Arvydas Sabonis vs. Jayson Tatum Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jayson Tatum 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 / Scoring / 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, 1 less than Jayson Tatum, who played 8. Arvydas Sabonis had the first of his seasons in 1995-96, while Jayson Tatum had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Jayson Tatum 8 8 2017-18 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 1995-962017-18
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+7+6.7+0.6+1.4+1.6+3.1+0.2+0.1+0.4-0.7-0.8+0.4+0.5+.070+0.8+1.6+.059+0.5+1.0+.069
Jayson Tatum 80 30.5 13.9 0.6 4.4 5.0 1.6 1.0 0.7 1.4 2.1 5.0 10.4 .475 1.3 3.0 .434 2.7 3.2 .826
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
difference:+14+0.5+5.1+1.9+4.0+5.8+0.9+0.4+0.1-0.2-0.8+0.5+2.5+.039+0.2+1.9+.232+4.3+6.9+.128
Jayson Tatum 19 35.9 18.5 0.5 3.8 4.4 2.7 1.2 0.5 2.2 2.6 6.5 13.7 .471 1.2 3.7 .324 4.3 5.1 .845

Season 2

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 1996-972018-19
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
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:+10+5.6+2.3+0.8+1.1+1.9+0.2+0.5-0.7-0.8+1.1+3.6+.048+0.8+2.0+.002+0.7+1.3+.078
Jayson Tatum 79 31.1 15.7 0.9 5.2 6.0 2.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 2.1 5.9 13.1 .450 1.5 3.9 .373 2.5 2.9 .855
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
difference:+5+6.0+3.9+1.2+1.4+0.2+0.4+0.3-0.3-2.5+0.9+1.9+.009+0.6+1.4+.073+1.4+2.3+.131
Jayson Tatum 9 32.8 15.2 0.8 5.9 6.7 1.9 1.1 0.8 2.0 2.3 5.4 12.4 .438 1.1 3.4 .323 3.2 4.3 .744

Season 3

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 1997-982019-20
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+7+2.3+7.4+1.0+1.9+3.0+0.5+0.2-0.3-1.6+2.8+7.3+.043+2.5+5.5+.142+0.6+0.8+.014
Jayson Tatum 66 34.3 23.4 1.0 6.0 7.0 3.0 1.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 8.4 18.6 .450 2.9 7.1 .403 3.8 4.7 .812
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:+13+13.8+13.4+0.5+2.7+2.2+3.5+0.8+0.4-0.3-2.4+4.0+9.6+.016+2.5+6.9+.127+2.9+3.7+.044
Jayson Tatum 17 40.6 25.7 1.3 8.7 10.0 5.0 1.0 1.2 2.8 2.4 8.5 19.6 .434 2.8 7.4 .373 5.9 7.2 .813

Season 4

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 1998-992020-21
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics Lost East Conf 1st Rd
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:+14+8.8+14.3+1.0+0.5+0.5+1.9+0.5+0.8-1.0-1.0+4.9+11.0+.026+2.8+7.1+.094+1.9+1.8+.097
Jayson Tatum 64 35.8 26.4 0.8 6.6 7.4 4.3 1.2 0.5 2.7 1.9 9.5 20.6 .459 2.9 7.6 .386 4.6 5.3 .868
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:+8+6.9+20.6+0.3+2.6+3.0+2.4+0.4-1.1-0.3+5.9+13.5+.025+2.7+6.8+.189+6.0+6.5+.011
Jayson Tatum 5 37.0 30.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 4.6 1.2 1.6 2.6 3.0 9.4 22.2 .423 2.8 7.2 .389 9.0 9.8 .918

Season 5

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 1999-002021-22
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics Lost NBA Finals
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:+10+10.3+15.1+0.4+0.6+0.2+2.6+0.3+0.6-1.4-0.5+4.7+11.5+.052+2.9+8.3+.015+2.8+3.2+.010
Jayson Tatum 76 35.9 26.9 1.1 6.9 8.0 4.4 1.0 0.6 2.9 2.3 9.3 20.6 .453 3.0 8.6 .353 5.3 6.2 .853
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
difference:+8+10.2+14.3+0.2+0.2+4.3+0.3+0.1-2.6-0.7+4.1+10.3+.027+2.8+6.9+.107+3.3+4.0+.004
Jayson Tatum 24 41.0 25.6 1.0 5.7 6.7 6.2 1.2 0.9 4.2 3.0 8.4 19.7 .426 3.2 8.2 .393 5.7 7.1 .800

Season 6

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 2000-012022-23
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+13+15.6+20.0+0.3+3.1+3.4+3.1+0.4+0.3-1.5+5.8+12.6+.013+3.2+9.1+.283+5.2+5.8+.078
Jayson Tatum 74 36.9 30.1 1.1 7.7 8.8 4.6 1.1 0.7 2.9 2.2 9.8 21.1 .466 3.2 9.3 .350 7.2 8.4 .854
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
difference:+17+5.0+15.9+1.4+3.5+2.2+2.6+0.8+1.2-2.1-1.8+4.6+10.5+.025+2.7+7.5+.323+4.0+4.2+.126
Jayson Tatum 20 40.0 27.2 1.3 9.2 10.5 5.3 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.2 9.3 20.2 .458 2.7 8.2 .323 6.0 6.9 .876

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

Season 7

Arvydas Sabonis Jayson Tatum
Season 2002-032023-24
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+4+20.2+20.8+0.2+4.0+3.8+3.1+0.2-1.5-0.2+6.9+14.7+.005+3.1+8.1+.124+3.9+4.6+.046
Jayson Tatum 74 35.7 26.9 0.9 7.2 8.1 4.9 1.0 0.6 2.5 2.0 9.1 19.3 .471 3.1 8.2 .376 5.6 6.7 .833
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
difference:+13+25.9+15.0+0.1+5.8+5.7+5.5+0.4-1.6-0.5+4.4+13.6+.240+2.1+7.3+4.2+4.7+.061
Jayson Tatum 19 40.4 25.0 0.9 8.8 9.7 6.3 1.1 0.7 2.6 2.8 8.4 19.6 .427 2.1 7.3 .283 6.2 7.2 .861

Additional Years

* Jayson Tatum played 1 season more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA.

In that period—his season 8 in 2025—Jayson Tatum played in the Playoffs.

In that extra year over Arvydas Sabonis, Jayson Tatum got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 1 All-Star Game