Bob Lanier vs. Lonnie Shelton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Lonnie Shelton and Bob Lanier, 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.

Bob Lanier played 14 years in the NBA, 4 more than Lonnie Shelton, who played 10. Bob Lanier had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Lonnie Shelton had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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 achivements, 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
Bob Lanier 14 9 1970-71 to 1983-84
Lonnie Shelton 10 6 1976-77 to 1985-86

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1970-711976-77
Team Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 82 24.6 15.6 - - 8.1 1.8 - - - 3.3 6.1 13.5 .455 - - - 3.3 4.6 .726
Lonnie Shelton 82 25.7 11.6 2.7 5.0 7.7 1.8 1.5 1.2 - 4.4 4.9 10.2 .476 - - - 1.9 2.7 .707
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1971-721977-78
Team Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 80 38.7 25.7 - - 14.2 3.1 - - - 3.7 10.4 21.1 .493 - - - 4.9 6.3 .768
Lonnie Shelton 82 28.3 14.9 2.5 4.6 7.1 2.4 1.3 1.4 2.8 4.3 6.2 12.0 .514 - - - 2.5 3.4 .736
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 6 25.2 11.0 3.0 4.3 7.3 2.8 0.3 0.8 2.3 4.8 5.0 9.3 .536 - - - 1.0 1.3 .750

Season 3

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1972-731978-79
Team Detroit PistonsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 81 38.9 23.8 - - 14.9 3.2 - - - 3.4 10.0 20.4 .490 - - - 3.8 4.9 .773
Lonnie Shelton 76 28.4 13.5 2.4 3.8 6.2 1.4 1.0 1.0 2.5 3.5 5.9 11.3 .519 - - - 1.7 2.5 .693
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 17 33.3 12.9 3.6 4.8 8.4 2.0 1.1 1.1 1.8 4.7 5.9 12.3 .483 - - - 1.1 1.5 .692

Season 4

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1973-741979-80
Team Detroit PistonsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisSupersonics Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 81 37.6 22.5 3.3 9.9 13.3 4.2 1.4 3.0 - 3.4 9.2 18.3 .504 - - - 4.0 5.0 .797
Lonnie Shelton 76 29.5 13.6 2.6 5.0 7.7 1.9 1.2 1.0 2.2 3.8 5.6 10.6 .530 0.0 0.1 .200 2.4 3.2 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 43.3 26.3 3.7 11.6 15.3 3.0 0.6 2.0 - 4.0 11.0 21.7 .507 - - - 4.3 5.4 .789
Lonnie Shelton 15 31.3 12.0 2.3 6.0 8.3 1.7 1.5 0.8 2.5 3.6 4.9 9.7 .507 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 3.4 .627

Season 5

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1974-751980-81
Team Detroit PistonsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 76 39.3 24.0 3.0 9.1 12.0 4.6 1.0 2.3 - 3.1 9.6 18.9 .510 - - - 4.8 5.9 .802
Lonnie Shelton 14 31.4 13.0 2.2 3.4 5.6 2.5 1.6 0.2 2.9 3.4 5.2 12.4 .420 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.9 .655
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 3 42.7 20.3 1.7 9.0 10.7 6.3 1.3 4.0 - 3.3 8.7 17.0 .510 - - - 3.0 4.0 .750
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1975-761981-82
Team Detroit PistonsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisSupersonics Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 64 36.9 21.3 3.4 8.3 11.7 3.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.2 8.5 15.9 .532 - - - 4.4 5.8 .768
Lonnie Shelton 81 32.9 14.9 2.0 4.3 6.3 3.1 1.2 0.5 2.5 3.9 6.3 12.9 .486 0.0 0.1 .000 2.3 3.0 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 9 39.9 26.1 4.3 8.3 12.7 3.3 0.9 2.3 - 3.8 10.6 19.1 .552 - - - 5.0 5.6 .900
Lonnie Shelton 8 33.3 12.8 3.0 4.4 7.4 2.0 0.6 0.9 2.5 4.8 5.0 10.6 .471 0.0 0.0 - 2.8 4.0 .688

Season 7

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1976-771982-83
Team Detroit PistonsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdSupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 64 38.2 25.3 3.1 8.5 11.6 3.3 1.1 2.0 - 2.7 10.6 19.8 .534 - - - 4.1 5.0 .818
Lonnie Shelton 82 31.4 12.4 1.9 4.1 6.0 2.9 0.9 0.9 2.1 3.8 5.3 11.2 .478 0.0 0.1 .167 1.7 2.3 .754
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 3 39.3 28.0 4.3 12.3 16.7 2.0 1.0 2.3 - 3.3 11.3 18.0 .630 - - - 5.3 6.3 .842
Lonnie Shelton 2 26.5 5.0 6.5 4.0 10.5 2.5 0.5 0.0 1.0 3.5 2.0 11.5 .174 0.0 1.5 .000 1.0 2.5 .400

Season 8

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1977-781983-84
Team Detroit PistonsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 63 36.7 24.5 3.1 8.2 11.3 3.4 1.3 1.5 3.6 2.9 9.9 18.4 .537 - - - 4.7 6.1 .772
Lonnie Shelton 79 26.6 10.8 1.8 3.1 4.8 2.3 1.0 0.7 2.1 3.5 4.7 9.9 .476 0.0 0.1 .200 1.4 1.8 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1978-791984-85
Team Detroit PistonsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 53 34.6 23.6 3.1 6.2 9.3 2.6 0.9 1.4 3.3 3.4 9.2 17.9 .515 - - - 5.2 6.9 .749
Lonnie Shelton 57 21.8 6.4 1.4 3.2 4.7 1.7 0.8 0.3 1.3 3.3 2.8 6.4 .435 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.4 .662
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 4 26.5 11.5 1.5 4.0 5.5 1.0 0.5 0.3 1.5 5.0 4.8 8.5 .559 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .800

Season 10

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1979-801985-86
Team Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee BucksCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 63 33.8 19.2 2.4 6.3 8.8 2.9 1.2 1.4 2.6 3.2 7.4 13.8 .537 0.0 0.1 .167 4.4 5.6 .782
Lonnie Shelton 44 15.5 4.5 0.9 2.4 3.3 1.4 0.5 0.1 1.1 2.9 2.1 4.3 .489 0.0 0.0 .000 0.3 0.4 .875
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 36.6 19.3 2.4 6.9 9.3 4.4 1.0 1.1 2.4 3.3 7.4 14.4 .515 0.0 0.0 - 4.4 6.0 .738
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1980-81-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 67 26.2 14.3 1.9 4.3 6.2 2.7 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.7 5.6 10.7 .525 0.0 0.0 1.000 3.1 4.1 .751
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 33.7 17.6 1.7 5.7 7.4 4.0 1.7 1.1 2.1 2.6 7.1 12.1 .588 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.6 .719
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1981-82-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 74 26.8 13.5 1.2 4.0 5.2 3.0 1.0 0.8 2.2 2.9 5.5 9.9 .558 0.0 0.0 .000 2.5 3.3 .752
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 6 35.3 16.0 3.0 4.5 7.5 3.7 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.5 6.8 13.3 .513 0.0 0.2 .000 2.3 4.2 .560
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1982-83-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 39 25.1 10.7 1.5 3.6 5.1 2.7 0.9 0.6 2.1 3.2 4.2 8.5 .491 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 3.4 .684
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 9 27.8 13.7 1.9 5.1 7.0 2.6 0.6 1.6 2.3 3.6 5.7 9.9 .573 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .600
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Bob Lanier Lonnie Shelton
Season 1983-84-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 72 27.9 13.6 2.0 4.4 6.3 2.6 0.8 0.7 2.3 3.2 5.4 9.5 .572 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.8 .708
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 16 31.2 12.7 2.0 5.3 7.3 3.4 0.7 0.6 2.4 3.6 5.1 10.7 .480 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 2.8 .886
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------