Dennis Johnson vs. Royce O'Neale Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Royce O'Neale 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, 7 more than Royce O'Neale, who played 7. Dennis Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Royce O'Neale had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Royce O'Neale 7 7 2017-18 to 2023-24

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 Royce O'Neale
Season 1976-772017-18
Team Seattle SupersonicsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayJazz 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 %
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
Royce O'Neale 69 16.7 5.0 0.4 3.1 3.4 1.4 0.5 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.7 4.1 .423 0.6 1.7 .356 0.9 1.1 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Dennis Johnson ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale 11 23.5 7.1 0.3 3.2 3.5 1.4 0.9 0.4 1.5 2.7 2.5 5.1 .500 0.9 2.5 .357 1.1 1.7 .632

Season 2

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
Season 1977-782018-19
Team Seattle SupersonicsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics Lost NBA FinalsJazz 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 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
Royce O'Neale 82 20.4 5.2 0.3 3.2 3.5 1.5 0.7 0.3 0.9 2.1 2.0 4.2 .475 0.8 2.1 .386 0.4 0.5 .762
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
Royce O'Neale 5 27.4 10.6 0.4 4.2 4.6 1.6 0.4 0.4 2.0 3.0 4.2 9.0 .467 1.6 4.6 .348 0.6 0.8 .750

Season 3

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
Season 1978-792019-20
Team Seattle SupersonicsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionJazz 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 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
Royce O'Neale 71 28.9 6.3 0.4 5.1 5.5 2.5 0.8 0.5 0.9 2.8 2.2 5.1 .433 1.3 3.4 .377 0.6 0.8 .764
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
Royce O'Neale 7 35.6 5.6 0.4 5.0 5.4 2.7 1.3 0.3 1.9 3.6 1.9 4.6 .406 1.4 3.1 .455 0.4 0.9 .500

Season 4

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
Season 1979-802020-21
Team Seattle SupersonicsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf FinalsJazz 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 %
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
Royce O'Neale 71 31.6 7.0 1.2 5.6 6.8 2.5 0.8 0.5 1.2 2.6 2.5 5.5 .444 1.5 3.9 .385 0.5 0.6 .848
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
Royce O'Neale 11 36.7 11.3 1.5 5.8 7.3 2.1 1.1 0.3 0.7 3.7 3.9 7.7 .506 2.5 5.5 .467 0.9 1.1 .833

Season 5

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
Season 1980-812021-22
Team Phoenix SunsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisJazz 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 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
Royce O'Neale 77 31.2 7.4 0.8 3.9 4.8 2.5 1.1 0.4 1.0 2.4 2.6 5.8 .457 1.5 4.0 .389 0.6 0.7 .804
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
Royce O'Neale 6 31.3 6.2 1.0 4.7 5.7 1.5 0.5 0.2 0.5 2.7 2.3 5.8 .400 1.2 4.2 .280 0.3 0.3 1.000

Season 6

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
Season 1981-822022-23
Team Phoenix SunsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisNets 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 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
Royce O'Neale 76 31.7 8.8 0.7 4.3 5.1 3.7 0.9 0.6 1.5 3.1 3.0 7.8 .386 2.1 5.5 .389 0.7 0.9 .725
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
Royce O'Neale 4 29.5 5.0 1.0 3.3 4.3 3.5 1.3 0.3 1.0 2.8 1.8 7.3 .241 1.0 5.5 .182 0.5 0.5 1.000

Season 7

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
Season 1982-832023-24
Team Phoenix SunsBrooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf 1st RdSuns 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
Royce O'Neale 79 24.7 7.7 0.8 4.0 4.8 2.8 0.7 0.6 0.9 2.2 2.7 6.8 .397 2.0 5.3 .370 0.3 0.4 .686
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
Royce O'Neale 4 26.0 5.0 1.3 3.5 4.8 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.5 2.8 1.8 5.5 .318 1.5 4.5 .333 0.0 0.0 -

Season 8

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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 -
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Dennis Johnson Royce O'Neale
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------