Courtney Lee vs. Yao Ming Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Yao Ming and Courtney Lee, 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.

Courtney Lee played 12 years in the NBA, 4 more than Yao Ming, who played 8. Courtney Lee had the first of his seasons in 2008-09, while Yao Ming had his rookie season in 2002-03. 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
Courtney Lee 12 5 2008-09 to 2019-20
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2008-092002-03
Team Orlando MagicHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Magic Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 77 25.2 8.4 0.2 2.1 2.3 1.2 1.0 0.2 0.9 2.0 3.2 7.0 .450 1.1 2.6 .404 1.0 1.2 .830
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 .500 3.7 4.5 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 21 26.2 8.0 0.3 1.6 1.9 1.3 0.9 0.1 1.0 2.0 3.2 7.3 .435 0.6 2.1 .273 1.1 1.2 .885
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2009-102003-04
Team New Jersey NetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 %
Courtney Lee 71 33.5 12.5 0.8 2.7 3.5 1.7 1.3 0.3 1.1 1.8 4.8 10.9 .436 1.1 3.2 .338 1.9 2.2 .869
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 .000 4.4 5.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765

Season 3

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2010-112004-05
Team Houston RocketsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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 %
Courtney Lee 81 21.3 8.3 0.6 2.0 2.6 1.2 0.7 0.2 0.8 1.3 3.1 7.1 .439 0.9 2.1 .408 1.2 1.5 .792
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727

Season 4

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2011-122005-06
Team Houston RocketsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-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 %
Courtney Lee 58 30.3 11.4 0.4 2.3 2.7 1.5 1.2 0.4 1.1 1.8 4.3 10.0 .433 1.5 3.7 .401 1.2 1.5 .826
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 .000 5.9 6.9 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2012-132006-07
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdRockets 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 %
Courtney Lee 78 24.9 7.8 0.4 2.0 2.4 1.8 1.1 0.3 1.1 1.8 3.2 6.8 .464 0.7 2.0 .372 0.8 0.9 .861
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 .000 7.4 8.6 .862
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 4 9.8 1.5 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.3 1.3 .200 0.0 0.5 .000 1.0 1.0 1.000
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880

Season 6

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2013-142007-08
Team Boston Celtics, Memphis GrizzliesHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Grizzlies 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 %
Courtney Lee 79 25.0 9.6 0.4 2.0 2.4 1.5 0.8 0.4 0.9 1.6 3.7 7.8 .480 0.9 2.5 .371 1.3 1.4 .884
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 .000 6.3 7.4 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 7 32.0 10.0 0.4 1.6 2.0 1.6 0.7 0.3 0.9 2.9 3.6 8.6 .417 0.9 2.7 .316 2.0 2.6 .778
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2014-152008-09
Team Memphis GrizzliesHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Grizzlies Lost West Conf SemisRockets 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 %
Courtney Lee 77 30.6 10.1 0.3 2.0 2.3 2.0 1.0 0.2 1.0 1.7 3.7 8.4 .448 1.2 2.9 .402 1.4 1.7 .860
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 1.000 4.9 5.7 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 11 33.4 13.3 0.3 2.3 2.5 2.2 1.1 0.0 1.2 2.2 5.0 9.1 .550 1.3 2.7 .467 2.0 2.1 .957
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2015-162010-11
Team Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte HornetsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hornets Lost East 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 %
Courtney Lee 79 29.5 9.6 0.4 2.2 2.6 1.7 1.1 0.4 0.9 1.7 3.7 8.1 .454 1.0 2.7 .378 1.3 1.5 .839
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 7 36.7 8.6 0.7 2.1 2.9 1.3 0.9 0.4 0.7 2.7 3.0 7.3 .412 0.6 1.3 .444 2.0 2.1 .933
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2016-17-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 77 31.9 10.8 0.7 2.7 3.4 2.3 1.1 0.3 0.9 1.8 4.2 9.1 .456 1.4 3.5 .401 1.1 1.3 .867
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2017-18-
Team New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 76 30.4 12.0 0.4 2.6 2.9 2.4 1.1 0.2 1.1 1.4 4.5 9.9 .454 1.5 3.7 .406 1.5 1.6 .919
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2018-19-
Team New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 34 12.6 4.0 0.3 1.3 1.6 1.1 0.6 0.1 0.4 0.9 1.6 3.8 .411 0.5 1.6 .291 0.4 0.6 .667
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Courtney Lee Yao Ming
Season 2019-20-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee 24 14.4 4.5 0.3 1.0 1.3 0.5 0.8 0.3 0.5 1.4 1.7 3.4 .488 0.9 2.0 .447 0.3 0.3 .857
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Courtney Lee ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------