Don Buse vs. Ricky Rubio Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ricky Rubio and Don Buse, 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.

Don Buse played 9 years in the NBA, 3 less than Ricky Rubio, who played 12. Don Buse had the first of his seasons in 1976-77, while Ricky Rubio 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
Don Buse 9 6 1976-77 to 1984-85
Ricky Rubio 12 3 2011-12 to 2022-23

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1976-772011-12
Team Indiana PacersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement Assists Leader-
Achievement Steals Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Don Buse 81 36.4 8.0 0.8 2.5 3.3 8.5 3.5 0.2 - 1.6 3.3 7.9 .416 - - - 1.4 1.8 .786
Ricky Rubio 41 34.2 10.6 0.5 3.7 4.2 8.2 2.2 0.2 3.2 2.4 3.4 9.5 .357 0.8 2.3 .340 3.1 3.8 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1977-782012-13
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Don Buse 82 31.1 8.4 0.7 2.3 3.0 4.8 2.3 0.2 1.5 1.8 3.5 7.6 .458 - - - 1.4 1.7 .824
Ricky Rubio 57 29.7 10.7 0.8 3.2 4.0 7.3 2.4 0.1 3.0 2.5 3.2 9.0 .360 0.5 1.6 .293 3.7 4.6 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 2 38.0 4.0 0.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.5 2.0 5.5 .364 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1978-792013-14
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 82 31.0 7.8 0.5 2.1 2.6 4.3 1.9 0.2 1.2 1.8 3.5 7.0 .495 - - - 0.9 1.1 .769
Ricky Rubio 82 32.2 9.5 0.7 3.4 4.2 8.6 2.3 0.1 2.7 2.7 3.1 8.2 .381 0.5 1.6 .331 2.8 3.5 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 15 34.1 7.9 1.1 2.5 3.7 3.5 1.5 0.3 1.0 2.1 3.1 7.7 .405 - - - 1.6 2.2 .727
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1979-802014-15
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 81 30.9 7.7 0.9 2.0 2.9 4.0 1.6 0.1 1.1 1.4 3.2 7.3 .443 0.2 1.0 .241 1.0 1.6 .664
Ricky Rubio 22 31.5 10.3 0.9 4.8 5.7 8.8 1.7 0.0 2.9 2.7 3.5 10.0 .356 0.6 2.3 .255 2.6 3.2 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 8 29.5 8.5 1.0 1.6 2.6 5.5 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.9 3.5 8.0 .438 0.6 1.6 .385 0.9 1.4 .636
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1980-812015-16
Team Indiana PacersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pacers 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 %
Don Buse 58 18.9 5.1 0.3 1.1 1.4 2.4 1.3 0.1 0.7 1.1 2.0 4.9 .397 0.3 1.0 .328 0.9 1.1 .769
Ricky Rubio 76 30.6 10.1 0.5 3.8 4.3 8.7 2.1 0.1 2.5 2.6 2.9 7.7 .374 0.8 2.5 .326 3.5 4.1 .847
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 2 17.5 2.5 0.0 2.5 2.5 3.5 1.5 0.0 1.0 2.0 0.5 4.0 .125 0.5 2.0 .250 1.0 1.0 1.000
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1981-822016-17
Team Indiana PacersMinnesota Timberwolves
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 %
Don Buse 82 30.8 9.7 0.6 2.2 2.7 5.0 2.0 0.3 1.2 2.1 3.8 8.4 .455 0.9 2.3 .386 1.2 1.5 .813
Ricky Rubio 75 32.9 11.1 0.9 3.2 4.1 9.1 1.7 0.1 2.6 2.7 3.5 8.7 .402 0.8 2.6 .306 3.4 3.8 .891
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1982-832017-18
Team Portland Trail BlazersUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf SemisJazz 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 %
Don Buse 41 15.7 4.7 0.5 0.9 1.3 2.8 1.1 0.0 0.6 1.5 1.8 4.4 .396 0.2 0.9 .257 1.0 1.1 .891
Ricky Rubio 77 29.3 13.1 0.6 4.0 4.6 5.3 1.6 0.1 2.7 2.7 4.5 10.7 .418 1.2 3.5 .352 2.9 3.3 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 5 6.2 1.4 0.0 0.4 0.4 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.4 0.4 1.6 .250 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 0.8 .750
Ricky Rubio 6 30.2 14.0 0.8 6.5 7.3 7.0 1.3 0.5 3.0 2.2 4.7 13.2 .354 1.7 5.3 .313 3.0 3.8 .783

Season 8

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1983-842018-19
Team Kansas City KingsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf 1st RdJazz 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 %
Don Buse 76 17.5 5.0 0.4 1.1 1.5 4.0 1.1 0.0 1.1 0.8 2.0 4.6 .426 0.2 0.8 .305 0.8 1.1 .788
Ricky Rubio 68 27.9 12.7 0.5 3.1 3.6 6.1 1.3 0.1 2.6 2.6 4.3 10.7 .404 1.2 3.7 .311 2.9 3.4 .855
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse 3 16.7 7.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 3.7 0.3 0.3 1.0 1.7 2.3 5.3 .438 1.0 2.0 .500 1.3 2.0 .667
Ricky Rubio 5 33.6 15.4 0.6 2.6 3.2 8.6 2.4 0.2 3.0 2.8 5.6 13.2 .424 0.8 4.0 .200 3.4 4.0 .850

Season 9

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season 1984-852019-20
Team Kansas City KingsPhoenix Suns
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 %
Don Buse 65 14.4 3.4 0.3 0.6 0.9 3.1 0.6 0.0 0.7 1.2 1.3 3.1 .404 0.5 1.3 .356 0.4 0.5 .767
Ricky Rubio 65 31.0 13.0 0.7 4.0 4.7 8.8 1.4 0.2 2.7 2.6 4.4 10.6 .415 1.2 3.3 .361 3.0 3.5 .863
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season -2020-21
Team -Minnesota Timberwolves
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 %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio 68 26.1 8.6 0.4 2.9 3.3 6.4 1.4 0.1 1.6 2.0 2.8 7.3 .388 1.0 3.1 .308 1.9 2.2 .867
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season -2021-22
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
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 %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio 34 28.5 13.1 0.4 3.7 4.1 6.6 1.4 0.2 2.6 2.2 4.4 12.1 .363 1.7 5.1 .339 2.6 3.0 .854
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Don Buse Ricky Rubio
Season -2022-23
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers 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 %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio 33 17.2 5.2 0.3 1.8 2.1 3.5 0.8 0.2 0.9 1.5 1.8 5.4 .343 0.6 2.5 .256 0.8 1.1 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Buse ------- --- ----------
Ricky Rubio 3 5.7 0.0 0.7 1.3 2.0 1.0 0.3 0.0 1.7 1.7 0.0 0.3 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -