Dennis Johnson vs. Klay Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Klay Thompson 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, 1 more than Klay Thompson, who played 13. Dennis Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Klay Thompson had his rookie season in 2011-12. 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.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Dennis Johnson 14 13 1976-77 to 1989-90
Klay Thompson 13 9 2011-12 to 2025-26

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13

Rookie Season

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1976-772011-12
Team Seattle SupersonicsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+15+3.8+3.3+1.6+0.4+1.3+0.5+0.8+0.4-0.4+1.3+3.9+.061+1.0+2.1+.244
Klay Thompson 66 24.4 12.5 0.4 2.1 2.4 2.0 0.7 0.3 1.6 2.3 4.8 10.9 .443 1.7 4.1 .414 1.2 1.4 .868
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Dennis Johnson nor Klay Thompson played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1977-782012-13
Team Seattle SupersonicsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics Lost NBA FinalsWarriors Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+1+8.5+3.9+1.5+1.5+0.1+0.6+0.5+0.1-0.1-0.3+1.7+3.8+.005+2.1+3.1+.109
Klay Thompson 82 35.8 16.6 0.4 3.3 3.7 2.2 1.0 0.5 1.9 2.9 6.2 14.7 .422 2.6 6.4 .401 1.6 1.9 .841
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+10+3.7+0.9+1.3+1.3+1.5+0.4-0.5-0.8+0.8+1.1+.025+4.7+6.7+.129
Klay Thompson 12 41.3 15.2 0.8 3.8 4.6 1.8 1.0 0.6 2.0 3.7 6.3 14.5 .437 2.1 4.9 .424 0.4 0.5 .833

Season 3

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1978-792013-14
Team Seattle SupersonicsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionWarriors Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+1+1.4+2.5+1.3+0.3+1.6+1.3+0.4+0.7-0.7-0.3+0.9+1.6+.010+2.0+2.6+.014
Klay Thompson 81 35.4 18.4 0.5 2.6 3.1 2.2 0.9 0.5 1.7 2.9 6.9 15.5 .444 2.8 6.6 .417 1.8 2.3 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+10+3.4+4.5+2.0+0.6+2.7+0.5+0.6+0.8-0.9-0.3+2.3+3.8+.042+2.2+3.0+.021
Klay Thompson 7 36.7 16.4 0.6 2.9 3.4 3.6 1.0 0.7 2.1 3.4 5.7 14.0 .408 2.3 6.3 .364 2.7 3.4 .792

Season 4

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1979-802014-15
Team Seattle SupersonicsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+4+4.4+2.7+1.7+0.1+1.9+1.2+0.7+0.2-0.9-1.7+0.7+0.1+.041+3.0+6.4+.232+1.8+2.7+.099
Klay Thompson 77 31.9 21.7 0.4 2.9 3.2 2.9 1.1 0.8 1.9 1.6 7.8 16.9 .463 3.1 7.1 .439 2.9 3.3 .879
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+6+2.6+1.5+1.3+0.8+0.4+1.2+1.0+0.2-0.9-0.2+0.4+0.4+.036+2.4+6.0+.057+1.8+2.0+.039
Klay Thompson 21 36.2 18.6 0.4 3.4 3.9 2.6 0.8 0.9 2.0 3.0 7.1 15.9 .446 2.7 7.0 .390 1.7 2.1 .800

Season 5

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1980-812015-16
Team Phoenix SunsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisWarriors Lost NBA Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+1+0.2+3.3+1.6+0.8+0.8+1.6+0.9+0.2-0.9-1.2+1.4+1.9+.034+3.4+7.5+.209+2.8+3.5+.053
Klay Thompson 80 33.3 22.1 0.4 3.4 3.8 2.1 0.8 0.6 1.7 1.9 8.1 17.3 .470 3.5 8.1 .425 2.4 2.8 .873
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+17+2.7+4.7+0.4+0.7+1.0+0.6+0.2+0.9-0.7-0.4+1.0+3.2+.029+4.0+8.9+.224+1.2+2.0+.092
Klay Thompson 24 35.4 24.3 0.6 3.0 3.7 2.3 1.1 0.4 2.0 2.2 8.4 18.9 .444 4.1 9.6 .424 3.4 4.0 .854

Season 6

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1981-822016-17
Team Phoenix SunsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+2+2.7+2.8+1.2+0.4+1.4+2.5+0.5+0.2-1.3-1.4+1.1+2.2+.002+3.3+7.8+.224+2.6+3.4+.047
Klay Thompson 78 34.0 22.3 0.6 3.0 3.7 2.1 0.8 0.5 1.6 1.8 8.3 17.6 .468 3.4 8.3 .414 2.4 2.8 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+10+3.6+7.3+1.3+0.6+0.5+2.5+1.3+0.3-2.2-1.4+3.5+5.0+.080+2.4+5.8+.387+2.8+3.7+.019
Klay Thompson 17 35.1 15.0 0.6 3.2 3.9 2.1 0.8 0.3 1.4 2.6 5.5 13.9 .397 2.4 6.2 .387 1.5 1.9 .788

Season 7

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1982-832017-18
Team Phoenix SunsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+4+1.2+5.8+0.8+0.2+0.6+2.5+0.5-0.8-1.0+2.7+5.0+.026+3.0+6.7+.279+2.7+3.5+.046
Klay Thompson 73 34.3 20.0 0.4 3.4 3.8 2.5 0.8 0.5 1.8 1.6 7.9 16.2 .488 3.1 7.1 .440 1.1 1.3 .837
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+18+1.8+1.6+1.5+2.1+3.6+3.9+0.9+0.4-1.2-0.7+0.3+0.3+.007+3.2+7.2+.427+2.0+2.5+.038
Klay Thompson 21 37.8 19.6 0.5 3.6 4.1 1.8 0.8 0.3 1.5 2.3 7.6 16.3 .465 3.2 7.5 .427 1.3 1.5 .871

Season 8

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1983-842018-19
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second TeamAchievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionWarriors Lost NBA Finals
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+2+0.7+8.3+0.6+1.0+0.3+1.8+0.1+0.1-0.7-1.1+3.6+7.0+.030+3.0+7.3+.277+1.8+2.1+.036
Klay Thompson 78 34.0 21.5 0.5 3.4 3.8 2.4 1.1 0.6 1.5 2.0 8.4 18.0 .467 3.1 7.7 .402 1.7 2.0 .816
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+1+2.3+4.1+0.8+1.3+0.5+2.3+0.2+0.4-0.6-0.6+1.9+2.6+.052+3.2+7.2+.014+2.9+3.5+.035
Klay Thompson 21 39.0 20.7 0.6 3.5 4.1 2.1 1.3 0.7 1.8 2.8 7.8 17.1 .456 3.3 7.5 .443 1.8 2.0 .902

Note: Klay Thompson didn't play in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Season 9

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1984-852021-22
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+48+7.8+4.7+0.6+0.6+0.1+4.0+0.7-1.4-1.1+1.5+4.6+.033+3.5+9.0+.116+1.9+2.2+.049
Klay Thompson 32 29.4 20.4 0.5 3.4 3.9 2.8 0.5 0.5 1.3 1.7 7.7 17.9 .429 3.6 9.3 .385 1.4 1.6 .902
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+1+4.4+1.7+0.8+0.7+0.1+5.0+0.4+0.3-2.1-1.0+0.4+1.5+.016+3.5+8.4+.385+2.6+3.0+.007
Klay Thompson 22 36.0 19.0 0.3 3.6 3.9 2.3 1.1 0.7 1.3 2.1 7.2 16.7 .429 3.5 9.1 .385 1.2 1.4 .867

Season 10

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1985-862022-23
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionWarriors Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+9+2.0+6.3+0.3+1.0+0.7+3.4+0.7-0.4-0.7+1.7+4.5+.019+4.3+10.1+.269+1.4+1.9+.061
Klay Thompson 69 33.0 21.9 0.6 3.6 4.1 2.4 0.7 0.4 1.8 1.9 7.9 18.1 .436 4.4 10.6 .412 1.7 1.9 .879
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+5+3.7+2.3+1.2+1.2+3.7+1.7-0.8-1.0+0.4+3.2+.057+3.5+9.6+.007+2.1+2.9+.077
Klay Thompson 13 36.0 18.5 0.1 4.1 4.2 2.2 0.5 0.3 2.0 2.2 6.5 16.8 .388 3.8 10.5 .368 1.6 1.8 .875

Season 11

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1986-872023-24
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+2+7.4+4.5+0.1+0.1+5.2+0.5-0.7-0.9+1.0+2.6+.012+3.4+8.2+.274+1.0+1.4+.094
Klay Thompson 77 29.7 17.9 0.5 2.8 3.3 2.3 0.6 0.5 1.5 1.6 6.4 14.7 .432 3.5 9.0 .387 1.6 1.8 .927
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Klay Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 12

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1987-882024-25
Team Boston CelticsDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
12th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+5+7.4+1.4+0.2+0.5+0.3+5.8+0.5-1.3-1.5+0.4+1.8+.026+2.8+7.1+.130+2.4+2.9+.049
Klay Thompson 72 27.3 14.0 0.6 2.8 3.4 2.0 0.7 0.4 1.2 1.1 5.0 12.2 .412 3.0 7.7 .391 0.9 1.0 .905
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Klay Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 13

Dennis Johnson Klay Thompson
Season 1988-892025-26
Team Boston CelticsDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
13th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+58+10.8+0.6+0.2+0.2+4.8+0.9+0.1-1.3-2.2+0.4+1.0+.096+2.2+6.7+.171+1.8+2.3+.179
Klay Thompson 14 21.3 9.4 0.2 2.4 2.6 1.8 0.4 0.4 1.1 0.7 3.4 9.9 .338 2.3 7.4 .311 0.4 0.4 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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 -
Klay Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Dennis Johnson played 1 season more than Klay Thompson in the NBA.

In that period—his season 14 in 1990—Dennis Johnson played in the Playoffs.