Don Nelson vs. Jayson Tatum Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jayson Tatum and Don Nelson, 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 Nelson played 14 years in the NBA, 7 more than Jayson Tatum, who played 7. Don Nelson had the first of his seasons in 1962-63, while Jayson Tatum had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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 Nelson 14 11 1962-63 to 1975-76
Jayson Tatum 7 7 2017-18 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1962-632017-18
Team Chicago ZephyrsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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 %
Don Nelson 62 17.3 6.8 - - 4.5 1.2 - - - 2.2 2.1 4.7 .440 - - - 2.6 3.6 .729
Jayson Tatum 80 30.5 13.9 0.6 4.4 5.0 1.6 1.0 0.7 1.4 2.1 5.0 10.4 .475 1.3 3.0 .434 2.7 3.2 .826
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson ------- --- ----------
Jayson Tatum 19 35.9 18.5 0.5 3.8 4.4 2.7 1.2 0.5 2.2 2.6 6.5 13.7 .471 1.2 3.7 .324 4.3 5.1 .845

Season 2
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1963-642018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 80 17.6 5.2 - - 4.0 1.0 - - - 2.3 1.7 4.0 .418 - - - 1.9 2.5 .741
Jayson Tatum 79 31.1 15.7 0.9 5.2 6.0 2.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 2.1 5.9 13.1 .450 1.5 3.9 .373 2.5 2.9 .855
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 5 11.2 3.4 - - 2.6 0.4 - - - 2.2 1.4 2.6 .538 - - - 0.6 0.6 1.000
Jayson Tatum 9 32.8 15.2 0.8 5.9 6.7 1.9 1.1 0.8 2.0 2.3 5.4 12.4 .438 1.1 3.4 .323 3.2 4.3 .744

Season 3
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1964-652019-20
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsCeltics 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 %
Don Nelson 39 6.1 2.4 - - 1.9 0.6 - - - 1.0 0.9 2.2 .424 - - - 0.5 0.7 .769
Jayson Tatum 66 34.3 23.4 1.0 6.0 7.0 3.0 1.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 8.4 18.6 .450 2.9 7.1 .403 3.8 4.7 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 11 19.3 6.1 - - 5.4 1.7 - - - 2.8 2.2 4.8 .453 - - - 1.7 2.3 .760
Jayson Tatum 17 40.6 25.7 1.3 8.7 10.0 5.0 1.0 1.2 2.8 2.4 8.5 19.6 .434 2.8 7.4 .373 5.9 7.2 .813

Season 4
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1965-662020-21
Team Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics 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 Nelson 75 23.5 10.2 - - 5.4 1.1 - - - 2.5 3.6 8.2 .439 - - - 3.0 4.3 .684
Jayson Tatum 64 35.8 26.4 0.8 6.6 7.4 4.3 1.2 0.5 2.7 1.9 9.5 20.6 .459 2.9 7.6 .386 4.6 5.3 .868
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 17 18.6 8.4 - - 5.0 0.8 - - - 2.9 2.9 6.9 .424 - - - 2.5 3.1 .808
Jayson Tatum 5 37.0 30.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 4.6 1.2 1.6 2.6 3.0 9.4 22.2 .423 2.8 7.2 .389 9.0 9.8 .918

Season 5
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1966-672021-22
Team Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Div FinalsCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 79 15.2 7.5 - - 3.7 0.8 - - - 1.8 2.9 6.4 .446 - - - 1.8 2.4 .742
Jayson Tatum 76 35.9 26.9 1.1 6.9 8.0 4.4 1.0 0.6 2.9 2.3 9.3 20.6 .453 3.0 8.6 .353 5.3 6.2 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 9 15.8 7.1 - - 4.7 1.0 - - - 1.3 3.0 6.6 .458 - - - 1.1 1.9 .588
Jayson Tatum 24 41.0 25.6 1.0 5.7 6.7 6.2 1.2 0.9 4.2 3.0 8.4 19.7 .426 3.2 8.2 .393 5.7 7.1 .800

Season 6
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1967-682022-23
Team Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics 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 %
Don Nelson 82 18.3 10.0 - - 5.3 1.3 - - - 2.2 3.8 7.7 .494 - - - 2.4 3.3 .728
Jayson Tatum 74 36.9 30.1 1.1 7.7 8.8 4.6 1.1 0.7 2.9 2.2 9.8 21.1 .466 3.2 9.3 .350 7.2 8.4 .854
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 19 24.6 12.5 - - 7.5 1.7 - - - 2.6 4.8 9.2 .520 - - - 2.9 3.9 .743
Jayson Tatum 20 40.0 27.2 1.3 9.2 10.5 5.3 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.2 9.3 20.2 .458 2.7 8.2 .323 6.0 6.9 .876

Season 7
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1968-692023-24
Team Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics TBD
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 82 21.6 11.6 - - 5.6 1.1 - - - 2.4 4.6 9.4 .485 - - - 2.5 3.2 .776
Jayson Tatum 74 35.7 26.9 0.9 7.2 8.1 4.9 1.0 0.6 2.5 2.0 9.1 19.3 .471 3.1 8.2 .376 5.6 6.7 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 18 19.3 12.4 - - 4.6 1.2 - - - 2.8 4.8 9.3 .518 - - - 2.8 3.3 .833
Jayson Tatum 9 38.7 24.2 0.7 9.8 10.4 5.4 0.7 0.9 2.2 2.8 7.6 18.1 .417 1.7 6.3 .263 7.4 8.7 .859

Season 8
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1969-70-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 Nelson 82 27.1 15.4 - - 7.3 1.8 - - - 2.9 5.6 11.2 .501 - - - 4.1 5.3 .775
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson ------- --- ----------
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1970-71-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 Nelson 82 27.5 13.9 - - 6.9 1.9 - - - 2.8 5.0 10.7 .468 - - - 3.9 5.2 .744
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson ------- --- ----------
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1971-72-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Don Nelson 82 25.4 13.8 - - 5.5 2.3 - - - 2.7 4.7 9.9 .480 - - - 4.3 5.5 .788
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 11 28.0 13.2 - - 5.5 1.9 - - - 2.7 4.7 9.0 .525 - - - 3.7 4.4 .854
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 11
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1972-73-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Don Nelson 72 19.8 10.8 - - 4.4 1.4 - - - 2.2 4.3 9.0 .476 - - - 2.2 2.6 .846
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 13 23.3 11.0 - - 2.9 1.2 - - - 2.2 3.6 7.8 .465 - - - 3.8 4.3 .875
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 12
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1973-74-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 %
Don Nelson 82 21.3 11.5 1.1 3.1 4.2 2.0 0.2 0.2 - 2.3 4.4 8.7 .508 - - - 2.6 3.3 .788
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 18 25.9 11.4 1.4 4.0 5.4 1.9 0.4 0.2 - 3.0 4.6 9.1 .500 - - - 2.3 2.9 .774
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 13
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1974-75-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Don Nelson 79 26.0 14.0 1.6 4.3 5.9 2.3 0.4 0.2 - 3.0 5.4 9.9 .539 - - - 3.3 4.0 .827
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 11 24.9 15.4 1.6 2.5 4.1 2.4 0.2 0.2 - 3.3 6.0 10.6 .564 - - - 3.4 3.7 .902
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 14
Don Nelson Jayson Tatum
Season 1975-76-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 %
Don Nelson 75 12.6 6.4 0.7 1.7 2.4 1.0 0.2 0.1 - 1.5 2.3 5.1 .462 - - - 1.7 2.1 .789
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Don Nelson 18 17.5 9.1 0.9 2.0 2.9 0.9 0.2 0.1 - 2.6 2.9 6.0 .481 - - - 3.3 3.8 .870
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
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