Yao Ming vs. Lenny Wilkens Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Lenny Wilkens and Yao Ming, 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.

Yao Ming played 8 years in the NBA, 7 less than Lenny Wilkens, who played 15. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Lenny Wilkens had his rookie season in 1960-61. 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
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11
Lenny Wilkens 15 7 1960-61 to 1974-75

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2002-031960-61
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 75 25.3 11.7 - - 4.5 2.8 - - - 2.9 4.4 10.4 .425 - - - 2.9 4.0 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 12 36.4 14.2 - - 6.0 3.5 - - - 4.3 5.3 13.8 .380 - - - 3.7 4.8 .759

Season 2

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2003-041961-62
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 20 43.5 18.2 - - 6.6 5.8 - - - 3.2 7.0 18.2 .385 - - - 4.2 5.5 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2004-051962-63
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdHawks Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 75 34.3 11.8 - - 5.4 5.1 - - - 3.4 4.4 11.1 .399 - - - 3.0 4.3 .696
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 11 36.4 13.7 - - 6.3 6.3 - - - 4.6 5.2 14.0 .370 - - - 3.4 4.5 .755

Season 4

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2005-061963-64
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 78 32.4 12.0 - - 4.3 4.6 - - - 3.7 4.3 10.4 .413 - - - 3.5 4.7 .740
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 12 34.4 14.3 - - 5.0 5.3 - - - 3.5 5.3 11.9 .448 - - - 3.7 4.8 .759

Season 5

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2006-071964-65
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdHawks Lost West Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 78 36.6 16.5 - - 4.7 5.5 - - - 3.6 5.6 13.4 .414 - - - 5.3 7.2 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 4 36.8 16.0 - - 3.0 3.8 - - - 3.5 5.0 14.3 .351 - - - 6.0 7.3 .828

Season 6

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2007-081965-66
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 69 39.0 18.0 - - 4.7 6.2 - - - 3.6 6.0 13.8 .431 - - - 6.1 7.7 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 10 39.1 17.1 - - 5.4 7.0 - - - 4.3 5.7 14.3 .399 - - - 5.7 8.3 .687

Season 7

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2008-091966-67
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisHawks Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 78 38.1 17.4 - - 5.3 5.7 - - - 3.6 5.7 13.3 .432 - - - 5.9 7.5 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 9 42.0 21.4 - - 7.6 7.2 - - - 3.8 6.4 16.1 .400 - - - 8.6 10.0 .856

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season 2010-111967-68
Team Houston RocketsSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost West Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Lenny Wilkens 82 38.6 20.0 - - 5.3 8.3 - - - 3.1 6.7 15.2 .438 - - - 6.7 8.7 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 6 39.5 18.3 - - 6.3 7.8 - - - 3.8 6.7 15.2 .440 - - - 5.0 6.7 .750

Season 9

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1968-69
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 82 42.2 22.4 - - 6.2 8.2 - - - 3.6 7.9 17.8 .440 - - - 6.7 8.7 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1969-70
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Assists 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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 75 37.4 17.8 - - 5.0 9.1 - - - 2.8 6.0 14.2 .420 - - - 5.8 7.4 .788
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1970-71
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 71 37.2 19.8 - - 4.5 9.2 - - - 2.8 6.6 15.8 .419 - - - 6.5 8.1 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1971-72
Team -Seattle Supersonics
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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 80 37.4 18.0 - - 4.2 9.6 - - - 2.6 6.0 12.8 .466 - - - 6.0 7.8 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1972-73
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards -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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 75 39.6 20.5 - - 4.6 8.4 - - - 2.9 7.6 17.0 .449 - - - 5.3 6.3 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1973-74
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 74 33.6 16.4 1.1 2.7 3.7 7.1 1.3 0.2 - 2.2 6.2 13.4 .465 - - - 3.9 4.9 .801
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------

Season 15

Yao Ming Lenny Wilkens
Season -1974-75
Team -Portland Trail Blazers
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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 65 17.9 6.5 0.6 1.3 1.8 3.6 1.2 0.1 - 1.5 2.1 4.7 .439 - - - 2.3 3.0 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens ------- --- ----------