2.8 3.4 2.6 0.5 0.2 1.2 2.9 4.0 9.0 .444 1.3 3.2 .400 2.6 3.5 .763
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

Season 11

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 1999-002019-20
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdRockets 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 %
Sean Elliott 19 20.6 6.0 0.3 2.2 2.5 1.5 0.6 0.1 1.0 1.8 2.0 5.6 .358 0.7 1.9 .351 1.3 1.7 .781
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 4 29.8 10.0 0.3 5.3 5.5 1.3 0.0 0.5 1.0 3.3 3.8 10.0 .375 1.3 3.3 .385 1.3 2.0 .625
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

Season 12

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season 2000-012020-21
Team San Antonio SpursHouston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Spurs 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 %
Sean Elliott 52 23.6 7.9 0.3 2.9 3.3 1.6 0.4 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.8 6.5 .434 1.1 2.5 .426 1.2 1.6 .714
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott 12 19.9 4.8 0.3 1.9 2.2 1.2 0.4 0.5 1.1 1.8 1.6 4.3 .373 0.7 1.8 .364 0.9 0.9 1.000
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

Season 13

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season -2021-22
Team -Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -76ers 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 %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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

Season 14

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season -2022-23
Team -Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Assists Leader
Playoffs -76ers 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 %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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

Season 15

Sean Elliott James Harden
Season -2023-24
Team -Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Clippers 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 %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sean Elliott ------- --- ----------
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