Arvydas Sabonis vs. John Starks Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of John Starks 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 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.

Arvydas Sabonis played 7 years in the NBA, 6 less than John Starks, who played 13. Arvydas Sabonis had the first of his seasons in 1995-96, while John Starks had his rookie season in 1988-89. 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
John Starks	13	9	1988-89 to 2001-02

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7


Rookie Season
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	1995-96	1988-89
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	-
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West 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		%
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:	+37	+15.0	+10.4	+1.6	+5.3	+7.0	+1.0	+0.3	+1.0	-1.0	-1.9	+4.0	+6.4	+.137	+0.2	+0.7	+.010	+2.3	+2.8	+.103
John Starks	36	8.8	4.1	0.4	0.7	1.1	0.8	0.6	0.1	1.1	1.0	1.4	3.5	.408	0.3	0.7	.385	0.9	1.4	.654

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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
John Starks	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Note: John Starks didn't play in 1989-90.


Season 2
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	1996-97	1990-91
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Knicks Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+8	+6.3	+5.8	+1.2	+4.6	+5.8	+1.2	+0.1	+0.9	-1.0	-0.7	+1.8	+2.8	+.059	+0.3	+0.4	+.081	+1.9	+2.5	+.025
John Starks	61	19.2	7.6	0.5	1.7	2.1	3.3	1.0	0.3	1.2	2.2	3.0	6.7	.439	0.4	1.5	.290	1.3	1.7	.752

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+1	+17.5	+9.3	+1.7	+3.8	+5.5	+0.3	+0.8	+0.8	-0.3	-3.5	+3.8	+8.8	+.029	+0.5	+2.0		+1.1	+1.3	+.125
John Starks	3	9.3	2.0	0.3	0.7	1.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	1.3	0.7	1.7	.400	0.0	0.0	-	0.7	0.7	1.000


Season 3
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	1997-98	1991-92
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Knicks Lost East Conf Semis

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+9	+6.2	+2.1	+1.5	+6.1	+7.7	+0.4	+0.4	+0.9	-0.8	-0.9	+0.7	+0.3	+.044	+0.7	+1.7	+.087	+1.5	+1.8	+.020
John Starks	82	25.8	13.9	0.5	1.8	2.3	3.4	1.3	0.2	1.8	2.8	4.9	11.0	.449	1.1	3.3	.348	2.9	3.7	.778

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+8	+2.2	+0.2	+1.2	+4.1	+5.3	+1.7	+0.4	+0.8	-0.7	-1.0	+0.7	+0.3	+.076	+0.6	+3.3	+.261	+0.5	+0.8	+.049
John Starks	12	24.6	12.1	0.6	1.9	2.5	3.2	1.4	0.0	1.8	3.8	3.8	10.3	.374	0.9	3.8	.239	3.5	4.3	.808


Season 4
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	1998-99	1992-93
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals	Knicks Lost East Conf Finals

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+30	+4.0	+5.4	+1.1	+4.2	+5.3	+2.7	+0.4	+1.1	-0.5		+1.8	+5.4	+.057	+1.3	+3.7	+.029	+0.6	+0.6	+.024
John Starks	80	31.0	17.5	0.7	1.9	2.6	5.1	1.1	0.2	2.2	2.9	6.4	15.0	.428	1.4	4.2	.321	3.3	4.1	.795

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+2	+8.2	+6.5	+0.6	+4.6	+5.3	+4.2	+0.2	+1.0	-2.2	-1.1	+2.4	+4.6	+.042	+1.8	+4.6	+.173	+0.1	+0.7	+.190
John Starks	15	38.3	16.5	0.3	3.2	3.5	6.4	1.0	0.2	3.7	3.8	5.9	13.3	.440	1.9	5.0	.373	2.9	4.0	.717


Season 5
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	1999-00	1993-94
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals	Knicks Lost NBA Finals

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+7	+9.3	+7.2	+0.9	+3.8	+4.7	+4.1	+0.9	+1.1	-1.6	-0.4	+2.3	+7.5	+.085	+1.8	+5.4	+.033	+0.7	+1.2	+.089
John Starks	59	34.9	19.0	0.6	2.5	3.1	5.9	1.6	0.1	3.1	3.2	6.9	16.6	.420	1.9	5.7	.335	3.2	4.2	.754

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+9	+2.8	+3.3	+0.8	+3.5	+4.4	+2.7	+0.5	+0.7	-0.7	-0.3	+0.1	+2.2	+.072	+1.5	+4.0	+.070	+1.5	+1.9	+.026
John Starks	25	33.6	14.6	0.4	2.0	2.3	4.6	1.4	0.1	2.3	3.4	4.4	11.6	.381	1.9	5.3	.356	3.9	5.0	.770


Season 6
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	2000-01	1994-95
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Knicks Lost East Conf Semis

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+19	+12.8	+5.2	+0.4	+2.3	+2.7	+3.6	+0.5	+0.9	-0.6	-1.0	+1.2	+4.8	+.084	+2.7	+7.4	+.288	+0.1	+0.3	+.039
John Starks	80	34.1	15.3	0.4	2.3	2.7	5.1	1.2	0.1	2.0	3.2	5.2	13.3	.395	2.7	7.6	.355	2.1	2.9	.737

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+8	+0.5	+4.3	+2.5	+3.6	+6.0	+2.5	+0.9	+2.2	-1.7	-0.4	+0.6	+2.0	+.033	+2.7	+5.9	+.411	+0.4	+1.1	+.131
John Starks	11	34.5	15.6	0.2	2.1	2.3	5.2	1.2	0.1	2.4	3.6	5.3	11.7	.450	2.7	6.6	.411	2.4	3.8	.619

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


Season 7
	Arvydas Sabonis	John Starks
Season	2002-03	1995-96
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Knicks Lost East Conf Semis

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+3	+15.3	+6.5	+0.7	+0.7	+1.4	+2.1	+0.5	+0.5	-0.9	-1.0	+2.4	+5.8	+.033	+1.8	+4.8	+.139	+0.1		+.034
John Starks	81	30.8	12.6	0.4	2.5	2.9	3.9	1.3	0.1	1.9	2.8	4.6	10.4	.443	1.8	4.9	.361	1.6	2.1	.753

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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:	+2	+24.8	+6.0	+0.6	+0.3	+0.4	+3.3	+0.9	+0.6	-2.1	-1.0	+0.9	+4.9	+.219	+2.6	+5.6		+1.6	+2.4	+.056
John Starks	8	39.3	16.0	0.4	3.3	3.6	4.1	1.6	0.1	3.1	3.3	4.9	10.9	.448	2.6	5.6	.467	3.6	4.9	.744


Additional Years
* John Starks played 6 seasons more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 8 to 13, from 1997 to 2002—John Starks played in 3 Playoffs. In those 6 extra years over Arvydas Sabonis, John Starks got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Sixth Man of the Year

Arvydas Sabonis vs. John Starks Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of John Starks 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.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years