Spencer Haywood vs. David Lee Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of David Lee and Spencer Haywood, 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.

Spencer Haywood and David Lee both played 12 years in the NBA. Spencer Haywood had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while David Lee had his rookie season in 2005-06. 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
Spencer Haywood 12 4 1970-71 to 1982-83
David Lee 12 5 2005-06 to 2016-17

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1970-712005-06
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
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 %
Spencer Haywood 33 35.2 20.6 - - 12.0 1.5 - - - 2.5 7.9 17.5 .449 - - - 4.8 6.6 .734
David Lee 67 16.9 5.1 1.6 2.9 4.5 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.8 1.9 2.0 3.4 .596 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.8 .577
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1971-722006-07
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Spencer Haywood 73 43.4 26.2 - - 12.7 2.0 - - - 2.8 9.8 21.3 .461 - - - 6.6 8.0 .819
David Lee 58 29.8 10.7 3.4 7.0 10.4 1.8 0.8 0.4 1.6 2.7 4.1 6.9 .600 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.0 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1972-732007-08
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Spencer Haywood 77 42.3 29.2 - - 12.9 2.5 - - - 2.8 11.5 24.3 .476 - - - 6.1 7.3 .839
David Lee 81 29.1 10.8 3.0 6.0 8.9 1.2 0.7 0.4 1.2 2.6 4.2 7.6 .552 0.0 0.0 .000 2.4 2.9 .819
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1973-742008-09
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Spencer Haywood 75 40.5 23.5 4.2 9.2 13.4 3.2 0.9 1.4 - 2.6 9.3 20.3 .457 - - - 5.0 6.1 .814
David Lee 81 34.9 16.0 3.2 8.6 11.7 2.1 1.0 0.3 1.9 3.2 6.4 11.7 .549 0.0 0.0 .000 3.1 4.1 .755
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1974-752009-10
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Supersonics 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 %
Spencer Haywood 68 37.2 22.4 2.9 6.4 9.3 2.0 0.8 1.6 - 2.5 8.9 19.5 .459 - - - 4.5 5.6 .811
David Lee 81 37.3 20.2 2.8 8.9 11.7 3.6 1.0 0.5 2.3 3.2 8.5 15.5 .545 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 4.1 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 9 37.4 15.7 2.2 6.8 9.0 2.0 0.8 1.2 - 3.2 5.2 14.6 .359 - - - 5.2 6.8 .770
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1975-762010-11
Team New York KnicksGolden State Warriors
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 %
Spencer Haywood 78 37.1 19.9 3.0 8.3 11.3 1.2 0.7 1.0 - 3.3 7.8 17.4 .445 - - - 4.3 5.7 .757
David Lee 73 36.1 16.5 3.0 6.8 9.8 3.2 1.0 0.4 2.3 2.9 6.8 13.4 .507 0.0 0.0 .333 2.9 3.7 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1976-772011-12
Team New York KnicksGolden State Warriors
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 %
Spencer Haywood 31 32.9 16.5 2.5 6.5 9.0 1.6 0.5 0.9 - 2.3 6.5 14.5 .450 - - - 3.5 4.2 .832
David Lee 57 37.2 20.1 3.0 6.6 9.6 2.8 0.9 0.4 2.6 3.1 8.1 16.2 .503 0.0 0.1 .000 3.8 4.9 .782
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1977-782012-13
Team New York KnicksGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks 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 %
Spencer Haywood 67 26.3 13.7 2.1 4.5 6.6 1.9 0.6 1.1 2.1 2.8 6.1 12.7 .484 - - - 1.4 2.0 .711
David Lee 79 36.8 18.5 2.8 8.5 11.2 3.5 0.8 0.3 2.6 3.1 7.6 14.7 .519 0.0 0.1 .000 3.2 4.1 .797
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 6 29.5 16.2 3.2 3.8 7.0 2.0 0.3 0.8 1.7 4.0 7.2 14.2 .506 - - - 1.8 1.8 1.000
David Lee 6 10.8 5.0 1.0 3.7 4.7 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.8 0.8 2.2 5.5 .394 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.0 .667

Season 9

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1978-792013-14
Team New York Knicks, New Orleans JazzGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors 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 %
Spencer Haywood 68 34.7 20.9 2.5 5.3 7.8 1.9 0.6 1.2 2.9 3.5 8.8 17.7 .494 - - - 3.4 4.3 .791
David Lee 69 33.2 18.2 2.6 6.7 9.3 2.1 0.7 0.4 2.2 3.0 7.4 14.2 .523 0.0 0.0 .000 3.3 4.3 .780
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee 7 31.0 13.9 3.4 5.7 9.1 2.6 0.6 0.0 2.4 4.0 5.9 11.0 .532 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 2.7 .789

Season 10

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1979-802014-15
Team Los Angeles LakersGolden State Warriors
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 %
Spencer Haywood 76 20.3 9.7 1.7 2.8 4.6 1.2 0.5 0.8 1.8 2.6 3.8 7.8 .487 0.0 0.1 .250 2.1 2.7 .772
David Lee 49 18.4 7.9 1.7 3.6 5.2 1.7 0.6 0.5 1.0 1.7 3.3 6.4 .511 0.0 0.0 .000 1.4 2.1 .654
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 11 13.2 5.7 1.3 1.1 2.4 0.4 0.0 0.5 1.8 1.5 2.3 4.8 .472 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.5 .813
David Lee 13 8.2 3.1 0.8 1.8 2.6 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.3 1.2 3.1 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.2 .533

Note: Spencer Haywood didn't play in 1980-81.

Season 11

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1981-822015-16
Team Washington BulletsBoston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bullets 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 %
Spencer Haywood 76 27.4 13.3 1.9 3.7 5.6 0.8 0.6 0.9 2.3 3.3 5.2 10.9 .476 0.0 0.0 .000 2.9 3.4 .842
David Lee 55 16.4 7.8 1.8 3.7 5.5 1.5 0.4 0.5 1.2 2.1 3.2 6.1 .531 0.0 0.0 .000 1.3 1.7 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 7 33.0 20.0 2.3 3.3 5.6 1.0 0.6 2.0 2.1 4.0 8.1 16.4 .496 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 5.0 .743
David Lee 2 16.5 6.0 0.5 2.5 3.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.5 3.0 4.0 .750 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 12

Spencer Haywood David Lee
Season 1982-832016-17
Team Washington BulletsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySpurs 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 %
Spencer Haywood 38 20.4 8.2 2.0 2.8 4.8 0.8 0.3 0.7 1.8 2.5 3.3 8.2 .401 0.0 0.0 .000 1.7 2.3 .724
David Lee 79 18.7 7.3 1.9 3.7 5.6 1.6 0.4 0.5 1.0 1.6 3.1 5.3 .590 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.4 .708
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
David Lee 15 16.3 4.1 1.3 2.5 3.8 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.4 1.3 1.7 3.2 .521 0.0 0.1 .000 0.7 1.1 .647