Willis Reed vs. David Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of David Thompson and Willis Reed, 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.

Willis Reed played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than David Thompson, who played 8. Willis Reed had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while David Thompson had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Willis Reed 10 7 1964-65 to 1973-74
David Thompson 8 5 1976-77 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1964-651976-77
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets 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 %
Willis Reed 80 38.0 19.5 - - 14.7 1.7 - - - 4.2 7.9 18.2 .432 - - - 3.8 5.1 .742
David Thompson 82 36.6 25.9 1.7 2.4 4.1 4.1 1.4 0.6 - 2.9 10.0 19.8 .507 - - - 5.8 7.6 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed ------- --- ----------
David Thompson 6 39.5 24.7 2.2 3.0 5.2 4.0 1.5 0.7 - 3.7 9.3 20.2 .463 - - - 6.0 8.8 .679

Season 2

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1965-661977-78
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets 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 %
Willis Reed 76 33.4 15.5 - - 11.6 1.2 - - - 4.3 5.8 13.3 .434 - - - 4.0 5.3 .757
David Thompson 80 37.8 27.2 2.0 2.9 4.9 4.5 1.2 1.2 3.1 2.7 10.3 19.8 .521 - - - 6.5 8.4 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed ------- --- ----------
David Thompson 13 37.0 25.2 1.4 2.7 4.1 4.0 0.7 1.6 3.0 2.6 10.1 22.4 .450 - - - 5.1 6.2 .825

Season 3

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1966-671978-79
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div SemisNuggets 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 %
Willis Reed 78 36.2 20.9 - - 14.6 1.6 - - - 3.8 8.1 16.6 .489 - - - 4.6 6.2 .735
David Thompson 76 35.1 24.0 1.4 2.2 3.6 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.4 2.4 9.1 17.8 .512 - - - 5.8 7.7 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 4 37.0 27.5 - - 13.8 1.8 - - - 4.8 10.8 20.0 .538 - - - 6.0 6.3 .960
David Thompson 3 40.7 28.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 4.0 1.3 0.3 4.0 4.0 12.7 23.0 .551 - - - 2.7 3.7 .727

Season 4

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1967-681979-80
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 81 35.5 20.8 - - 13.2 2.0 - - - 4.2 8.1 16.6 .490 - - - 4.5 6.3 .721
David Thompson 39 31.8 21.5 1.4 3.0 4.5 3.2 1.0 1.0 3.0 2.7 7.4 15.8 .468 0.2 0.5 .368 6.5 8.6 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 6 35.0 21.3 - - 10.3 1.8 - - - 4.0 8.8 16.3 .541 - - - 3.7 5.0 .733
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1968-691980-81
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 82 37.9 21.1 - - 14.5 2.3 - - - 3.8 8.6 16.5 .521 - - - 4.0 5.3 .747
David Thompson 77 34.0 25.5 1.4 2.3 3.7 3.0 0.7 0.8 3.2 3.0 9.5 18.8 .506 0.1 0.5 .256 6.4 8.0 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 10 42.9 25.7 - - 14.1 1.9 - - - 4.0 10.1 19.8 .510 - - - 5.5 7.0 .786
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1969-701981-82
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNuggets 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 %
Willis Reed 81 38.1 21.7 - - 13.9 2.0 - - - 3.5 8.7 17.1 .507 - - - 4.3 5.7 .756
David Thompson 61 20.4 14.9 0.9 1.5 2.4 1.9 0.6 0.5 2.3 2.4 5.1 10.6 .486 0.1 0.2 .286 4.5 5.6 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 18 40.7 23.7 - - 13.8 2.8 - - - 3.3 9.9 21.0 .471 - - - 3.9 5.3 .737
David Thompson 3 22.0 11.7 1.3 2.0 3.3 2.0 0.3 0.0 2.7 2.7 5.0 11.0 .455 0.3 1.0 .333 1.3 2.3 .571

Season 7

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1970-711982-83
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsSupersonics 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 %
Willis Reed 73 39.1 20.9 - - 13.7 2.0 - - - 3.1 8.4 18.2 .462 - - - 4.1 5.2 .785
David Thompson 75 28.7 15.9 1.3 2.3 3.6 3.0 0.6 0.4 2.2 1.9 5.9 12.3 .481 0.0 0.1 .200 4.0 5.1 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 12 42.0 15.7 - - 12.0 2.3 - - - 3.4 6.8 16.3 .413 - - - 2.2 3.3 .667
David Thompson 2 32.5 12.0 0.0 0.0 0 3.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 3.5 4.5 12.5 .360 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 5.0 .600

Season 8

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1971-721983-84
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
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 %
Willis Reed 11 33.0 13.4 - - 8.7 2.0 - - - 2.7 5.5 12.5 .438 - - - 2.5 3.5 .692
David Thompson 19 18.4 12.6 0.9 1.4 2.3 0.7 0.5 0.7 1.4 1.6 4.7 8.7 .539 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 3.8 .849
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed ------- --- ----------
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1972-73-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
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 %
Willis Reed 69 27.2 11.0 - - 8.6 1.8 - - - 3.0 4.8 10.2 .474 - - - 1.3 1.8 .742
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 17 28.6 12.5 - - 7.6 1.8 - - - 3.8 5.7 12.2 .466 - - - 1.1 1.2 .857
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Willis Reed David Thompson
Season 1973-74-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 19 26.3 11.1 2.5 4.9 7.4 1.6 0.6 1.1 - 2.6 4.4 9.7 .457 - - - 2.2 2.8 .792
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Willis Reed 11 12.0 3.4 0.4 1.6 2.0 0.4 0.2 0.0 - 2.4 1.5 4.1 .378 - - - 0.3 0.5 .600
David Thompson ------- --- ----------