Elvin Hayes vs. Domantas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Domantas Sabonis and Elvin Hayes, 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.

Elvin Hayes played 16 years in the NBA, 7 more than Domantas Sabonis, who played 9. Elvin Hayes had the first of his seasons in 1968-69, while Domantas Sabonis had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1968-69	2016-17
Team	San Diego Rockets	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	-
	Scoring Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Rockets Lost West Div Semis	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
Elvin Hayes	82	45.1	28.4	-	-	17.1	1.4	-	-	-	3.2	11.3	25.4	.447	-	-	-	5.7	9.1	.626
difference:	+1	+25.0	+22.5			+13.5	+0.4				-0.7	+8.9	+19.5	+.048				+5.2	+8.3	+.031
Domantas Sabonis	81	20.1	5.9	0.6	3.0	3.6	1.0	0.5	0.4	1.0	2.5	2.4	5.9	.399	0.6	2.0	.321	0.5	0.8	.657
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	6	46.3	25.8	-	-	13.8	0.8	-	-	-	3.5	10.0	19.0	.526	-	-	-	5.8	8.8	.660
difference:	+4	+43.3	+23.8			+12.8	+0.8				-1.5	+10.0	+17.5	+.526				+3.8	+6.8	+.340
Domantas Sabonis	2	3.0	2.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	0.0	2.0	0.0	1.5	.000	0.0	0.5	.000	2.0	2.0	1.000

Season 2
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1969-70	2017-18
Team	San Diego Rockets	Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	82	44.7	27.5	-	-	16.9	2.0	-	-	-	3.3	11.1	24.6	.452	-	-	-	5.2	7.6	.688
difference:	+8	+20.2	+15.9			+9.2					-0.3	+6.5	+15.7	+.062				+2.9	+4.6	+.062
Domantas Sabonis	74	24.5	11.6	2.2	5.5	7.7	2.0	0.5	0.4	1.9	3.0	4.6	8.9	.514	0.2	0.5	.351	2.3	3.0	.750
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Domantas Sabonis	7	23.7	12.4	2.0	2.6	4.6	0.7	0.1	0.3	1.0	3.1	5.1	8.9	.581	0.1	1.0	.143	2.0	2.6	.778

Season 3
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1970-71	2018-19
Team	San Diego Rockets	Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Pacers Lost East 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		%
Elvin Hayes	82	44.3	28.7	-	-	16.6	2.3	-	-	-	2.7	11.6	27.0	.428	-	-	-	5.5	8.2	.672
difference:	+8	+19.5	+14.6			+7.3	+0.6				-0.5	+6.0	+17.5	+.162				+2.7	+4.3	+.043
Domantas Sabonis	74	24.8	14.1	2.5	6.8	9.3	2.9	0.6	0.4	2.2	3.2	5.6	9.5	.590	0.1	0.2	.529	2.8	3.9	.715
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Domantas Sabonis	4	24.0	8.5	1.8	5.5	7.3	4.0	0.8	0.3	1.3	3.0	3.0	7.3	.414	0.3	1.0	.250	2.3	3.5	.643

Season 4
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1971-72	2019-20
Team	Houston Rockets	Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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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		%
Elvin Hayes	82	42.2	25.2	-	-	14.6	3.3	-	-	-	2.8	10.1	23.4	.434	-	-	-	4.9	7.5	.649
difference:	+20	+7.4	+6.7			+2.2	+1.7				-0.3	+2.7	+9.7	+.106				+1.4	+2.7	+.074
Domantas Sabonis	62	34.8	18.5	3.0	9.4	12.4	5.0	0.8	0.5	2.7	3.1	7.4	13.7	.540	0.3	1.1	.254	3.5	4.8	.723
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Elvin Hayes nor Domantas Sabonis played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1972-73	2020-21
Team	Baltimore Bullets	Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bullets Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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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		%
Elvin Hayes	81	41.3	21.2	-	-	14.5	1.6	-	-	-	2.9	8.8	19.8	.444	-	-	-	3.6	5.4	.671
difference:	+19	+5.3	+0.9			+2.5	+5.1				-0.4	+1.0	+5.2	+.091				+0.3	+0.1	+.061
Domantas Sabonis	62	36.0	20.3	2.4	9.5	12.0	6.7	1.2	0.5	3.4	3.3	7.8	14.6	.535	0.8	2.6	.321	3.9	5.3	.732
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	5	45.6	25.8	-	-	11.4	1.0	-	-	-	3.2	10.6	21.0	.505	-	-	-	4.6	6.6	.697
Domantas Sabonis	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 6
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1973-74	2021-22
Team	Capital Bullets	Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Bullets Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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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		%
Elvin Hayes	81	44.5	21.4	4.4	13.7	18.1	2.0	1.1	3.0	-	3.1	8.5	20.1	.423	-	-	-	4.4	6.1	.721
difference:	+19	+10.0	+2.5	+1.2	+4.8	+6.0	+3.2	+0.1	+2.6		-0.2	+1.4	+7.6	+.150				+0.4	+0.7	+.020
Domantas Sabonis	62	34.5	18.9	3.2	8.9	12.1	5.2	1.0	0.4	3.1	3.3	7.1	12.5	.573	0.6	2.0	.312	4.0	5.4	.741
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	7	46.1	25.9	4.4	11.4	15.9	3.0	0.7	2.1	-	3.3	10.9	20.4	.531	-	-	-	4.1	5.9	.707
Domantas Sabonis	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 7
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1974-75	2022-23
Team	Washington Bullets	Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Third Team
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	-	Rebounds Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bullets Lost NBA Finals	Kings 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		%
Elvin Hayes	82	42.3	23.0	2.7	9.5	12.2	2.5	1.9	2.3	-	2.9	9.0	20.3	.443	-	-	-	5.0	6.5	.766
difference:	+3	+7.7	+3.9	+0.5	+0.4	+0.1	+4.8	+1.1	+1.8		-0.6	+1.7	+8.4	+.172				+0.9	+1.0	+.024
Domantas Sabonis	79	34.6	19.1	3.2	9.1	12.3	7.3	0.8	0.5	2.9	3.5	7.3	11.9	.615	0.4	1.1	.373	4.1	5.5	.742
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	17	44.2	25.5	2.7	8.2	10.9	2.2	1.5	2.3	-	4.1	10.2	21.9	.468	-	-	-	5.1	7.5	.677
difference:	+10	+9.5	+9.1	+1.7	+1.6	+0.1	+2.5	+0.1	+1.4		-0.1	+3.2	+7.8	+.027				+2.8	+3.5	+.106
Domantas Sabonis	7	34.7	16.4	4.4	6.6	11.0	4.7	1.4	0.9	3.7	4.0	7.0	14.1	.495	0.1	0.7	.200	2.3	4.0	.571

Season 8
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1975-76	2023-24
Team	Washington Bullets	Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	-	All-NBA Third Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Bullets Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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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		%
Elvin Hayes	80	37.2	19.8	2.6	8.4	11.0	1.5	1.3	2.5	-	3.7	8.1	17.3	.470	-	-	-	3.6	5.7	.628
difference:	+2	+1.5	+0.4	+1.0	+1.7	+2.7	+6.7	+0.4	+1.9		-0.7	+0.4	+4.3	+.124					+0.6	+.076
Domantas Sabonis	82	35.7	19.4	3.6	10.1	13.7	8.2	0.9	0.6	3.3	3.0	7.7	13.0	.594	0.4	1.1	.379	3.6	5.1	.704
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	7	43.6	20.0	2.3	10.3	12.6	1.4	0.7	4.0	-	3.4	7.7	17.4	.443	-	-	-	4.6	7.9	.582
Domantas Sabonis	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 9
	Elvin Hayes	Domantas Sabonis
Season	1976-77	2024-25
Team	Washington Bullets	Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	Rebounds Leader
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Bullets Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	82	41.0	23.7	3.5	9.0	12.5	1.9	1.1	2.7	-	3.8	9.3	18.5	.501	-	-	-	5.1	7.5	.687
difference:	+12	+6.3	+4.6	+0.3	+1.1	+1.4	+4.1	+0.4	+2.3		-0.5	+1.8	+5.7	+.089				+2.0	+3.4	+.067
Domantas Sabonis	70	34.7	19.1	3.8	10.1	13.9	6.0	0.7	0.4	2.9	3.3	7.5	12.8	.590	0.9	2.2	.417	3.1	4.1	.754
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Elvin Hayes	9	45.0	21.0	3.2	10.3	13.6	1.9	1.1	2.4	-	4.3	8.2	19.2	.428	-	-	-	4.6	6.6	.695
Domantas Sabonis	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Additional Years
* Elvin Hayes played 7 seasons more than Domantas Sabonis in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 10 to 16, from 1978 to 1984—Elvin Hayes played in 4 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 7 extra years over Domantas Sabonis, Elvin Hayes got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-NBA First Team 3 All-Star Game