Elfrid Payton vs. Klay Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Klay Thompson and Elfrid Payton, 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 / Games against each other

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.

Elfrid Payton played 8 years in the NBA, 3 less than Klay Thompson, who played 11. Elfrid Payton had the first of his seasons in 2014-15, while Klay 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
Elfrid Payton 8 2 2014-15 to 2021-22
Klay Thompson 11 9 2011-12 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2014-152011-12
Team Orlando MagicGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First 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 %
Elfrid Payton 82 30.4 8.9 1.3 3.0 4.3 6.5 1.7 0.2 2.5 2.4 3.7 8.6 .425 0.1 0.5 .262 1.4 2.6 .551
Klay Thompson 66 24.4 12.5 0.4 2.1 2.4 2.0 0.7 0.3 1.6 2.3 4.8 10.9 .443 1.7 4.1 .414 1.2 1.4 .868
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2015-162012-13
Team Orlando MagicGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors 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 %
Elfrid Payton 73 29.4 10.7 1.1 2.5 3.6 6.4 1.2 0.3 2.4 2.2 4.4 10.0 .436 0.4 1.3 .326 1.5 2.6 .589
Klay Thompson 82 35.8 16.6 0.4 3.3 3.7 2.2 1.0 0.5 1.9 2.9 6.2 14.7 .422 2.6 6.4 .401 1.6 1.9 .841
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 12 41.3 15.2 0.8 3.8 4.6 1.8 1.0 0.6 2.0 3.7 6.3 14.5 .437 2.1 4.9 .424 0.4 0.5 .833

Season 3

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2016-172013-14
Team Orlando MagicGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors 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 %
Elfrid Payton 82 29.4 12.8 1.1 3.6 4.7 6.5 1.1 0.5 2.2 2.2 5.2 11.1 .471 0.5 1.8 .274 1.8 2.6 .692
Klay Thompson 81 35.4 18.4 0.5 2.6 3.1 2.2 0.9 0.5 1.7 2.9 6.9 15.5 .444 2.8 6.6 .417 1.8 2.3 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 7 36.7 16.4 0.6 2.9 3.4 3.6 1.0 0.7 2.1 3.4 5.7 14.0 .408 2.3 6.3 .364 2.7 3.4 .792

Season 4

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2017-182014-15
Team Orlando Magic, Phoenix SunsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-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 %
Elfrid Payton 63 28.7 12.7 1.0 3.3 4.3 6.2 1.3 0.3 2.7 2.3 5.2 10.6 .493 0.5 1.5 .326 1.7 2.7 .649
Klay Thompson 77 31.9 21.7 0.4 2.9 3.2 2.9 1.1 0.8 1.9 1.6 7.8 16.9 .463 3.1 7.1 .439 2.9 3.3 .879
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 21 36.2 18.6 0.4 3.4 3.9 2.6 0.8 0.9 2.0 3.0 7.1 15.9 .446 2.7 7.0 .390 1.7 2.1 .800

Season 5

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2018-192015-16
Team New Orleans PelicansGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton 42 29.8 10.6 1.2 4.1 5.2 7.6 1.0 0.4 2.7 1.9 4.3 9.8 .434 0.8 2.5 .314 1.3 1.8 .743
Klay Thompson 80 33.3 22.1 0.4 3.4 3.8 2.1 0.8 0.6 1.7 1.9 8.1 17.3 .470 3.5 8.1 .425 2.4 2.8 .873
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 24 35.4 24.3 0.6 3.0 3.7 2.3 1.1 0.4 2.0 2.2 8.4 18.9 .444 4.1 9.6 .424 3.4 4.0 .854

Season 6

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2019-202016-17
Team New York KnicksGolden State Warriors
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 %
Elfrid Payton 45 27.7 10.0 1.2 3.6 4.7 7.2 1.6 0.4 2.1 2.0 4.3 9.8 .439 0.3 1.5 .203 1.1 1.9 .570
Klay Thompson 78 34.0 22.3 0.6 3.0 3.7 2.1 0.8 0.5 1.6 1.8 8.3 17.6 .468 3.4 8.3 .414 2.4 2.8 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 17 35.1 15.0 0.6 3.2 3.9 2.1 0.8 0.3 1.4 2.6 5.5 13.9 .397 2.4 6.2 .387 1.5 1.9 .788

Season 7

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2020-212017-18
Team New York KnicksGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks 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 %
Elfrid Payton 63 23.6 10.1 1.0 2.4 3.4 3.2 0.7 0.1 1.6 1.8 4.3 9.9 .432 0.4 1.6 .286 1.2 1.7 .682
Klay Thompson 73 34.3 20.0 0.4 3.4 3.8 2.5 0.8 0.5 1.8 1.6 7.9 16.2 .488 3.1 7.1 .440 1.1 1.3 .837
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton 2 6.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 2.5 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 1.0 .500
Klay Thompson 21 37.8 19.6 0.5 3.6 4.1 1.8 0.8 0.3 1.5 2.3 7.6 16.3 .465 3.2 7.5 .427 1.3 1.5 .871

Season 8

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season 2021-222018-19
Team Phoenix SunsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisWarriors Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton 50 11.0 3.0 0.4 1.3 1.8 2.0 0.5 0.1 0.9 0.8 1.3 3.5 .383 0.1 0.4 .222 0.2 0.6 .375
Klay Thompson 78 34.0 21.5 0.5 3.4 3.8 2.4 1.1 0.6 1.5 2.0 8.4 18.0 .467 3.1 7.7 .402 1.7 2.0 .816
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton 2 4.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.5 .667 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Klay Thompson 21 39.0 20.7 0.6 3.5 4.1 2.1 1.3 0.7 1.8 2.8 7.8 17.1 .456 3.3 7.5 .443 1.8 2.0 .902

Note: Klay Thompson didn't play in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Season 9

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season -2021-22
Team -Golden State Warriors
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 %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 32 29.4 20.4 0.5 3.4 3.9 2.8 0.5 0.5 1.3 1.7 7.7 17.9 .429 3.6 9.3 .385 1.4 1.6 .902
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 22 36.0 19.0 0.3 3.6 3.9 2.3 1.1 0.7 1.3 2.1 7.2 16.7 .429 3.5 9.1 .385 1.2 1.4 .867

Season 10

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season -2022-23
Team -Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Warriors 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 %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 69 33.0 21.9 0.6 3.6 4.1 2.4 0.7 0.4 1.8 1.9 7.9 18.1 .436 4.4 10.6 .412 1.7 1.9 .879
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 13 36.0 18.5 0.1 4.1 4.2 2.2 0.5 0.3 2.0 2.2 6.5 16.8 .388 3.8 10.5 .368 1.6 1.8 .875

Season 11

Elfrid Payton Klay Thompson
Season -2023-24
Team -Golden State Warriors
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 %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson 77 29.7 17.9 0.5 2.8 3.3 2.3 0.6 0.5 1.5 1.6 6.4 14.7 .432 3.5 9.0 .387 1.6 1.8 .927
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elfrid Payton ------- --- ----------
Klay Thompson ------- --- ----------