Derek Fisher vs. Arvydas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Arvydas Sabonis and Derek Fisher, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

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 Fisher played 18 years in the NBA, 11 more than Arvydas Sabonis, who played 7. Derek Fisher had the first of his seasons in 1996-97, while Arvydas Sabonis had his rookie season in 1995-96. 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
Derek Fisher 18 16 1996-97 to 2013-14
Arvydas Sabonis 7 7 1995-96 to 2002-03

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1996-971995-96
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 80 11.5 3.9 0.3 0.9 1.2 1.5 0.5 0.1 0.9 1.1 1.3 3.3 .397 0.3 0.9 .301 1.0 1.5 .658
difference:+7+12.3+10.6+1.7+5.1+6.9+0.3+0.4+1.0-1.2-1.8+4.1+6.6+.148+0.2+0.5+.074+2.2+2.7+.099
Arvydas Sabonis 73 23.8 14.5 2.0 6.0 8.1 1.8 0.9 1.1 2.1 2.9 5.4 9.9 .545 0.5 1.4 .375 3.2 4.2 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 6 5.7 1.3 0.0 0.5 0.5 1.0 0.2 0.0 1.0 0.7 0.5 1.8 .273 0.0 0.8 .000 0.3 0.5 .667
difference:+1+29.7+22.3+2.4+7.3+9.7+0.8+0.6+0.6-1.0-2.7+6.5+14.4+.159+1.0+1.0+.556+8.3+11.5+.050
Arvydas Sabonis 5 35.4 23.6 2.4 7.8 10.2 1.8 0.8 0.6 2.0 3.4 7.0 16.2 .432 1.0 1.8 .556 8.6 12.0 .717

Season 2

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1997-981996-97
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 82 21.5 5.8 0.5 1.9 2.4 4.1 0.9 0.1 1.5 1.5 2.0 4.6 .434 0.4 1.0 .383 1.4 1.9 .757
difference:+13+4.0+7.6+1.2+4.4+5.5+2.0+1.1-0.7-1.4+2.8+4.9+.064+0.3+0.9+.012+1.8+2.3+.020
Arvydas Sabonis 69 25.5 13.4 1.7 6.3 7.9 2.1 0.9 1.2 2.2 2.9 4.8 9.5 .498 0.7 1.9 .371 3.2 4.2 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 13 21.5 6.0 0.2 1.8 1.9 3.8 1.3 0.0 1.2 2.5 2.1 5.2 .397 0.5 1.5 .300 1.4 2.2 .621
difference:+9+5.3+5.3+1.8+2.7+4.6+1.5+0.5+0.8-1.1-2.3+2.4+5.3+.032+0.5+.050+0.4+0.2+.254
Arvydas Sabonis 4 26.8 11.3 2.0 4.5 6.5 2.3 0.8 0.8 2.3 4.8 4.5 10.5 .429 0.5 2.0 .250 1.8 2.0 .875

Season 3

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1998-991997-98
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisTrail Blazers 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%
Derek Fisher 50 22.6 5.9 0.4 1.4 1.8 3.9 1.2 0.0 1.5 1.9 2.0 5.3 .376 0.8 1.9 .392 1.2 1.6 .759
difference:+23+9.4+10.1+1.6+6.5+8.2+0.9+0.3+1.1-1.1-1.8+3.6+6.0+.117+0.4+0.3+.131+3.2+3.9+.039
Arvydas Sabonis 73 32.0 16.0 2.0 7.9 10.0 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.6 3.7 5.6 11.3 .493 0.4 1.6 .261 4.4 5.5 .798
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 8 29.8 9.8 0.8 2.9 3.6 4.9 1.0 0.0 1.4 2.5 3.5 8.4 .418 1.3 3.6 .345 1.5 1.9 .800
difference:+4+3.0+2.5+1.0+3.1+4.2+3.4+0.8+0.8-1.1-2.3+1.0+1.6+.032+1.0+3.1+.155+1.5+1.6+.057
Arvydas Sabonis 4 26.8 12.3 1.8 6.0 7.8 1.5 1.8 0.8 2.5 4.8 4.5 10.0 .450 0.3 0.5 .500 3.0 3.5 .857

Season 4

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1999-001998-99
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 78 23.1 6.3 0.3 1.6 1.8 2.8 1.0 0.0 1.0 1.9 2.1 6.2 .346 0.7 2.1 .313 1.3 1.9 .724
difference:+28+3.9+5.8+1.5+4.5+6.1+0.4+0.3+1.3-0.7-1.0+2.5+3.4+.139+0.6+1.6+.021+1.4+1.6+.047
Arvydas Sabonis 50 27.0 12.1 1.8 6.1 7.9 2.4 0.7 1.3 1.7 2.9 4.6 9.6 .485 0.1 0.5 .292 2.7 3.5 .771
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 21 15.3 4.7 0.2 0.9 1.0 2.0 0.5 0.0 0.4 1.4 1.6 3.8 .430 0.6 1.4 .414 0.9 1.2 .760
difference:+8+14.8+5.3+0.7+6.9+7.8+0.2+0.7+1.2-1.1-1.3+1.9+4.9+.032+0.5+1.0+.214+2.1+2.1+.147
Arvydas Sabonis 13 30.1 10.0 0.9 7.8 8.8 2.2 1.2 1.2 1.5 2.7 3.5 8.7 .398 0.1 0.4 .200 3.0 3.3 .907

Season 5

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 2000-011999-00
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 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%
Derek Fisher 20 35.5 11.5 0.3 2.7 3.0 4.4 2.0 0.1 1.5 2.5 3.9 9.4 .412 1.3 3.2 .397 2.5 3.1 .806
difference:+46+9.9+0.3+1.2+3.6+4.8+2.6+1.3+1.1-0.3+0.7+0.3+.093+1.2+2.9+.029+0.1+.037
Arvydas Sabonis 66 25.6 11.8 1.5 6.3 7.8 1.8 0.7 1.2 1.5 2.8 4.6 9.1 .505 0.1 0.3 .368 2.5 3.0 .843
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 16 35.8 13.4 0.3 3.5 3.8 3.0 1.3 0.1 0.8 2.8 4.8 9.9 .484 2.2 4.3 .515 1.6 2.1 .765
difference:+5.0+2.1+0.9+2.0+2.9+1.1+0.4+0.7-0.8-0.9+0.5+0.5+.031+1.8+3.0+.229+0.8+1.0+.031
Arvydas Sabonis 16 30.8 11.3 1.2 5.5 6.7 1.9 0.9 0.8 1.6 3.7 4.3 9.4 .453 0.4 1.3 .286 2.4 3.1 .796

Season 6

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 2001-022000-01
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 70 28.2 11.2 0.2 1.9 2.1 2.6 0.9 0.1 0.9 1.7 3.9 9.5 .411 2.1 5.0 .413 1.3 1.6 .847
difference:+9+6.9+1.1+0.6+2.7+3.3+1.1+0.2+0.9-0.5-0.5+0.1+1.0+.068+2.1+4.8+.346+0.7+1.0+.071
Arvydas Sabonis 61 21.3 10.1 0.8 4.6 5.4 1.5 0.7 1.0 1.4 2.2 4.0 8.5 .479 0.0 0.2 .067 2.0 2.6 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 19 34.2 10.2 0.5 2.7 3.3 2.7 1.0 0.1 1.1 2.6 3.2 8.8 .357 1.5 4.3 .358 2.3 2.9 .786
difference:+16+0.8+1.1+2.2+3.0+5.0+0.7+2.2-0.4-1.4+1.5+0.9+.126+1.5+3.6+.358+0.3+0.2+.036
Arvydas Sabonis 3 35.0 11.3 2.7 5.7 8.3 2.7 0.3 2.3 0.7 4.0 4.7 9.7 .483 0.0 0.7 .000 2.0 2.7 .750

Note: Arvydas Sabonis didn't play in 2001-02.

Season 7

Derek Fisher Arvydas Sabonis
Season 2002-032002-03
Team Los Angeles LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 82 34.5 10.5 0.5 2.4 2.9 3.6 1.1 0.2 1.1 2.4 4.1 9.5 .437 1.0 2.6 .401 1.2 1.5 .800
difference:+4+19.0+4.4+0.6+0.8+1.4+1.8+0.3+0.4-0.1-0.6+1.9+4.9+.039+1.0+2.5+.099+0.5+0.6+.013
Arvydas Sabonis 78 15.5 6.1 1.1 3.2 4.3 1.8 0.8 0.6 1.0 1.8 2.2 4.6 .476 0.0 0.1 .500 1.7 2.1 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derek Fisher 12 35.4 12.8 0.4 2.6 3.0 1.8 1.5 0.1 1.5 3.3 4.4 8.5 .520 2.4 3.9 .617 1.5 1.8 .818
difference:+6+20.9+2.8+0.6+0.4+1.0+1.0+0.8+0.6-0.5-1.0+0.4+2.5+.147+2.4+3.9+0.5+0.7+.018
Arvydas Sabonis 6 14.5 10.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 0.8 0.7 0.7 1.0 2.3 4.0 6.0 .667 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .800

Additional Years

* Derek Fisher played 11 seasons more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 18, from 2004 to 2014—Derek Fisher played in 9 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.