Stephen Curry vs. Yao Ming Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Yao Ming and Stephen Curry, 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.

Stephen Curry played 15 years in the NBA, 7 more than Yao Ming, who played 8. Stephen Curry had the first of his seasons in 2009-10, while Yao Ming had his rookie season in 2002-03. 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
Stephen Curry 15 9 2009-10 to 2023-24
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2009-102002-03
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie 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 %
Stephen Curry 80 36.2 17.5 0.6 3.9 4.5 5.9 1.9 0.2 3.0 3.2 6.6 14.3 .462 2.1 4.8 .437 2.2 2.5 .885
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 .500 3.7 4.5 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2010-112003-04
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third 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 %
Stephen Curry 74 33.6 18.6 0.7 3.2 3.9 5.8 1.5 0.3 3.1 3.1 6.8 14.2 .480 2.0 4.6 .442 2.9 3.1 .934
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 .000 4.4 5.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765

Season 3
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2011-122004-05
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -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 %
Stephen Curry 26 28.2 14.7 0.6 2.8 3.4 5.3 1.5 0.3 2.5 2.4 5.6 11.4 .490 2.1 4.7 .455 1.5 1.8 .809
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727

Season 4
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2012-132005-06
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Warriors 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 %
Stephen Curry 78 38.2 22.9 0.8 3.3 4.0 6.9 1.6 0.2 3.1 2.5 8.0 17.8 .451 3.5 7.7 .453 3.4 3.7 .900
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 .000 5.9 6.9 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 12 41.4 23.4 0.4 3.4 3.8 8.1 1.7 0.2 3.3 2.9 8.5 19.6 .434 3.5 8.8 .396 2.9 3.2 .921
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2013-142006-07
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Warriors Lost West 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 %
Stephen Curry 78 36.5 24.0 0.6 3.7 4.3 8.5 1.6 0.2 3.8 2.5 8.4 17.7 .471 3.3 7.9 .424 3.9 4.5 .885
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 .000 7.4 8.6 .862
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 7 42.3 23.0 0.6 3.0 3.6 8.4 1.7 0.1 3.7 2.6 7.3 16.6 .440 3.1 8.1 .386 5.3 6.0 .881
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880

Season 6
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2014-152007-08
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
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 %
Stephen Curry 80 32.7 23.8 0.7 3.6 4.3 7.7 2.0 0.2 3.1 2.0 8.2 16.8 .487 3.6 8.1 .443 3.9 4.2 .914
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 .000 6.3 7.4 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 21 39.3 28.3 1.0 4.0 5.0 6.4 1.9 0.1 3.9 2.2 9.5 20.9 .456 4.7 11.0 .422 4.6 5.5 .835
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2015-162008-09
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement Steals Leader-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Warriors Lost NBA 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 %
Stephen Curry 79 34.2 30.1 0.9 4.6 5.4 6.7 2.1 0.2 3.3 2.0 10.2 20.2 .504 5.1 11.2 .454 4.6 5.1 .908
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 1.000 4.9 5.7 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 18 34.1 25.1 0.8 4.7 5.5 5.2 1.4 0.3 4.2 2.2 8.2 18.8 .438 4.4 11.0 .404 4.2 4.6 .916
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2016-172010-11
Team Golden State WarriorsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
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 %
Stephen Curry 79 33.4 25.3 0.8 3.7 4.5 6.6 1.8 0.2 3.0 2.3 8.5 18.3 .468 4.1 10.0 .411 4.1 4.6 .898
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 17 35.4 28.1 1.3 4.9 6.2 6.7 2.0 0.2 3.4 2.2 8.9 18.4 .484 4.2 10.1 .419 6.1 6.7 .904
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2017-18-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement 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 %
Stephen Curry 51 32.0 26.4 0.7 4.4 5.1 6.1 1.6 0.2 3.0 2.2 8.4 16.9 .495 4.2 9.8 .423 5.5 5.9 .921
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 15 37.0 25.5 0.6 5.5 6.1 5.4 1.7 0.7 2.9 2.5 9.1 20.3 .451 4.3 10.8 .395 3.0 3.1 .957
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2018-19-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Warriors Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 69 33.8 27.3 0.7 4.7 5.3 5.2 1.3 0.4 2.8 2.4 9.2 19.4 .472 5.1 11.7 .437 3.8 4.2 .916
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 22 38.5 28.2 0.8 5.2 6.0 5.7 1.1 0.2 3.0 3.1 8.6 19.6 .441 4.2 11.1 .377 6.7 7.1 .943
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 11
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2019-20-
Team Golden State Warriors-
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 %
Stephen Curry 5 27.8 20.8 0.8 4.4 5.2 6.6 1.0 0.4 3.2 2.2 6.6 16.4 .402 2.4 9.8 .245 5.2 5.2 1.000
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 12
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2020-21-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Stephen Curry 63 34.2 32.0 0.5 5.0 5.5 5.8 1.2 0.1 3.4 1.9 10.4 21.7 .482 5.3 12.7 .421 5.7 6.3 .916
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 13
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2021-22-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
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 %
Stephen Curry 64 34.5 25.5 0.5 4.7 5.2 6.3 1.3 0.4 3.2 2.0 8.4 19.1 .437 4.5 11.7 .380 4.3 4.7 .923
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 22 34.7 27.4 0.5 4.7 5.2 5.9 1.3 0.4 2.6 2.7 9.2 20.0 .459 4.1 10.4 .397 4.9 5.9 .829
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 14
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2022-23-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Warriors 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 %
Stephen Curry 56 34.7 29.4 0.7 5.4 6.1 6.3 0.9 0.4 3.2 2.1 10.0 20.2 .493 4.9 11.4 .427 4.6 5.0 .915
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry 13 37.9 30.5 0.7 4.5 5.2 6.1 1.0 0.5 3.2 2.6 11.2 23.9 .466 4.4 12.1 .363 3.8 4.5 .845
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 15
Stephen Curry Yao Ming
Season 2023-24-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards Achievement Clutch Player of the Year-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Stephen Curry 74 32.7 26.4 0.5 4.0 4.5 5.1 0.7 0.4 2.8 1.6 8.8 19.5 .450 4.8 11.8 .408 4.0 4.4 .923
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Stephen Curry ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
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