Brandon Jennings vs. Magic Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Magic Johnson and Brandon Jennings, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

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.

Brandon Jennings played 9 years in the NBA, 4 less than Magic Johnson, who played 13. Brandon Jennings had the first of his seasons in 2009-10, while Magic Johnson had his rookie season in 1979-80. 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.

Rookie Season
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2009-10	1979-80
Team	Milwaukee Bucks	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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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		%
Brandon Jennings	82	32.6	15.5	0.6	2.8	3.4	5.7	1.3	0.2	2.4	2.3	5.5	14.8	.371	1.8	4.7	.374	2.7	3.3	.817
difference:	+5	+3.7	+2.5	+1.6	+2.8	+4.3	+1.6	+1.1	+0.3	-1.6	-0.5	+1.0	+2.5	+.159	+1.7	+4.3	+.148	+2.2	+2.7	+.007
Magic Johnson	77	36.3	18.0	2.2	5.6	7.7	7.3	2.4	0.5	4.0	2.8	6.5	12.3	.530	0.1	0.4	.226	4.9	6.0	.810
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	7	35.6	18.7	0.7	2.3	3.0	3.6	1.1	0.6	1.1	2.7	7.0	17.1	.408	1.7	5.9	.293	3.0	3.7	.808
difference:	+9	+5.5	+0.4	+2.6	+5.0	+7.5	+5.8	+2.0	+0.2	-3.0	-0.2	+0.6	+4.7	+.110	+1.6	+5.4	+.043	+2.3	+2.9	+.006
Magic Johnson	16	41.1	18.3	3.3	7.3	10.5	9.4	3.1	0.4	4.1	2.9	6.4	12.4	.518	0.1	0.5	.250	5.3	6.6	.802

Season 2
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2010-11	1980-81
Team	Milwaukee Bucks	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Steals Leader
Playoffs	Did not play	Lakers Lost West 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		%
Brandon Jennings	63	34.4	16.2	0.7	3.0	3.7	4.8	1.5	0.3	2.3	2.1	5.7	14.7	.390	1.6	4.8	.323	3.2	3.9	.809
difference:	+26	+2.7	+5.4	+2.0	+2.9	+4.9	+3.8	+1.9	+0.4	-1.6	-0.6	+2.7	+1.2	+.142	+1.5	+4.3	+.147	+1.4	+2.2	+.049
Magic Johnson	37	37.1	21.6	2.7	5.9	8.6	8.6	3.4	0.7	3.9	2.7	8.4	15.9	.532	0.1	0.5	.176	4.6	6.1	.760
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	3	42.3	17.0	2.7	11.0	13.7	7.0	2.7	1.0	3.7	4.7	6.3	16.3	.388	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	6.7	.650

Season 3
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2011-12	1981-82
Team	Milwaukee Bucks	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did not play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Brandon Jennings	66	35.3	19.1	0.7	2.7	3.4	5.5	1.6	0.3	2.2	1.7	7.1	17.0	.418	2.0	5.9	.332	2.9	3.6	.808
difference:	+12	+3.0	+0.5	+2.5	+3.7	+6.2	+4.0	+1.1	+0.1	-1.5	-1.2		+3.7	+.119	+1.9	+5.5	+.125	+1.3	+2.0	+.048
Magic Johnson	78	38.3	18.6	3.2	6.4	9.6	9.5	2.7	0.4	3.7	2.9	7.1	13.3	.537	0.1	0.4	.207	4.2	5.6	.760
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	14	40.1	17.4	3.9	7.4	11.3	9.3	2.9	0.2	3.1	3.6	5.9	11.2	.529	0.0	0.3	.000	5.5	6.6	.828

Season 4
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2012-13	1982-83
Team	Milwaukee Bucks	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost NBA 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		%
Brandon Jennings	80	36.2	17.5	0.7	2.3	3.1	6.5	1.6	0.1	2.5	1.9	6.2	15.6	.399	2.2	5.8	.375	2.9	3.5	.819
difference:	+1	+0.6	+0.7	+2.0	+3.6	+5.5	+4.0	+0.6	+0.5	-1.3	-0.6	+0.3	+3.8	+.149	+2.2	+5.5	+.375	+0.9	+1.3	+.019
Magic Johnson	79	36.8	16.8	2.7	5.9	8.6	10.5	2.2	0.6	3.8	2.5	6.5	11.8	.548	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	4	33.3	13.3	0.3	2.0	2.3	4.0	2.3	0.3	2.8	1.5	4.3	14.3	.298	1.5	7.0	.214	3.3	4.5	.722
difference:	+11	+9.6	+4.6	+3.1	+3.1	+6.2	+8.8		+0.5	-1.5	-1.8	+2.4	+0.6	+.187	+1.5	+6.3	+.214	+1.2	+0.9	+.118
Magic Johnson	15	42.9	17.9	3.4	5.1	8.5	12.8	2.3	0.8	4.3	3.3	6.7	13.7	.485	0.0	0.7	.000	4.5	5.4	.840

Season 5
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2013-14	1983-84
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did not play	Lakers 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		%
Brandon Jennings	80	34.1	15.5	0.7	2.3	3.1	7.6	1.3	0.1	2.7	2.0	5.3	14.2	.373	1.9	5.7	.337	3.0	4.0	.751
difference:	+13	+4.2	+2.1	+0.8	+3.6	+4.2	+5.5	+0.9	+0.6	-1.9	-0.5	+1.3	+2.6	+.192	+1.8	+5.3	+.130	+1.3	+1.3	+.059
Magic Johnson	67	38.3	17.6	1.5	5.9	7.3	13.1	2.2	0.7	4.6	2.5	6.6	11.6	.565	0.1	0.4	.207	4.3	5.3	.810
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	21	39.9	18.2	1.2	5.4	6.6	13.5	2.0	1.0	3.8	3.4	7.2	13.0	.551	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800

Season 6
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2014-15	1984-85
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did not play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Brandon Jennings	41	28.6	15.4	0.5	2.0	2.5	6.6	1.1	0.1	2.2	1.6	5.3	13.2	.401	1.9	5.1	.360	2.9	3.5	.839
difference:	+36	+7.5	+2.9	+0.7	+3.0	+3.7	+6.0	+0.4	+0.2	-1.8	-0.4	+1.2	+1.5	+.160	+1.8	+4.6	+.171	+2.2	+2.5	+.004
Magic Johnson	77	36.1	18.3	1.2	5.0	6.2	12.6	1.5	0.3	4.0	2.0	6.5	11.7	.561	0.1	0.5	.189	5.1	6.0	.843
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	19	36.2	17.5	1.0	6.1	7.1	15.2	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	6.1	11.9	.513	0.1	0.4	.143	5.3	6.2	.847

Season 7
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2015-16	1985-86
Team	Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did not play	Lakers Lost West Conf Finals

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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		%
Brandon Jennings	48	18.1	6.9	0.3	1.7	2.0	3.5	0.6	0.1	1.2	1.2	2.3	6.3	.368	1.1	3.2	.329	1.2	1.6	.731
difference:	+24	+17.7	+11.9	+0.9	+3.0	+3.9	+9.1	+1.0	+0.1	-2.6	-0.6	+4.4	+6.5	+.158	+1.0	+2.6	+.096	+4.1	+4.4	+.140
Magic Johnson	72	35.8	18.8	1.2	4.7	5.9	12.6	1.6	0.2	3.8	1.8	6.7	12.8	.526	0.1	0.6	.233	5.3	6.0	.871
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	14	38.6	21.6	1.5	5.6	7.1	15.1	1.9	0.1	3.2	3.1	7.9	14.6	.537	0.0	0.8	.000	5.9	7.6	.766

Season 8
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2016-17	1986-87
Team	New York Knicks, Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Wizards Lost East Conf Semis	NBA Champion

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	81	22.2	7.1	0.4	2.1	2.4	4.9	0.9	0.0	1.6	1.4	2.4	6.6	.359	1.0	3.1	.313	1.4	1.9	.750
difference:	+1	+14.1	+16.8	+1.1	+2.7	+3.9	+7.3	+0.8	+0.5	-2.2	-0.7	+6.1	+9.8	+.163	+0.9	+2.6	+.108	+5.3	+6.0	+.098
Magic Johnson	80	36.3	23.9	1.5	4.8	6.3	12.2	1.7	0.5	3.8	2.1	8.5	16.4	.522	0.1	0.5	.205	6.7	7.9	.848
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	13	13.7	2.8	0.4	1.1	1.5	1.8	0.2	0.0	0.6	1.0	1.1	2.8	.389	0.2	1.0	.154	0.5	0.6	.875
difference:	+5	+23.3	+19.0	+1.2	+5.1	+6.2	+10.4	+1.5	+0.4	-2.2	-1.1	+7.0	+12.3	+.150	+0.1	+0.4	+.046	+4.9	+6.0	+.044
Magic Johnson	18	37.0	21.8	1.6	6.2	7.7	12.2	1.7	0.4	2.8	2.1	8.1	15.1	.539	0.1	0.6	.200	5.4	6.6	.831

Season 9
	Brandon Jennings	Magic Johnson
Season	2017-18	1987-88
Team	Milwaukee Bucks	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	14	14.6	5.2	0.4	1.9	2.2	3.1	0.4	0.3	1.3	0.8	1.9	5.1	.375	0.6	2.4	.273	0.7	0.7	1.000
difference:	+58	+22.0	+14.4	+0.8	+3.1	+4.0	+8.8	+1.2	+0.1	-2.4	-1.2	+4.9	+8.7	+.117	+0.4	+1.6	+.077	+5.1	+6.1	+.147
Magic Johnson	72	36.6	19.6	1.2	5.0	6.2	11.9	1.6	0.2	3.7	2.0	6.8	13.8	.492	0.2	0.8	.196	5.8	6.8	.853
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Brandon Jennings	1	5.0	2.0	0.0	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	.000	0.0	2.0	.000	2.0	2.0	1.000
difference:	+23	+35.2	+17.9	+1.3	+4.1	+5.4	+12.6	+1.4	+0.2	-2.5	-2.5	+7.0	+11.7	+.514	+0.3	+1.4	+.500	+3.5	+4.5	+.148
Magic Johnson	24	40.2	19.9	1.3	4.1	5.4	12.6	1.4	0.2	3.5	2.5	7.0	13.7	.514	0.3	0.6	.500	5.5	6.5	.852

Additional Years
* Magic Johnson played 4 seasons more than Brandon Jennings in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 10 to 13, from 1989 to 1996—Magic Johnson played in 4 Playoffs. In those 4 extra years over Brandon Jennings, Magic Johnson got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	2 Season MVP 3 All-NBA First Team 3 All-Star Game 1 All-Star Game MVP