Donald Royal vs. Tristan Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Tristan Thompson and Donald Royal, 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.

Donald Royal played 8 years in the NBA, 5 less than Tristan Thompson, who played 13. Donald Royal had the first of his seasons in 1989-90, while Tristan Thompson 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
Donald Royal 8 6 1989-90 to 1997-98
Tristan Thompson 13 8 2011-12 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1989-902011-12
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
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 %
Donald Royal 66 11.3 5.9 1.0 1.0 2.1 0.7 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.6 1.8 3.9 .459 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 3.0 .777
Tristan Thompson 60 23.7 8.2 3.1 3.4 6.5 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.4 2.2 3.2 7.4 .439 0.0 0.0 .000 1.8 3.2 .552
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson ------- --- ----------

Note: Donald Royal didn't play in 1990-91.

Season 2

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1991-922012-13
Team San Antonio SpursCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs 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 %
Donald Royal 60 12.0 4.2 1.1 1.0 2.1 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.7 1.2 1.3 3.0 .449 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.2 .692
Tristan Thompson 82 31.3 11.7 3.7 5.7 9.4 1.3 0.7 0.9 1.5 2.9 4.8 9.7 .488 0.0 0.0 .000 2.2 3.5 .608
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 3 19.0 5.0 1.7 2.3 4.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 2.0 2.3 1.7 3.0 .556 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 3.0 .556
Tristan Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1992-932013-14
Team Orlando MagicCleveland Cavaliers
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 %
Donald Royal 77 21.2 9.2 1.5 2.3 3.8 1.0 0.5 0.3 1.5 2.3 2.5 5.1 .496 0.0 0.0 .000 4.1 5.1 .815
Tristan Thompson 82 31.6 11.7 3.3 5.9 9.2 0.9 0.5 0.4 1.3 2.3 4.4 9.3 .477 0.0 0.0 .000 2.9 4.1 .693
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1993-942014-15
Team Orlando MagicCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Magic Lost East Conf 1st RdCavaliers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 74 18.3 7.4 1.3 2.1 3.4 0.8 0.7 0.2 1.0 1.6 2.4 4.7 .501 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.6 .740
Tristan Thompson 82 26.8 8.5 3.3 4.7 8.0 0.5 0.4 0.7 1.0 2.3 3.3 6.0 .547 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.0 .641
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 3 15.0 7.0 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.7 0.3 0.0 0.7 1.0 2.0 4.7 .429 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 4.0 .750
Tristan Thompson 20 36.4 9.6 4.4 6.4 10.8 0.5 0.3 1.2 0.8 2.5 3.6 6.5 .558 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 4.1 .585

Season 5

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1994-952015-16
Team Orlando MagicCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Magic Lost NBA FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 70 26.3 9.1 1.2 2.8 4.0 2.8 0.6 0.2 1.8 2.2 2.9 6.2 .475 0.0 0.1 .000 3.2 4.3 .746
Tristan Thompson 82 27.7 7.8 3.3 5.7 9.0 0.8 0.5 0.6 0.7 2.5 3.0 5.1 .588 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.0 .616
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 18 11.0 2.1 0.3 0.7 1.1 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.7 1.2 0.6 1.8 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .750
Tristan Thompson 21 29.6 6.7 4.1 4.9 9.0 0.7 0.4 0.9 0.8 2.6 2.3 4.4 .527 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.5 .575

Season 6

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1995-962016-17
Team Orlando MagicCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Magic Lost East Conf FinalsCavaliers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 64 15.0 5.3 0.9 1.5 2.4 0.7 0.5 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.7 3.4 .491 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 2.6 .762
Tristan Thompson 78 29.9 8.1 3.7 5.5 9.2 1.0 0.5 1.1 0.8 2.3 3.4 5.6 .600 0.0 0.0 .000 1.4 2.7 .498
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 7 13.1 3.6 0.6 1.0 1.6 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.3 1.0 1.0 1.7 .583 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.3 .688
Tristan Thompson 18 31.2 8.2 3.8 4.5 8.3 1.4 0.5 0.7 1.2 2.0 3.0 5.1 .587 0.0 0.0 - 2.2 3.3 .667

Season 7

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1996-972017-18
Team Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte HornetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Hornets Lost East Conf 1st RdCavaliers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 62 13.8 3.5 0.8 1.6 2.5 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.8 1.6 1.0 2.4 .425 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 1.9 .803
Tristan Thompson 53 20.2 5.8 2.4 4.3 6.6 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.7 1.9 2.5 4.4 .562 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.5 .544
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 1 4.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Tristan Thompson 19 21.9 6.2 2.3 3.6 5.9 0.6 0.1 0.4 0.6 1.4 2.6 4.4 .590 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 1.4 .741

Season 8

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season 1997-982018-19
Team Orlando Magic, Charlotte HornetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Hornets Lost East 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 %
Donald Royal 31 10.4 2.5 0.6 0.7 1.3 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.3 1.1 0.8 2.2 .362 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.1 .879
Tristan Thompson 43 27.9 10.9 4.0 6.2 10.2 2.0 0.7 0.4 1.4 2.1 4.7 8.8 .529 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.5 .642
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal 4 7.0 2.3 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.0 0.8 1.8 .429 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.0 .750
Tristan Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season -2019-20
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 %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 57 30.2 12.0 4.0 6.2 10.1 2.1 0.6 0.9 1.8 2.2 5.1 9.9 .512 0.2 0.4 .391 1.7 2.8 .615
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season -2020-21
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Celtics 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 %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 54 23.8 7.6 3.1 5.0 8.1 1.2 0.4 0.6 1.1 2.2 3.1 6.0 .518 0.0 0.1 .000 1.3 2.2 .592
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 5 26.4 10.4 5.8 4.0 9.8 1.0 0.8 1.2 1.0 2.4 4.0 6.8 .588 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.4 .706

Season 11

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season -2021-22
Team -Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Bulls 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 %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 57 15.7 6.0 2.1 2.9 5.1 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.8 1.7 2.5 4.7 .528 0.0 0.1 .333 1.1 2.0 .526
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 5 7.6 0.8 0.4 1.2 1.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 1.0 0.8 0.4 1.0 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 12

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season -2022-23
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Lakers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 6 5.3 1.8 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.8 1.8 .455 0.0 0.0 - 0.2 0.8 .200

Season 13

Donald Royal Tristan Thompson
Season -2023-24
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers TBD
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 49 11.2 3.3 1.5 2.1 3.6 1.0 0.2 0.3 0.6 1.2 1.5 2.4 .608 0.0 0.0 .000 0.3 1.1 .288
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Donald Royal ------- --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 9 9.2 1.7 1.0 0.9 1.9 1.1 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.9 0.8 1.8 .438 0.0 0.0 - 0.1 0.2 .500