Domantas Sabonis vs. John Salley Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of John Salley and Domantas Sabonis, 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.

Domantas Sabonis played 8 years in the NBA, 3 less than John Salley, who played 11. Domantas Sabonis had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while John Salley had his rookie season in 1986-87. 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
Domantas Sabonis 8 4 2016-17 to 2023-24
John Salley 11 9 1986-87 to 1999-00

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2016-171986-87
Team Oklahoma City ThunderDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf 1st RdPistons 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 %
Domantas Sabonis 81 20.1 5.9 0.6 3.0 3.6 1.0 0.5 0.4 1.0 2.5 2.4 5.9 .399 0.6 2.0 .321 0.5 0.8 .657
John Salley 82 17.8 5.3 1.3 2.3 3.6 0.7 0.5 1.5 0.9 3.1 2.0 3.5 .562 0.0 0.0 .000 1.3 2.1 .614
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 2 3.0 2.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 2.0 0.0 1.5 .000 0.0 0.5 .000 2.0 2.0 1.000
John Salley 15 20.7 6.2 2.0 2.8 4.8 0.7 0.2 1.1 0.9 4.0 2.2 4.4 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.8 .643

Season 2

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2017-181987-88
Team Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pacers Lost East Conf 1st RdPistons Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 74 24.5 11.6 2.2 5.5 7.7 2.0 0.5 0.4 1.9 3.0 4.6 8.9 .514 0.2 0.5 .351 2.3 3.0 .750
John Salley 82 24.4 8.5 2.0 2.9 4.9 1.4 0.6 1.7 1.5 3.6 3.1 5.6 .566 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.2 .709
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 7 23.7 12.4 2.0 2.6 4.6 0.7 0.1 0.3 1.0 3.1 5.1 8.9 .581 0.1 1.0 .143 2.0 2.6 .778
John Salley 23 27.1 7.0 2.8 4.0 6.7 0.9 0.7 1.6 1.0 3.8 2.4 4.5 .538 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.0 .710

Season 3

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2018-191988-89
Team Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pacers Lost East Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 74 24.8 14.1 2.5 6.8 9.3 2.9 0.6 0.4 2.2 3.2 5.6 9.5 .590 0.1 0.2 .529 2.8 3.9 .715
John Salley 67 21.8 7.0 2.0 3.0 5.0 1.1 0.6 1.1 1.5 2.9 2.5 5.0 .498 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 2.9 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 4 24.0 8.5 1.8 5.5 7.3 4.0 0.8 0.3 1.3 3.0 3.0 7.3 .414 0.3 1.0 .250 2.3 3.5 .643
John Salley 17 23.1 8.9 2.0 2.6 4.6 0.5 0.5 1.5 0.7 3.4 3.4 5.8 .586 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 3.2 .667

Season 4

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2019-201989-90
Team Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 62 34.8 18.5 3.0 9.4 12.4 5.0 0.8 0.5 2.7 3.1 7.4 13.7 .540 0.3 1.1 .254 3.5 4.8 .723
John Salley 82 23.3 7.2 1.9 3.5 5.4 0.8 0.6 1.9 1.2 3.4 2.5 5.0 .512 0.0 0.0 .250 2.1 3.0 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 20 27.4 9.5 2.9 3.0 5.9 1.0 0.5 1.7 1.1 3.8 2.9 6.1 .475 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.9 .755

Season 5

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2020-211990-91
Team Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons 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 %
Domantas Sabonis 62 36.0 20.3 2.4 9.5 12.0 6.7 1.2 0.5 3.4 3.3 7.8 14.6 .535 0.8 2.6 .321 3.9 5.3 .732
John Salley 74 22.3 7.4 1.9 2.6 4.4 0.9 0.7 1.5 1.2 3.2 2.4 5.1 .475 0.0 0.0 .000 2.5 3.5 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 15 20.5 7.5 1.3 2.8 4.1 0.7 0.4 1.3 0.9 3.9 2.5 4.7 .543 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 4.0 .600

Season 6

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2021-221991-92
Team Indiana Pacers, Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons 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 %
Domantas Sabonis 62 34.5 18.9 3.2 8.9 12.1 5.2 1.0 0.4 3.1 3.3 7.1 12.5 .573 0.6 2.0 .312 4.0 5.4 .741
John Salley 72 24.6 9.5 1.5 2.6 4.1 1.6 0.7 1.5 1.4 3.1 3.5 6.8 .512 0.0 0.0 .000 2.6 3.6 .715
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 5 29.8 12.6 2.0 4.0 6.0 2.8 0.6 2.8 1.8 3.6 4.0 8.8 .455 0.0 0.2 .000 4.6 5.6 .821

Season 7

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2022-231992-93
Team Sacramento KingsMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement Rebounds Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Kings Lost West 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 %
Domantas Sabonis 79 34.6 19.1 3.2 9.1 12.3 7.3 0.8 0.5 2.9 3.5 7.3 11.9 .615 0.4 1.1 .373 4.1 5.5 .742
John Salley 51 27.9 8.3 2.2 3.9 6.1 1.6 0.6 1.4 2.0 3.8 3.0 6.0 .502 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 2.8 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis 7 34.7 16.4 4.4 6.6 11.0 4.7 1.4 0.9 3.7 4.0 7.0 14.1 .495 0.1 0.7 .200 2.3 4.0 .571
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season 2023-241993-94
Team Sacramento KingsMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement Rebounds Leader-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHeat 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 %
Domantas Sabonis 82 35.7 19.4 3.6 10.1 13.7 8.2 0.9 0.6 3.3 3.0 7.7 13.0 .594 0.4 1.1 .379 3.6 5.1 .704
John Salley 76 25.1 7.7 1.7 3.6 5.4 1.8 0.7 1.0 1.2 3.4 2.7 5.7 .477 0.0 0.0 .667 2.2 3.0 .729
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 5 40.2 11.0 3.2 4.8 8.0 1.6 0.4 1.0 1.2 4.2 4.4 11.4 .386 0.0 0.0 - 2.2 3.2 .688

Season 9

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season -1994-95
Team -Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 75 26.1 7.3 1.5 3.0 4.5 1.6 0.6 1.1 1.3 3.7 2.6 5.3 .499 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.8 .739
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season -1995-96
Team -Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards
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 %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 42 16.0 4.4 1.1 2.2 3.3 1.3 0.5 0.6 1.3 2.6 1.5 3.3 .450 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.0 .694
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 16 5.3 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.3 1.6 0.4 0.7 .545 0.0 0.0 - 0.1 0.4 .286

Note: John Salley didn't play in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Season 11

Domantas Sabonis John Salley
Season -1999-00
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
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 %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 45 6.7 1.6 0.4 1.0 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.4 1.5 0.6 1.5 .362 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.6 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Domantas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
John Salley 18 4.2 0.9 0.5 0.7 1.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.9 0.3 0.7 .385 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.6 .700