Al Horford vs. Zion Williamson Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Zion Williamson and Al Horford, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / 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.
Al Horford played 18 years in the NBA, 13 more than Zion Williamson, who played 5. Al Horford had the first of his seasons in 2007-08, while Zion Williamson had his rookie season in 2019-20. 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 achievements, 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 |
| Al Horford | 18 | 16 | 2007-08 to 2024-25 |
| Zion Williamson | 5 | 0 | 2019-20 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| Al Horford | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2007-08 | 2019-20 |
| Team | Atlanta Hawks | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards |  All-Rookie First Team | All-Rookie First Team |
| Playoffs | Hawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd | Did Not Play |
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Rookie Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 81 | 31.4 | 10.1 | 3.1 | 6.6 | 9.7 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 8.2 | .499 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 1.9 | 2.6 | .731 |
| difference: | +57 | +3.6 | +12.4 | +0.4 | +3.0 | +3.4 | +0.6 | +0.5 | -0.8 | -1.5 | +4.7 | +6.8 | +.084 | +0.3 | +0.5 | +.429 | +2.9 | +4.8 | +.091 | |
| Zion Williamson | 24 | 27.8 | 22.5 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 8.8 | 15.0 | .583 | 0.3 | 0.6 | .429 | 4.8 | 7.4 | .640 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 7 | 39.6 | 12.6 | 3.1 | 7.3 | 10.4 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 10.3 | .472 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | 2.9 | 3.9 | .741 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 2 |
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| Al Horford | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2008-09 | 2020-21 |
| Team | Atlanta Hawks | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Hawks Lost East Conf Semis | Did Not Play |
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 67 | 33.5 | 11.5 | 2.2 | 7.1 | 9.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.9 | .525 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | 2.2 | 3.1 | .727 |
| difference: | +6 | +0.3 | +15.5 | +0.5 | +2.6 | +2.1 | +1.3 | +0.1 | +0.8 | -1.2 | -0.6 | +5.7 | +8.1 | +.086 | +0.2 | +0.6 | +3.8 | +5.6 | +.029 | |
| Zion Williamson | 61 | 33.2 | 27.0 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 7.2 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 10.4 | 17.0 | .611 | 0.2 | 0.6 | .294 | 6.0 | 8.7 | .698 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 9 | 28.0 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 6.6 | .424 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 1.3 | 2.0 | .667 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Note: Zion Williamson didn't play in 2021-22.
Season 3 |
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| Al Horford | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2009-10 | 2022-23 |
| Team | Atlanta Hawks | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | All-Star Game | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Hawks Lost East Conf Semis | Did Not Play |
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 81 | 35.1 | 14.2 | 2.9 | 7.0 | 9.9 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 5.8 | 10.5 | .551 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | 2.6 | 3.3 | .789 |
| difference: | +52 | +2.1 | +11.8 | +0.9 | +2.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +0.4 | +0.5 | -1.9 | -0.6 | +4.0 | +5.7 | +.057 | +0.2 | +0.7 | +3.5 | +5.3 | +.075 | |
| Zion Williamson | 29 | 33.0 | 26.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 9.8 | 16.2 | .608 | 0.2 | 0.7 | .368 | 6.1 | 8.6 | .714 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 11 | 35.3 | 14.6 | 2.5 | 6.5 | 9.0 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 11.6 | .523 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.000 | 2.4 | 2.8 | .839 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 4 |
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| Al Horford | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2010-11 | 2023-24 |
| Team | Atlanta Hawks | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | All-NBA Third Team | - |
| All-Star Game | - | |
| Playoffs | Hawks Lost East Conf Semis | Did Not Play |
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 77 | 35.1 | 15.3 | 2.4 | 7.0 | 9.3 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 12.0 | .557 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .500 | 1.9 | 2.4 | .798 |
| difference: | +7 | +3.6 | +7.6 | +0.7 | +2.9 | +3.5 | +1.5 | +0.3 | +0.3 | -1.3 | -0.2 | +2.2 | +3.6 | +.013 | +0.1 | +0.2 | +.167 | +3.1 | +4.7 | +.096 |
| Zion Williamson | 70 | 31.5 | 22.9 | 1.7 | 4.1 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 8.9 | 15.6 | .570 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .333 | 5.0 | 7.1 | .702 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 12 | 39.0 | 11.3 | 2.1 | 7.5 | 9.6 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 11.4 | .423 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .000 | 1.7 | 2.2 | .769 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 5 |
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| Al Horford | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2011-12 | 2024-25 |
| Team | Atlanta Hawks | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Hawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd | Did Not Play |
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 11 | 31.6 | 12.4 | 2.4 | 4.6 | 7.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 9.4 | .553 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 2.0 | 2.7 | .733 |
| difference: | +19 | +3.0 | +12.2 | +0.1 | +0.1 | +0.2 | +3.1 | +0.3 | +0.4 | -1.5 | -0.8 | +4.4 | +7.5 | +.014 | +0.1 | +0.3 | +.231 | +3.3 | +5.3 | +.077 |
| Zion Williamson | 30 | 28.6 | 24.6 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 7.2 | 5.3 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 9.6 | 16.9 | .567 | 0.1 | 0.4 | .231 | 5.3 | 8.0 | .656 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Al Horford | 3 | 36.0 | 15.3 | 1.7 | 6.7 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 6.7 | 11.3 | .588 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | 2.0 | 2.7 | .750 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Additional Years |
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* Al Horford played 13 seasons more than Zion Williamson in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 18, from 2013 to 2025—Al Horford played in 11 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 13 extra years over Zion Williamson, Al Horford got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 All-Defensive Second Team 3 All-Star Game |