Arvydas Sabonis vs. Kenny Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kenny Smith 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 / 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, 3 less than Kenny Smith, who played 10. Arvydas Sabonis had the first of his seasons in 1995-96, while Kenny Smith had his rookie season in 1987-88. 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
Kenny Smith 10 5 1987-88 to 1996-97

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 1995-961987-88
Team Portland Trail BlazersSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement 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:+12+11.8+0.7+1.3+4.4+5.8+5.3+0.6+1.0-0.9-0.6+1.5+.068+0.3+0.8+.067+0.5+0.9+.062
Kenny Smith 61 35.6 13.8 0.7 1.6 2.3 7.1 1.5 0.1 3.0 2.3 5.4 11.4 .477 0.2 0.6 .308 2.7 3.3 .819
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
Kenny Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 1996-971988-89
Team Portland Trail BlazersSacramento Kings
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:+12+13.3+3.9+1.1+4.1+5.1+5.6+0.4+1.1-0.9-0.8+2.0+5.1+.036+0.1+0.3+.012+0.2+.040
Kenny Smith 81 38.8 17.3 0.6 2.2 2.8 7.7 1.3 0.1 3.1 2.1 6.8 14.6 .462 0.6 1.6 .359 3.2 4.4 .737
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
Kenny Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 1997-981989-90
Team Portland Trail BlazersSacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
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:+6+1.4+4.1+1.8+6.1+8.0+2.6+0.1+1.0-0.5-1.9+0.8+1.0+.027+0.1+0.5+.052+2.4+3.0+.023
Kenny Smith 79 30.6 11.9 0.2 1.8 2.0 5.6 1.0 0.1 2.1 1.8 4.8 10.3 .466 0.3 1.1 .313 2.0 2.5 .821
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
Kenny Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 1998-991990-91
Team Portland Trail BlazersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsRockets Lost West 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:+28+7.6+5.6+1.3+4.5+5.8+4.7+0.7+1.2-1.3-1.2+2.1+3.3+.035+0.5+1.2+.071+1.0+0.9+.073
Kenny Smith 78 34.6 17.7 0.5 1.6 2.1 7.1 1.4 0.1 3.0 1.7 6.7 12.9 .520 0.6 1.7 .363 3.7 4.4 .844
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:+10+7.6+5.3+0.4+6.5+6.1+5.8+0.1+0.9-0.5-1.0+2.5+4.0+.076+0.6+0.9+.300+0.3+0.3+.018
Kenny Smith 3 37.7 15.3 1.3 1.3 2.7 8.0 1.3 0.3 2.0 1.7 6.0 12.7 .474 0.7 1.3 .500 2.7 3.0 .889

Season 5
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 1999-001991-92
Team Portland Trail BlazersHouston Rockets
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:+15+8.2+2.2+1.1+4.5+5.6+5.1+0.6+1.1-1.3-1.4+0.7+2.1+.030+0.6+1.4+.026+0.2+0.1+.023
Kenny Smith 81 33.8 14.0 0.4 1.8 2.2 6.9 1.3 0.1 2.8 1.4 5.3 11.2 .475 0.7 1.7 .394 2.7 3.1 .866
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
Kenny Smith DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 2000-011992-93
Team Portland Trail BlazersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdRockets Lost West Conf Semis
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:+21+8.2+2.9+0.5+3.0+3.4+3.9+0.3+0.9-0.6-0.9+0.7+0.6+.041+1.2+2.5+.371+0.4+0.1+.102
Kenny Smith 82 29.5 13.0 0.3 1.6 2.0 5.4 1.0 0.1 2.0 1.3 4.7 9.1 .520 1.2 2.7 .438 2.4 2.7 .878
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:+9+2.4+3.5+2.5+3.9+6.3+1.5+0.5+2.2-1.5-2.5+0.6+1.0+.009+1.9+3.1+.500+0.3+0.3+.028
Kenny Smith 12 32.6 14.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 4.2 0.8 0.1 2.2 1.5 5.3 10.7 .492 1.9 3.8 .500 2.3 3.0 .778

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

Season 7
Arvydas Sabonis Kenny Smith
Season 2002-031993-94
Team Portland Trail BlazersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
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:+12.8+5.5+0.8+1.7+2.5+2.4+0.5-0.6-0.2+2.2+4.5+.004+1.1+2.7+.095+0.1+.084
Kenny Smith 78 28.3 11.6 0.3 1.5 1.8 4.2 0.8 0.1 1.6 1.6 4.4 9.1 .480 1.1 2.8 .405 1.7 2.0 .871
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:+17+15.8+0.8+0.8+0.9+1.7+3.3+0.3+0.5-0.4-0.6+0.3+2.2+.212+1.5+3.3+0.2+0.2+.008
Kenny Smith 23 30.3 10.8 0.2 2.1 2.3 4.1 1.0 0.2 1.4 1.7 3.7 8.2 .455 1.5 3.3 .447 1.8 2.3 .808

Additional Years

* Kenny Smith played 3 seasons more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 10, from 1995 to 1997—Kenny Smith played in two Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

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