Deandre Ayton vs. Fred Saunders Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Fred Saunders and Deandre Ayton, 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.

Deandre Ayton played 6 years in the NBA, 2 more than Fred Saunders, who played 4. Deandre Ayton had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Fred Saunders had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
Deandre Ayton 6 3 2018-19 to 2023-24
Fred Saunders 4 1 1974-75 to 1977-78

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6

Rookie Season

Deandre Ayton Fred Saunders
Season 2018-191974-75
Team Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns
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 %
Deandre Ayton 71 30.7 16.3 3.1 7.1 10.3 1.8 0.9 0.9 1.8 2.9 7.2 12.3 .585 0.0 0.1 .000 2.0 2.7 .746
Fred Saunders 69 15.3 6.1 1.2 2.5 3.7 1.2 0.6 0.2 - 2.2 2.6 5.9 .433 - - - 1.0 1.4 .695
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton ------- --- ----------
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Deandre Ayton Fred Saunders
Season 2019-201975-76
Team Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
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 %
Deandre Ayton 38 32.5 18.2 3.9 7.6 11.5 1.9 0.7 1.5 2.1 3.1 8.2 14.9 .546 0.1 0.3 .231 1.8 2.3 .753
Fred Saunders 17 8.6 3.6 0.6 1.5 2.2 0.8 0.3 0.1 - 1.4 1.6 3.8 .438 - - - 0.4 0.6 .545
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton ------- --- ----------
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Deandre Ayton Fred Saunders
Season 2020-211976-77
Team Phoenix SunsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost NBA FinalsCeltics 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 %
Deandre Ayton 69 30.7 14.4 3.3 7.2 10.5 1.4 0.6 1.2 1.5 2.8 6.2 10.0 .626 0.1 0.3 .200 1.9 2.5 .769
Fred Saunders 68 15.5 5.9 1.1 2.2 3.3 1.3 0.4 0.1 - 2.8 2.7 5.8 .466 - - - 0.5 0.8 .660
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton 22 36.4 15.8 3.0 8.8 11.8 1.1 0.8 1.1 1.3 2.9 7.0 10.6 .658 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.4 .736
Fred Saunders 9 7.3 3.2 0.1 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.1 0.0 - 2.3 1.3 3.7 .364 - - - 0.6 0.7 .833

Season 4

Deandre Ayton Fred Saunders
Season 2021-221977-78
Team Phoenix SunsBoston Celtics, New Orleans Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Deandre Ayton 58 29.5 17.2 2.6 7.7 10.2 1.4 0.7 0.7 1.6 2.4 7.6 12.0 .634 0.1 0.3 .368 1.8 2.4 .746
Fred Saunders 56 11.5 4.0 0.7 1.3 2.0 0.8 0.4 0.3 0.8 1.9 1.8 4.2 .423 - - - 0.5 0.6 .722
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton 13 30.5 17.9 2.5 6.4 8.9 1.7 0.4 0.8 1.5 2.6 8.1 12.6 .640 0.2 0.3 .500 1.6 2.5 .636
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Deandre Ayton Fred Saunders
Season 2022-23-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Deandre Ayton 67 30.4 18.0 2.6 7.4 10.0 1.7 0.6 0.8 1.8 2.8 7.8 13.2 .589 0.1 0.4 .292 2.3 3.0 .760
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton 10 31.9 13.4 2.9 6.8 9.7 1.0 0.6 0.7 1.7 3.5 6.1 11.1 .550 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 2.3 .522
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Deandre Ayton Fred Saunders
Season 2023-24-
Team Portland Trail Blazers-
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 %
Deandre Ayton 55 32.4 16.7 3.2 7.9 11.1 1.6 1.0 0.8 1.8 2.0 7.8 13.6 .570 0.0 0.2 .100 1.2 1.4 .823
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton ------- --- ----------
Fred Saunders ------- --- ----------