Arvydas Sabonis vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Arvydas Sabonis, 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 / Stats / Stats Rankings

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.

Arvydas Sabonis played 7 years in the NBA, 3 less than Bill Walton, who played 10. Arvydas Sabonis had the first of his seasons in 1995-96, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
Arvydas Sabonis 7 7 1995-96 to 2002-03
Bill Walton 10 4 1974-75 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 1995-961974-75
Team Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 73 23.8 14.5 2.0 6.0 8.1 1.8 0.9 1.1 2.1 2.9 5.4 9.9 .545 0.5 1.4 .375 3.2 4.2 .757
difference:+38+9.1+1.7+0.6+4.0+4.5+3.0+0.1+1.6-0.4+0.3+.032+0.5+0.3+.071
Bill Walton 35 32.9 12.8 2.6 10.0 12.6 4.8 0.8 2.7 - 3.3 5.1 9.9 .513 - - - 2.7 3.9 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 5 35.4 23.6 2.4 7.8 10.2 1.8 0.8 0.6 2.0 3.4 7.0 16.2 .432 1.0 1.8 .556 8.6 12.0 .717
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 1996-971975-76
Team Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 69 25.5 13.4 1.7 6.3 7.9 2.1 0.9 1.2 2.2 2.9 4.8 9.5 .498 0.7 1.9 .371 3.2 4.2 .777
difference:+18+7.6+2.7+0.9+4.5+5.5+2.2+0.1+0.4-0.1+2.0+4.9+.027+0.6+0.3+.194
Bill Walton 51 33.1 16.1 2.6 10.8 13.4 4.3 1.0 1.6 - 2.8 6.8 14.4 .471 - - - 2.6 4.5 .583
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 4 26.8 11.3 2.0 4.5 6.5 2.3 0.8 0.8 2.3 4.8 4.5 10.5 .429 0.5 2.0 .250 1.8 2.0 .875
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 1997-981976-77
Team Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 73 32.0 16.0 2.0 7.9 10.0 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.6 3.7 5.6 11.3 .493 0.4 1.6 .261 4.4 5.5 .798
difference:+8+2.8+2.6+1.2+3.2+4.4+0.8+0.1+2.1-1.0+2.0+3.0+.035+0.9+0.5+.101
Bill Walton 65 34.8 18.6 3.2 11.1 14.4 3.8 1.0 3.2 - 2.7 7.6 14.3 .528 - - - 3.5 5.0 .697
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 4 26.8 12.3 1.8 6.0 7.8 1.5 1.8 0.8 2.5 4.8 4.5 10.0 .450 0.3 0.5 .500 3.0 3.5 .857
difference:+15+12.9+5.9+1.1+6.2+7.4+4.0+0.7+2.6-0.6+3.6+5.9+.057+0.9+0.5+.173
Bill Walton 19 39.7 18.2 2.9 12.2 15.2 5.5 1.1 3.4 - 4.2 8.1 15.9 .507 - - - 2.1 3.0 .684

Season 4
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 1998-991977-78
Team Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 50 27.0 12.1 1.8 6.1 7.9 2.4 0.7 1.3 1.7 2.9 4.6 9.6 .485 0.1 0.5 .292 2.7 3.5 .771
difference:+8+6.3+6.8+0.2+5.1+5.3+2.6+0.3+1.2-1.9-0.4+3.3+5.6+.037+0.4+0.7+.051
Bill Walton 58 33.3 18.9 2.0 11.2 13.2 5.0 1.0 2.5 3.6 2.5 7.9 15.2 .522 - - - 3.1 4.2 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 13 30.1 10.0 0.9 7.8 8.8 2.2 1.2 1.2 1.5 2.7 3.5 8.7 .398 0.1 0.4 .200 3.0 3.3 .907
difference:+11+5.6+3.5+1.6+0.7+2.2+0.2+0.3+0.3-1.5-2.2+2.0+0.3+.213+0.5+0.2+.193
Bill Walton 2 24.5 13.5 2.5 8.5 11.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 3.0 0.5 5.5 9.0 .611 - - - 2.5 3.5 .714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 5
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 1999-001979-80
Team Portland Trail BlazersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 66 25.6 11.8 1.5 6.3 7.8 1.8 0.7 1.2 1.5 2.8 4.6 9.1 .505 0.1 0.3 .368 2.5 3.0 .843
difference:+52+1.5+2.1+0.5+0.7+1.2+0.6+0.1+1.5-1.1-0.2+1.2+2.4+.002+0.1+0.3+0.2+0.9+.250
Bill Walton 14 24.1 13.9 2.0 7.0 9.0 2.4 0.6 2.7 2.6 2.6 5.8 11.5 .503 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .593
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 16 30.8 11.3 1.2 5.5 6.7 1.9 0.9 0.8 1.6 3.7 4.3 9.4 .453 0.4 1.3 .286 2.4 3.1 .796
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 6
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 2000-011982-83
Team Portland Trail BlazersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 61 21.3 10.1 0.8 4.6 5.4 1.5 0.7 1.0 1.4 2.2 4.0 8.5 .479 0.0 0.2 .067 2.0 2.6 .776
difference:+28+12.0+4.0+1.5+2.9+4.4+2.1+0.3+2.6-1.8-1.2+2.1+3.0+.049+0.2+0.9+.220
Bill Walton 33 33.3 14.1 2.3 7.5 9.8 3.6 1.0 3.6 3.2 3.4 6.1 11.5 .528 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.5 .556
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 3 35.0 11.3 2.7 5.7 8.3 2.7 0.3 2.3 0.7 4.0 4.7 9.7 .483 0.0 0.7 .000 2.0 2.7 .750
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Note: Arvydas Sabonis didn't play in 2001-02.

Season 7
Arvydas Sabonis Bill Walton
Season 2002-031983-84
Team Portland Trail BlazersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 78 15.5 6.1 1.1 3.2 4.3 1.8 0.8 0.6 1.0 1.8 2.2 4.6 .476 0.0 0.1 .500 1.7 2.1 .787
difference:+23+11.3+6.0+1.3+3.1+4.4+1.5+1.0-2.2-1.0+3.0+4.8+.080+0.1+0.7+.190
Bill Walton 55 26.8 12.1 2.4 6.3 8.7 3.3 0.8 1.6 3.2 2.8 5.2 9.4 .556 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 2.8 .597
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Arvydas Sabonis 6 14.5 10.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 0.8 0.7 0.7 1.0 2.3 4.0 6.0 .667 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .800
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Bill Walton played 3 seasons more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 10, from 1985 to 1987—Bill Walton played in two Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

In those 3 extra years over Arvydas Sabonis, Bill Walton got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Sixth Man of the Year
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