Donovan Mitchell vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith and Donovan Mitchell, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

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.

Donovan Mitchell played 8 years in the NBA, 8 less than J.R. Smith, who played 16. Donovan Mitchell had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while J.R. Smith had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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.

Rookie Season
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2017-18	2004-05
Team	Utah Jazz	New Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	-
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	79	33.4	20.5	0.7	3.1	3.7	3.7	1.5	0.3	2.7	2.7	7.5	17.2	.437	2.4	7.0	.340	3.0	3.8	.805
difference:	+3	+8.9	+10.2	+0.2	+1.6	+1.7	+1.8	+0.8	+0.2	-1.3	-0.9	+3.6	+7.4	+.043	+1.3	+3.3	+.052	+1.5	+1.7	+.116
J.R. Smith	76	24.5	10.3	0.5	1.5	2.0	1.9	0.7	0.1	1.4	1.8	3.9	9.8	.394	1.1	3.7	.288	1.5	2.1	.689
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	11	37.4	24.4	0.8	5.1	5.9	4.2	1.5	0.4	2.9	3.2	9.3	22.1	.420	2.3	7.3	.313	3.5	3.9	.907
J.R. Smith	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 3
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2019-20	2006-07
Team	Utah Jazz	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	69	34.3	24.0	0.8	3.6	4.4	4.3	1.0	0.2	2.7	2.5	8.7	19.4	.449	2.5	6.9	.366	4.0	4.7	.863
difference:	+6	+11.0	+11.0	+0.3	+1.8	+2.1	+2.9	+0.2	+0.1	-1.4	-0.2	+4.2	+9.2	+.008	+0.1	+0.8	+.024	+2.4	+2.7	+.053
J.R. Smith	63	23.3	13.0	0.5	1.8	2.3	1.4	0.8	0.1	1.3	2.3	4.5	10.2	.441	2.4	6.1	.390	1.6	2.0	.810
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	7	37.7	36.3	0.9	4.1	5.0	4.9	1.0	0.3	4.1	1.6	11.9	22.4	.529	4.7	9.1	.516	7.9	8.3	.948
difference:	+3	+25.9	+31.8	+0.6	+2.1	+2.7	+4.4			-3.3	-0.1	+10.4	+16.9	+.256	+4.7	+6.1	+.516	+6.4	+6.8	+.052
J.R. Smith	4	11.8	4.5	0.3	2.0	2.3	0.5	1.0	0.3	0.8	1.5	1.5	5.5	.273	0.0	3.0	.000	1.5	1.5	1.000

Season 4
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2020-21	2007-08
Team	Utah Jazz	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf Semis	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	53	33.4	26.4	0.9	3.5	4.4	5.2	1.0	0.3	2.8	2.2	9.0	20.6	.438	3.4	8.7	.386	5.0	6.0	.845
difference:	+21	+14.2	+14.1	+0.3	+2.0	+2.3	+3.5	+0.2	+0.1	-1.3	-0.3	+4.8	+11.5	+.023	+1.3	+3.4	+.017	+3.3	+3.6	+.126
J.R. Smith	74	19.2	12.3	0.6	1.5	2.1	1.7	0.8	0.2	1.5	1.9	4.2	9.1	.461	2.1	5.3	.403	1.7	2.4	.719
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	10	34.6	32.3	0.3	3.9	4.2	5.5	1.1	0.2	2.8	2.0	10.5	23.5	.447	5.0	11.5	.435	6.3	7.6	.829
difference:	+6	+7.6	+14.0		+2.4	+2.4	+3.7	+0.1	+0.2	-1.5	-1.0	+4.7	+12.7	+.088	+3.2	+6.0	+.117	+1.3	+1.6	+.004
J.R. Smith	4	27.0	18.3	0.3	1.5	1.8	1.8	1.0	0.0	1.3	3.0	5.8	10.8	.535	1.8	5.5	.318	5.0	6.0	.833

Season 5
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2021-22	2008-09
Team	Utah Jazz	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Nuggets Lost West Conf Finals

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	67	33.8	25.9	0.8	3.4	4.2	5.3	1.5	0.2	3.0	2.4	9.2	20.5	.448	3.5	9.8	.355	4.0	4.7	.853
difference:	+14	+6.1	+10.7	+0.3	+0.3	+0.5	+2.5	+0.5		-1.1	-0.1	+4.0	+8.8	+.002	+1.3	+4.2	+.042	+1.5	+1.3	+.099
J.R. Smith	81	27.7	15.2	0.5	3.1	3.7	2.8	1.0	0.2	1.9	2.3	5.2	11.7	.446	2.2	5.6	.397	2.5	3.4	.754
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	6	38.2	25.5	1.0	3.3	4.3	5.7	0.7	0.5	2.7	2.3	8.8	22.2	.398	1.7	8.0	.208	6.2	7.0	.881
difference:	+10	+11.0	+10.6	+0.3	+0.7	+1.0	+2.9	+0.4	+0.2	-1.1	-0.9	+3.3	+10.1	+.056	+0.7	+1.4	+.150	+4.6	+4.1	+.338
J.R. Smith	16	27.2	14.9	0.7	2.6	3.3	2.8	1.1	0.3	1.6	3.2	5.5	12.1	.454	2.4	6.6	.358	1.6	2.9	.543

Season 6
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2022-23	2009-10
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	68	35.8	28.3	0.9	3.3	4.3	4.4	1.5	0.4	2.6	2.5	10.0	20.6	.484	3.6	9.3	.386	4.7	5.4	.867
difference:	+7	+8.0	+12.9	+0.5	+0.6	+1.2	+2.0	+0.2	+0.1	-0.7	-0.2	+4.3	+6.8	+.070	+1.5	+3.1	+.048	+2.8	+2.7	+.161
J.R. Smith	75	27.8	15.4	0.4	2.7	3.1	2.4	1.3	0.3	1.9	2.3	5.7	13.8	.414	2.1	6.2	.338	1.9	2.7	.706
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	5	41.4	23.2	0.6	4.4	5.0	7.2	2.0	0.6	3.8	2.8	9.0	20.8	.433	2.6	9.0	.289	2.6	3.6	.722
difference:	+1	+14.9	+12.0	+0.2	+1.4	+1.2	+5.5	+1.3	+0.3	-2.8		+5.5	+11.3	+.065	+0.8	+3.8	+.066	+0.3	+0.9	+.153
J.R. Smith	6	26.5	11.2	0.8	3.0	3.8	1.7	0.7	0.3	1.0	2.8	3.5	9.5	.368	1.8	5.2	.355	2.3	2.7	.875

Season 7
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2023-24	2010-11
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	55	35.3	26.6	0.8	4.3	5.1	6.1	1.8	0.5	2.8	2.1	9.1	19.8	.462	3.3	9.0	.368	5.0	5.8	.865
difference:	+24	+10.4	+14.3	+0.2	+0.8	+1.0	+3.9	+0.6	+0.3	-1.5	-0.1	+4.8	+9.9	+.027	+1.7	+5.0	+.022	+2.9	+3.0	+.127
J.R. Smith	79	24.9	12.3	0.6	3.5	4.1	2.2	1.2	0.2	1.3	2.2	4.3	9.9	.435	1.6	4.0	.390	2.1	2.8	.738
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	10	38.2	29.6	0.6	4.8	5.4	4.7	1.3	0.3	2.8	2.9	10.7	22.5	.476	2.9	8.2	.354	5.3	6.5	.815
difference:	+5	+23.0	+19.8	+0.4	+3.0	+3.4	+3.7	+0.9	+0.3	-1.2	-1.3	+7.5	+13.5	+.120	+1.1	+4.0	+.075	+3.7	+4.3	+.088
J.R. Smith	5	15.2	9.8	0.2	1.8	2.0	1.0	0.4	0.0	1.6	1.6	3.2	9.0	.356	1.8	4.2	.429	1.6	2.2	.727

Season 8
	Donovan Mitchell	J.R. Smith
Season	2024-25	2011-12
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis	Knicks Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	71	31.4	24.0	0.8	3.7	4.5	5.0	1.3	0.2	2.1	2.0	8.2	18.6	.443	3.3	8.9	.368	4.2	5.1	.823
difference:	+36	+3.8	+11.5		+0.6	+0.6	+2.6	+0.2		-0.8	-0.5	+3.5	+7.0	+.036	+1.4	+3.4	+.021	+3.1	+3.5	+.114
J.R. Smith	35	27.6	12.5	0.8	3.1	3.9	2.4	1.5	0.2	1.3	2.5	4.7	11.6	.407	1.9	5.5	.347	1.1	1.6	.709
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Donovan Mitchell	9	32.0	29.6	1.2	3.4	4.7	3.9	1.9	0.3	1.9	2.0	9.6	21.6	.443	3.1	9.3	.333	7.3	9.9	.742
difference:	+4	+3.0	+17.4	+0.8	+1.2	+2.1	+1.7	+0.7	+0.1	-0.3	-1.8	+4.8	+6.4	+.127	+2.1	+3.7	+.154	+5.7	+8.3	+.258
J.R. Smith	5	35.0	12.2	0.4	2.2	2.6	2.2	1.2	0.2	2.2	3.8	4.8	15.2	.316	1.0	5.6	.179	1.6	1.6	1.000

Additional Years
* J.R. Smith played 8 seasons more than Donovan Mitchell in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 9 to 16, from 2013 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 8 extra years over Donovan Mitchell, J.R. Smith got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Sixth Man of the Year