Billy Cunningham vs. D'Angelo Russell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of D'Angelo Russell and Billy Cunningham, 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

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.

Billy Cunningham played 9 years in the NBA, 1 less than D'Angelo Russell, who played 10. Billy Cunningham had the first of his seasons in 1965-66, while D'Angelo Russell had his rookie season in 2015-16. 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
Billy Cunningham 9 6 1965-66 to 1975-76
D'Angelo Russell 10 4 2015-16 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1965-662015-16
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Div FinalsDid 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%
Billy Cunningham 80 26.7 14.3 - - 7.5 2.6 - - - 3.8 5.4 12.6 .426 - - - 3.5 5.5 .634
difference:+1.5+1.1+4.1+0.7-2.0+0.5+0.6+.016+1.7+3.1+.103
D'Angelo Russell 80 28.2 13.2 0.6 2.8 3.4 3.3 1.2 0.2 2.5 1.8 4.9 12.0 .410 1.6 4.6 .351 1.8 2.4 .737
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 4 17.3 5.3 - - 4.5 2.5 - - - 2.8 1.3 7.8 .161 - - - 2.8 3.3 .846
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1966-672016-17
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Billy Cunningham 81 26.8 18.5 - - 7.3 2.5 - - - 3.2 6.9 15.0 .459 - - - 4.7 6.9 .686
difference:+18+1.9+2.9+3.8+2.3-1.1+1.3+1.2+.054+2.4+3.9+.096
D'Angelo Russell 63 28.7 15.6 0.5 3.0 3.5 4.8 1.4 0.3 2.8 2.1 5.6 13.8 .405 2.1 6.1 .352 2.3 3.0 .782
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 15 22.6 15.0 - - 6.2 2.2 - - - 3.5 5.5 14.7 .376 - - - 3.9 6.0 .656
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1967-682017-18
Team Philadelphia 76ersBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Div FinalsDid 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%
Billy Cunningham 74 28.1 18.9 - - 7.6 2.5 - - - 3.5 7.0 15.9 .438 - - - 5.0 6.9 .723
difference:+26+2.4+3.4+3.7+2.7-1.6+1.2+1.9+.024+3.0+4.2+.017
D'Angelo Russell 48 25.7 15.5 0.6 3.3 3.9 5.2 0.8 0.4 3.1 1.9 5.8 14.0 .414 1.9 5.8 .324 2.0 2.7 .740
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 3 28.7 20.7 - - 7.3 3.3 - - - 5.3 8.0 14.3 .558 - - - 4.7 5.7 .824
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1968-692018-19
Team Philadelphia 76ersBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Div SemisNets 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%
Billy Cunningham 82 40.8 24.8 - - 12.8 3.5 - - - 4.0 9.0 21.2 .426 - - - 6.8 9.2 .737
difference:+1+10.6+3.7+8.9+3.5-2.3+0.9+2.5+.008+4.8+6.7+.043
D'Angelo Russell 81 30.2 21.1 0.7 3.2 3.9 7.0 1.2 0.2 3.1 1.7 8.1 18.7 .434 2.9 7.8 .369 2.0 2.5 .780
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 5 43.4 24.4 - - 12.6 2.4 - - - 4.8 9.8 23.4 .419 - - - 4.8 7.6 .632
difference:+13.8+5.0+9.0+1.2-2.4+2.4+2.8+.060+2.6+5.0+.214
D'Angelo Russell 5 29.6 19.4 0.4 3.2 3.6 3.6 1.4 0.2 2.8 2.4 7.4 20.6 .359 2.4 7.4 .324 2.2 2.6 .846

Season 5

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1969-702019-20
Team Philadelphia 76ersGolden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Div SemisDid 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%
Billy Cunningham 81 39.4 26.1 - - 13.6 4.3 - - - 4.1 9.9 21.1 .469 - - - 6.3 8.6 .729
difference:+36+7.1+3.0+9.7+2.0-2.2+1.9+2.3+.043+2.7+4.2+.080
D'Angelo Russell 45 32.3 23.1 0.4 3.6 3.9 6.3 1.1 0.3 3.3 1.9 8.0 18.8 .426 3.5 9.6 .367 3.6 4.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 5 41.0 29.2 - - 10.4 4.0 - - - 3.8 12.2 24.6 .496 - - - 4.8 7.2 .667
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1970-712020-21
Team Philadelphia 76ersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisDid 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%
Billy Cunningham 81 38.1 23.0 - - 11.7 4.9 - - - 4.0 8.7 18.8 .462 - - - 5.6 7.7 .734
difference:+39+9.6+4.0+9.1+0.9-2.4+2.0+3.3+.031+2.9+4.2+.031
D'Angelo Russell 42 28.5 19.0 0.4 2.3 2.6 5.8 1.1 0.4 2.7 1.6 6.7 15.5 .431 2.9 7.4 .387 2.7 3.5 .765
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 7 43.0 25.9 - - 15.4 5.7 - - - 4.0 9.6 20.3 .472 - - - 6.7 9.6 .701
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1971-722021-22
Team Philadelphia 76ersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 75 38.7 23.3 - - 12.2 5.9 - - - 3.9 8.8 19.0 .461 - - - 5.7 8.0 .712
difference:+10+6.7+5.2+8.9+1.2-1.9+2.6+4.0+.050+2.7+4.3+.113
D'Angelo Russell 65 32.0 18.1 0.4 2.9 3.3 7.1 1.0 0.3 2.5 2.0 6.2 15.0 .411 2.7 8.0 .340 3.0 3.7 .825
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham DNP------ --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 6 32.7 12.0 0.0 2.5 2.5 6.7 1.5 0.0 2.8 2.8 4.0 12.0 .333 2.0 5.2 .387 2.0 2.7 .750

Note: Billy Cunningham didn't play in 1972-73 and 1973-74.

Season 8

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1974-752022-23
Team Philadelphia 76ersMinnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 80 35.7 19.5 1.6 7.5 9.1 5.5 1.1 0.4 - 3.4 7.6 17.8 .428 - - - 4.3 5.6 .777
difference:+9+3.2+1.7+1.1+5.0+6.1+0.7+0.1-1.4+1.3+4.4+.041+1.8+2.6+.052
D'Angelo Russell 71 32.5 17.8 0.5 2.5 3.0 6.2 1.0 0.4 2.6 2.0 6.3 13.4 .469 2.7 6.9 .396 2.5 3.0 .829
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham DNP------ --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 16 29.6 13.3 0.6 2.3 2.9 4.6 0.7 0.3 1.8 2.0 5.2 12.2 .426 1.7 5.4 .310 1.3 1.6 .769

Season 9

Billy Cunningham D'Angelo Russell
Season 1975-762023-24
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
Others -NBA Cup NBA Cup Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham 20 32.0 13.7 1.5 5.9 7.4 5.4 1.2 0.5 - 2.9 5.2 12.6 .410 - - - 3.4 4.4 .773
difference:+56+0.7+4.3+1.1+3.2+4.3+0.9+0.3-0.8+1.3+1.6+.046+1.3+1.9+.055
D'Angelo Russell 76 32.7 18.0 0.4 2.7 3.1 6.3 0.9 0.5 2.1 2.1 6.5 14.2 .456 3.0 7.2 .415 2.1 2.5 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Billy Cunningham DNP------ --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 5 37.0 14.2 0.2 2.6 2.8 4.2 0.8 0.2 1.8 1.2 5.6 14.6 .384 2.8 8.8 .318 0.2 0.4 .500

Additional Years

* D'Angelo Russell played 1 season more than Billy Cunningham in the NBA.

In that period—his season 10 in 2025—D'Angelo Russell didn't play in the postseason.