Dennis Johnson vs. Ernie Vandeweghe Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ernie Vandeweghe and Dennis Johnson, 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.

Dennis Johnson played 14 years in the NBA, 8 more than Ernie Vandeweghe, who played 6. Dennis Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Ernie Vandeweghe had his rookie season in 1949-50. 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
Dennis Johnson 14 13 1976-77 to 1989-90
Ernie Vandeweghe 6 4 1949-50 to 1955-56

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1976-771949-50
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 81 20.6 9.2 2.0 1.7 3.7 1.5 1.5 0.7 - 2.7 3.5 7.0 .504 - - - 2.2 3.5 .624
Ernie Vandeweghe 42 - 10.0 - - - 1.9 - - - 3.0 3.9 9.3 .421 - - - 2.2 3.3 .664
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson ------- --- ----------
Ernie Vandeweghe 4 - 8.0 - - - 0.8 - - - 4.0 2.3 6.5 .346 - - - 3.5 4.0 .875

Season 2

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1977-781950-51
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics Lost NBA FinalsKnicks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 81 27.3 12.7 1.9 1.8 3.6 2.8 1.5 0.6 2.0 2.6 4.5 10.9 .417 - - - 3.7 5.0 .732
Ernie Vandeweghe 44 - 7.7 - - 4.4 2.8 - - - 3.3 3.1 7.6 .402 - - - 1.5 2.2 .701
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 22 37.6 16.1 2.1 2.5 4.6 3.3 1.0 1.0 2.5 2.9 5.5 13.4 .412 - - - 5.1 7.2 .704
Ernie Vandeweghe 14 - 7.2 - - 4.7 2.4 - - - 3.9 2.6 6.5 .407 - - - 1.9 2.6 .730

Season 3

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1978-791951-52
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionKnicks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 80 34.0 15.9 1.8 2.9 4.7 3.5 1.3 1.2 2.4 2.6 6.0 13.9 .434 - - - 3.8 4.9 .781
Ernie Vandeweghe 57 26.4 9.2 - - 4.6 2.9 - - - 3.3 3.5 8.0 .438 - - - 2.2 2.8 .775
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 17 40.1 20.9 2.6 3.5 6.1 4.1 1.6 1.5 3.0 3.7 8.0 17.8 .450 - - - 4.9 6.4 .771
Ernie Vandeweghe 14 29.6 10.8 - - 4.9 1.9 - - - 4.1 3.6 8.4 .432 - - - 3.5 4.3 .817

Season 4

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1979-801952-53
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf FinalsKnicks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 81 36.3 19.0 2.1 3.0 5.1 4.1 1.8 1.0 2.8 3.3 7.1 16.8 .422 0.1 0.7 .207 4.7 6.0 .780
Ernie Vandeweghe 61 28.6 12.0 - - 5.6 2.4 - - - 4.0 4.5 10.2 .435 - - - 3.1 4.0 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 15 38.8 17.1 1.7 2.6 4.3 3.8 1.8 0.7 2.9 3.2 6.7 16.3 .410 0.3 1.0 .333 3.5 4.1 .839
Ernie Vandeweghe 11 30.9 13.1 - - 5.8 2.5 - - - 4.5 4.5 10.2 .438 - - - 4.2 5.5 .754

Season 5

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1980-811953-54
Team Phoenix SunsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Dennis Johnson 79 33.1 18.8 2.0 2.6 4.6 3.7 1.7 0.8 2.6 3.1 6.7 15.4 .436 0.1 0.6 .216 5.2 6.3 .820
Ernie Vandeweghe 15 18.1 6.6 - - 1.3 1.9 - - - 2.5 2.5 6.9 .359 - - - 1.7 2.1 .806
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 7 38.1 19.6 1.0 3.7 4.7 2.9 1.3 1.3 2.7 2.6 7.4 15.7 .473 0.1 0.7 .200 4.6 6.0 .762
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Note: Ernie Vandeweghe didn't play in 1954-55.

Season 6

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1981-821955-56
Team Phoenix SunsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Dennis Johnson 80 36.7 19.5 1.8 3.4 5.1 4.6 1.3 0.7 2.9 3.2 7.2 15.4 .470 0.1 0.5 .190 5.0 6.2 .806
Ernie Vandeweghe 5 15.4 4.4 - - 2.6 2.4 - - - 3.0 2.0 6.2 .323 - - - 0.4 0.4 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 7 38.7 22.3 1.9 2.6 4.4 4.6 2.1 0.6 3.6 4.0 9.0 18.9 .477 0.0 0.4 .000 4.3 5.6 .769
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1982-83-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Dennis Johnson 77 33.1 14.2 1.2 3.2 4.4 5.0 1.3 0.5 2.6 2.6 5.2 11.2 .462 0.1 0.4 .161 3.8 4.8 .791
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 3 36.0 18.0 2.0 5.7 7.7 5.7 1.7 0.7 2.7 3.0 7.3 16.0 .458 0.0 0.3 .000 3.3 4.0 .833
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1983-84-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 80 33.3 13.2 1.1 2.4 3.5 4.2 1.2 0.7 2.2 3.1 4.8 11.0 .437 0.1 0.4 .125 3.5 4.1 .852
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 22 36.7 16.6 1.4 2.2 3.6 4.4 1.1 0.3 2.4 3.4 5.9 14.5 .404 0.1 0.3 .429 4.7 5.5 .867
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1984-85-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 80 37.2 15.7 1.1 2.8 4.0 6.8 1.2 0.5 2.7 2.8 6.2 13.3 .462 0.1 0.3 .269 3.3 3.8 .853
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 21 40.4 17.3 1.1 2.9 4.0 7.3 1.5 0.4 3.4 3.1 6.8 15.2 .445 0.0 0.7 .000 3.8 4.4 .860
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1985-86-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 78 35.0 15.6 0.9 2.6 3.4 5.8 1.4 0.4 2.2 2.6 6.2 13.6 .455 0.1 0.5 .143 3.1 3.8 .818
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 18 39.7 16.2 1.3 2.9 4.2 5.9 2.2 0.3 2.8 3.2 6.1 13.6 .445 0.3 0.9 .375 3.7 4.7 .798
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1986-87-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 79 37.1 13.4 0.6 2.7 3.3 7.5 1.1 0.5 2.2 2.5 5.4 12.1 .444 0.1 0.8 .113 2.6 3.2 .833
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 23 41.9 18.9 1.0 2.9 4.0 8.9 0.7 0.3 1.9 3.1 7.3 15.7 .465 0.1 1.1 .115 4.2 4.9 .850
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1987-88-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dennis Johnson 77 34.7 12.6 0.8 2.3 3.1 7.8 1.2 0.4 2.5 2.6 4.6 10.4 .438 0.2 0.6 .261 3.3 3.9 .856
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 17 41.3 15.9 0.9 3.6 4.5 8.2 1.4 0.5 2.6 3.0 5.4 12.4 .433 0.4 0.9 .375 4.8 6.1 .796
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1988-89-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dennis Johnson 72 32.1 10.0 0.4 2.2 2.6 6.6 1.3 0.3 2.4 2.9 3.8 8.9 .434 0.1 0.7 .140 2.2 2.7 .821
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 3 19.7 2.7 0.7 0.7 1.3 3.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 2.7 1.3 5.0 .267 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Dennis Johnson Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1989-90-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Dennis Johnson 75 27.1 7.1 0.6 2.0 2.7 6.5 1.1 0.2 1.6 2.4 2.7 6.3 .434 0.0 0.3 .042 1.6 1.9 .843
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson 5 32.4 13.8 0.4 2.4 2.8 5.6 0.4 0.4 2.0 3.4 6.0 12.4 .484 0.4 1.2 .333 1.4 1.4 1.000
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------