Derrick Jones Jr. vs. Yao Ming Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Yao Ming and Derrick Jones Jr., 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.

Derrick Jones Jr. played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than Yao Ming, who played 8. Derrick Jones Jr. had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while Yao Ming had his rookie season in 2002-03. 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
Derrick Jones Jr. 10 5 2016-17 to 2025-26
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2016-172002-03
Team Phoenix SunsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
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%
Derrick Jones Jr. 32 17.0 5.3 1.2 1.3 2.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 2.0 2.1 3.8 .562 0.1 0.3 .273 0.9 1.3 .707
difference:+50+12.0+8.2+1.2+4.5+5.7+1.3+1.4-1.7-0.8+2.8+6.0+.064+0.1+0.3+2.8+3.2+.104
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.5 .811
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Derrick Jones Jr. nor Yao Ming played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2017-182003-04
Team Phoenix Suns, Miami HeatHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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%
Derrick Jones Jr. 20 12.3 3.1 1.1 0.9 1.9 0.5 0.2 0.7 0.4 1.2 1.1 2.7 .396 0.2 0.9 .167 0.8 1.2 .667
difference:+62+20.5+14.4+1.3+5.7+7.1+1.0+0.1+1.2-2.1-2.1+5.4+9.8+.126+0.2+0.9+3.6+4.2+.142
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 - 4.4 5.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. DNP------ --- ----------
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765

Season 3

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2018-192004-05
Team Miami HeatHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets 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%
Derrick Jones Jr. 60 19.2 7.0 1.6 2.4 4.0 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.7 2.1 2.7 5.4 .494 0.5 1.5 .308 1.2 2.0 .607
difference:+20+11.4+11.3+1.0+3.4+4.4+0.2+0.4+1.3-1.8-1.6+4.0+6.8+.058+0.5+1.5+3.7+4.2+.176
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. DNP------ --- ----------
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727

Season 4

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2019-202005-06
Team Miami HeatHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Heat Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 59 23.3 8.5 1.1 2.8 3.9 1.1 1.0 0.6 0.5 2.2 3.1 5.9 .527 0.6 2.2 .280 1.6 2.1 .772
difference:+2+10.9+13.8+1.5+4.8+6.3+0.4+0.5+1.0-2.1-1.2+5.1+9.9+.008+0.6+2.2+4.3+4.8+.081
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 - 5.9 6.9 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 15 6.4 1.5 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.8 0.5 1.1 .471 0.3 0.6 .444 0.1 0.3 .400
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2020-212006-07
Team Portland Trail BlazersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 58 22.7 6.8 1.3 2.2 3.5 0.8 0.6 0.9 0.6 2.2 2.5 5.2 .484 0.7 2.3 .316 1.0 1.6 .648
difference:+10+11.1+18.2+0.8+5.1+5.9+1.2+0.2+1.1-2.9-1.1+6.3+11.9+.032+0.7+2.3+6.4+7.0+.214
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 - 7.4 8.6 .862
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 2 5.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.5 .400 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 -
difference:+5+32.1+23.1+3.3+7.0+10.3+0.9+0.4+0.7-4.7-2.9+6.9+15.4+.040+1.0+9.4+10.7
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880

Season 6

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2021-222007-08
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 51 17.6 5.6 1.2 2.1 3.3 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 2.1 2.1 3.8 .538 0.4 1.2 .328 1.1 1.4 .800
difference:+4+19.6+16.4+1.9+5.6+7.5+1.7+1.4-2.7-1.0+5.8+11.7+.031+0.4+1.2+5.2+6.0+.050
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 - 6.3 7.4 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 5 11.8 3.8 0.6 0.8 1.4 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.6 1.6 1.4 3.4 .412 0.6 2.2 .273 0.4 0.6 .667
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2022-232008-09
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 64 14.0 5.0 0.9 1.5 2.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.4 1.3 1.8 3.6 .500 0.4 1.3 .338 1.0 1.3 .738
difference:+13+19.6+14.7+1.7+5.7+7.5+1.3+0.1+1.3-2.6-2.0+5.6+9.8+.048+0.4+1.3+3.9+4.4+.128
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 5.7 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. DNP------ --- ----------
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Derrick Jones Jr. Yao Ming
Season 2023-242010-11
Team Dallas MavericksHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Mavericks Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 76 23.5 8.6 1.1 2.2 3.3 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.9 1.6 3.1 6.5 .483 1.1 3.1 .343 1.3 1.8 .713
difference:+71+5.3+1.6+0.3+1.8+2.1+0.2+0.7+0.9-0.5-1.0+0.5+0.9+.003+1.1+3.1+1.7+1.4+.225
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Derrick Jones Jr. 22 29.4 9.1 1.5 2.0 3.5 1.2 0.5 1.0 0.8 2.5 3.5 7.3 .481 1.1 3.0 .369 1.0 1.4 .733
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Derrick Jones Jr. played 2 seasons more than Yao Ming in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 10, from 2025 to 2026—Derrick Jones Jr. played in one postseason.