Derek Anderson vs. Isaiah Thomas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Isaiah Thomas and Derek Anderson, 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.

Derek Anderson played 11 years in the NBA, 1 less than Isaiah Thomas, who played 12. Derek Anderson had the first of his seasons in 1997-98, while Isaiah Thomas 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 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
Derek Anderson 11 5 1997-98 to 2007-08
Isaiah Thomas 12 4 2011-12 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 1997-982011-12
Team Cleveland CavaliersSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second TeamAchievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Cavaliers 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 %
Derek Anderson 66 27.9 11.7 0.8 2.0 2.8 3.4 1.3 0.2 1.9 2.1 3.6 8.9 .408 0.3 1.3 .202 4.2 4.8 .873
Isaiah Thomas 65 25.5 11.5 0.7 1.8 2.6 4.1 0.8 0.1 1.6 1.9 3.9 8.8 .448 1.3 3.4 .379 2.4 2.8 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson 4 25.8 10.8 0.0 2.3 2.3 2.8 1.3 0.3 3.0 2.5 2.5 5.5 .455 0.0 0.0 - 5.8 6.5 .885
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 1998-992012-13
Team Cleveland CavaliersSacramento Kings
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 %
Derek Anderson 38 25.7 10.8 0.5 2.3 2.9 3.8 1.3 0.1 2.2 1.9 3.3 8.3 .398 0.6 1.8 .304 3.6 4.3 .836
Isaiah Thomas 79 26.9 13.9 0.4 1.7 2.0 4.0 0.8 0.0 1.8 2.1 4.6 10.5 .440 1.5 4.1 .358 3.2 3.6 .882
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 1999-002013-14
Team Los Angeles ClippersSacramento Kings
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 %
Derek Anderson 64 34.4 16.9 1.3 2.8 4.0 3.4 1.4 0.2 2.6 2.3 5.9 13.4 .438 0.9 2.8 .309 4.2 4.8 .877
Isaiah Thomas 72 34.7 20.3 0.7 2.3 2.9 6.3 1.3 0.1 3.0 2.6 6.9 15.2 .453 1.8 5.1 .349 4.8 5.7 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2000-012014-15
Team San Antonio SpursPhoenix Suns, Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics 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 %
Derek Anderson 82 34.9 15.5 0.9 3.5 4.4 3.7 1.5 0.2 2.0 2.3 5.0 12.1 .416 1.2 3.1 .399 4.2 4.9 .851
Isaiah Thomas 67 25.8 16.4 0.5 1.8 2.3 4.2 0.9 0.1 2.1 2.2 5.0 11.9 .420 1.9 5.2 .373 4.5 5.2 .868
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson 7 27.7 7.7 0.4 2.3 2.7 2.4 0.4 0.0 2.1 1.4 2.3 8.7 .262 0.9 3.1 .273 2.3 3.0 .762
Isaiah Thomas 4 29.8 17.5 0.3 2.8 3.0 7.0 0.8 0.0 3.5 2.5 4.5 13.5 .333 0.8 4.5 .167 7.8 8.0 .969

Season 5

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2001-022015-16
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics 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 %
Derek Anderson 70 26.6 10.8 0.7 2.0 2.7 3.1 1.0 0.1 1.2 1.6 3.5 8.7 .404 1.2 3.3 .373 2.5 3.0 .856
Isaiah Thomas 82 32.2 22.2 0.6 2.4 3.0 6.2 1.1 0.1 2.7 2.0 7.2 16.9 .428 2.0 5.7 .359 5.8 6.6 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson 3 25.3 14.7 1.0 1.3 2.3 2.3 0.7 0.0 2.0 0.3 4.3 10.0 .433 0.7 2.0 .333 5.3 6.0 .889
Isaiah Thomas 6 36.7 24.2 0.3 2.7 3.0 5.0 0.7 0.8 2.3 3.0 7.8 19.8 .395 2.2 7.7 .283 6.3 7.8 .809

Season 6

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2002-032016-17
Team Portland Trail BlazersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics 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 %
Derek Anderson 76 33.6 13.9 0.7 2.8 3.5 4.3 1.2 0.2 1.7 1.9 4.7 10.9 .427 1.5 4.4 .350 3.0 3.5 .859
Isaiah Thomas 76 33.8 28.9 0.6 2.1 2.7 5.9 0.9 0.2 2.8 2.2 9.0 19.4 .463 3.2 8.5 .379 7.8 8.5 .909
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson 2 11.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 .250 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 0.5 .000
Isaiah Thomas 15 34.7 23.3 0.3 2.8 3.1 6.7 0.9 0.1 3.3 2.3 7.4 17.4 .425 2.4 7.2 .333 6.1 7.4 .820

Season 7

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2003-042017-18
Team Portland Trail BlazersCleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers
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 %
Derek Anderson 51 35.5 13.6 0.5 3.1 3.6 4.5 1.3 0.1 1.8 1.5 4.5 12.0 .376 1.5 5.1 .305 3.0 3.7 .824
Isaiah Thomas 32 26.9 15.2 0.5 1.6 2.1 4.8 0.5 0.1 3.0 1.8 4.9 13.2 .373 1.7 5.9 .293 3.7 4.1 .893
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2004-052018-19
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
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 %
Derek Anderson 47 26.4 9.2 0.5 2.2 2.7 3.0 0.8 0.1 1.5 1.9 3.2 8.3 .389 1.2 3.2 .384 1.5 1.9 .805
Isaiah Thomas 12 15.1 8.1 0.4 0.7 1.1 1.9 0.4 0.1 1.5 1.4 2.8 8.3 .343 1.0 3.6 .279 1.4 2.3 .630
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2005-062019-20
Team Houston Rockets, Miami HeatWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson 43 24.3 8.1 0.5 2.8 3.3 2.3 0.5 0.1 1.3 2.3 2.5 7.0 .356 0.9 3.1 .299 2.2 2.6 .838
Isaiah Thomas 40 23.1 12.2 0.3 1.4 1.7 3.7 0.3 0.2 1.9 1.9 4.4 10.7 .408 2.0 4.7 .413 1.6 1.9 .816
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson 8 8.3 3.0 0.0 1.1 1.1 0.6 0.3 0.0 0.4 1.6 0.8 2.5 .300 0.6 1.8 .357 0.9 1.0 .875
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2006-072020-21
Team Charlotte BobcatsNew Orleans Pelicans
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 %
Derek Anderson 50 23.8 8.0 0.6 1.7 2.3 2.7 1.0 0.1 1.1 2.3 2.5 5.9 .429 1.1 3.0 .355 1.9 2.1 .877
Isaiah Thomas 3 16.0 7.7 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.7 0.3 0.0 2.0 1.0 3.0 9.0 .333 1.0 4.0 .250 0.7 0.7 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season 2007-082021-22
Team Charlotte BobcatsLos Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets
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 %
Derek Anderson 28 14.1 5.0 0.3 1.5 1.9 1.6 0.4 0.0 0.9 1.8 1.7 4.5 .376 0.7 1.9 .365 1.0 1.4 .737
Isaiah Thomas 22 15.2 8.4 0.2 1.1 1.3 1.5 0.3 0.2 0.7 1.5 3.0 7.6 .401 1.3 3.8 .337 1.0 1.2 .846
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas ------- --- ----------

Note: Isaiah Thomas didn't play in 2022-23.

Season 12

Derek Anderson Isaiah Thomas
Season -2023-24
Team -Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
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 %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas 6 3.2 1.3 0.0 0.0 0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.7 .300 0.3 0.7 .500 0.0 0.0 -
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Derek Anderson ------- --- ----------
Isaiah Thomas 1 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 .000 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 -