Gilbert Arenas vs. Magic Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Magic Johnson and Gilbert Arenas, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings

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.

Gilbert Arenas played 11 years in the NBA, 2 less than Magic Johnson, who played 13. Gilbert Arenas had the first of his seasons in 2001-02, while Magic Johnson had his rookie season in 1979-80. 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.

Their Careers
Player	Total Seasons	Playoffs Played	NBA Years
Gilbert Arenas	11	5	2001-02 to 2011-12
Magic Johnson	13	13	1979-80 to 1995-96

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11


Rookie Season
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2001-02	1979-80
Team	Golden State Warriors	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-Rookie First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	47	24.6	10.9	0.9	1.9	2.8	3.7	1.5	0.2	2.1	2.4	3.7	8.2	.453	0.8	2.4	.345	2.6	3.4	.775
difference:	+30	+11.7	+7.1	+1.3	+3.7	+4.9	+3.6	+0.9	+0.3	-1.9	-0.4	+2.8	+4.1	+.077	+0.7	+2.0	+.119	+2.3	+2.6	+.035
Magic Johnson	77	36.3	18.0	2.2	5.6	7.7	7.3	2.4	0.5	4.0	2.8	6.5	12.3	.530	0.1	0.4	.226	4.9	6.0	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	16	41.1	18.3	3.3	7.3	10.5	9.4	3.1	0.4	4.1	2.9	6.4	12.4	.518	0.1	0.5	.250	5.3	6.6	.802


Season 2
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2002-03	1980-81
Team	Golden State Warriors	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	Most Improved Player	-
Honors & Awards	-	Steals Leader
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Lakers Lost West 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		%
Gilbert Arenas	82	35.0	18.3	1.2	3.5	4.7	6.3	1.5	0.2	3.5	3.2	6.2	14.4	.431	1.3	3.8	.348	4.5	5.7	.791
difference:	+45	+2.1	+3.3	+1.5	+2.4	+3.9	+2.3	+1.9	+0.5	-0.4	-0.5	+2.2	+1.5	+.101	+1.2	+3.3	+.172	+0.1	+0.4	+.031
Magic Johnson	37	37.1	21.6	2.7	5.9	8.6	8.6	3.4	0.7	3.9	2.7	8.4	15.9	.532	0.1	0.5	.176	4.6	6.1	.760

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	3	42.3	17.0	2.7	11.0	13.7	7.0	2.7	1.0	3.7	4.7	6.3	16.3	.388	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	6.7	.650


Season 3
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2003-04	1981-82
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	55	37.6	19.6	1.0	3.6	4.6	5.0	1.9	0.2	4.1	3.2	6.5	16.6	.392	2.3	6.1	.375	4.3	5.8	.748
difference:	+23	+0.7	+1.0	+2.2	+2.8	+5.0	+4.5	+0.8	+0.2	-0.4	-0.3	+0.6	+3.3	+.145	+2.2	+5.7	+.168	+0.1	+0.2	+.012
Magic Johnson	78	38.3	18.6	3.2	6.4	9.6	9.5	2.7	0.4	3.7	2.9	7.1	13.3	.537	0.1	0.4	.207	4.2	5.6	.760

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	14	40.1	17.4	3.9	7.4	11.3	9.3	2.9	0.2	3.1	3.6	5.9	11.2	.529	0.0	0.3	.000	5.5	6.6	.828


Season 4
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2004-05	1982-83
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Third Team	-
	-	Assists Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Wizards Lost East Conf Semis	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	80	40.9	25.5	1.0	3.7	4.7	5.1	1.7	0.3	3.0	3.1	8.2	19.0	.431	2.6	7.0	.365	6.5	8.0	.814
difference:	+1	+4.1	+8.7	+1.7	+2.2	+3.9	+5.4	+0.5	+0.3	-0.8	-0.6	+1.7	+7.2	+.117	+2.6	+6.7	+.365	+2.7	+3.2	+.014
Magic Johnson	79	36.8	16.8	2.7	5.9	8.6	10.5	2.2	0.6	3.8	2.5	6.5	11.8	.548	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	10	45.1	23.6	0.8	4.4	5.2	6.2	2.1	0.6	3.9	3.4	7.3	19.4	.376	1.8	7.7	.234	7.2	9.4	.766
difference:	+5	+2.2	+5.7	+2.6	+0.7	+3.3	+6.6	+0.2	+0.2	-0.4	-0.1	+0.6	+5.7	+.109	+1.8	+7.0	+.234	+2.7	+4.0	+.074
Magic Johnson	15	42.9	17.9	3.4	5.1	8.5	12.8	2.3	0.8	4.3	3.3	6.7	13.7	.485	0.0	0.7	.000	4.5	5.4	.840


Season 5
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2005-06	1983-84
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Third Team	-
	-	Assists Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Wizards Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost NBA 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		%
Gilbert Arenas	80	42.3	29.3	0.7	2.8	3.5	6.1	2.0	0.3	3.7	3.6	9.3	20.9	.447	2.5	6.8	.369	8.2	10.0	.820
difference:	+13	+4.0	+11.7	+0.8	+3.1	+3.8	+7.0	+0.2	+0.4	-0.9	-1.1	+2.7	+9.3	+.118	+2.4	+6.4	+.162	+3.9	+4.7	+.010
Magic Johnson	67	38.3	17.6	1.5	5.9	7.3	13.1	2.2	0.7	4.6	2.5	6.6	11.6	.565	0.1	0.4	.207	4.3	5.3	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	6	47.3	34.0	1.2	4.3	5.5	5.3	2.2	0.7	3.3	3.5	10.8	23.3	.464	3.3	7.7	.435	9.0	11.7	.771
difference:	+15	+7.4	+15.8		+1.1	+1.1	+8.2	+0.2	+0.3	-0.5	-0.1	+3.6	+10.3	+.087	+3.3	+7.4	+.435	+5.2	+6.9	+.029
Magic Johnson	21	39.9	18.2	1.2	5.4	6.6	13.5	2.0	1.0	3.8	3.4	7.2	13.0	.551	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800


Season 6
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2006-07	1984-85
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	74	39.8	28.4	0.8	3.7	4.6	6.0	1.9	0.2	3.2	3.4	8.7	20.9	.418	2.8	7.9	.351	8.2	9.7	.844
difference:	+3	+3.7	+10.1	+0.4	+1.3	+1.6	+6.6	+0.4	+0.1	-0.8	-1.4	+2.2	+9.2	+.143	+2.7	+7.4	+.162	+3.1	+3.7	+.001
Magic Johnson	77	36.1	18.3	1.2	5.0	6.2	12.6	1.5	0.3	4.0	2.0	6.5	11.7	.561	0.1	0.5	.189	5.1	6.0	.843

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	19	36.2	17.5	1.0	6.1	7.1	15.2	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	6.1	11.9	.513	0.1	0.4	.143	5.3	6.2	.847


Season 7
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2007-08	1985-86
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Wizards Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost West Conf Finals

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	13	32.7	19.4	0.5	3.5	3.9	5.1	1.8	0.1	3.8	2.3	6.0	15.1	.398	1.7	6.0	.282	5.7	7.4	.771
difference:	+59	+3.1	+0.6	+0.7	+1.2	+2.0	+7.5	+0.2	+0.1		-0.5	+0.7	+2.3	+.128	+1.6	+5.4	+.049	+0.4	+1.4	+.100
Magic Johnson	72	35.8	18.8	1.2	4.7	5.9	12.6	1.6	0.2	3.8	1.8	6.7	12.8	.526	0.1	0.6	.233	5.3	6.0	.871

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	4	23.5	10.8	0.0	1.8	1.8	2.8	0.5	0.0	2.0	3.3	3.5	9.0	.389	1.3	3.0	.417	2.5	3.0	.833
difference:	+10	+15.1	+10.8	+1.5	+3.8	+5.3	+12.3	+1.4	+0.1	-1.2	-0.2	+4.4	+5.6	+.148	+1.3	+2.2	+.417	+3.4	+4.6	+.067
Magic Johnson	14	38.6	21.6	1.5	5.6	7.1	15.1	1.9	0.1	3.2	3.1	7.9	14.6	.537	0.0	0.8	.000	5.9	7.6	.766


Season 8
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2008-09	1986-87
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	2	31.5	13.0	0.5	4.0	4.5	10.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	2.0	3.0	11.5	.261	1.0	3.5	.286	6.0	8.0	.750
difference:	+78	+4.8	+10.9	+1.0	+0.8	+1.8	+2.2	+1.7		-3.3	-0.1	+5.5	+4.9	+.261	+0.9	+3.0	+.081	+0.7	+0.1	+.098
Magic Johnson	80	36.3	23.9	1.5	4.8	6.3	12.2	1.7	0.5	3.8	2.1	8.5	16.4	.522	0.1	0.5	.205	6.7	7.9	.848

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	18	37.0	21.8	1.6	6.2	7.7	12.2	1.7	0.4	2.8	2.1	8.1	15.1	.539	0.1	0.6	.200	5.4	6.6	.831


Season 9
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2009-10	1987-88
Team	Washington Wizards	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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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		%
Gilbert Arenas	32	36.5	22.6	0.5	3.6	4.2	7.2	1.3	0.3	3.7	3.0	7.9	19.3	.411	2.0	5.7	.348	4.8	6.5	.739
difference:	+40	+0.1	+3.0	+0.7	+1.4	+2.0	+4.7	+0.3	+0.1		-1.0	+1.1	+5.5	+.081	+1.8	+4.9	+.152	+1.0	+0.3	+.114
Magic Johnson	72	36.6	19.6	1.2	5.0	6.2	11.9	1.6	0.2	3.7	2.0	6.8	13.8	.492	0.2	0.8	.196	5.8	6.8	.853

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Magic Johnson	24	40.2	19.9	1.3	4.1	5.4	12.6	1.4	0.2	3.5	2.5	7.0	13.7	.514	0.3	0.6	.500	5.5	6.5	.852


Season 10
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2010-11	1988-89
Team	Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Magic Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

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10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	70	25.7	10.8	0.3	2.4	2.7	3.9	1.1	0.3	2.5	2.7	3.8	10.5	.366	1.4	4.7	.297	1.7	2.2	.784
difference:	+7	+11.8	+11.7	+1.1	+4.0	+5.2	+8.9	+0.7		-1.6	-0.5	+3.7	+4.3	+.143	+0.6	+2.3	+.017	+5.0	+5.1	+.127
Magic Johnson	77	37.5	22.5	1.4	6.4	7.9	12.8	1.8	0.3	4.1	2.2	7.5	14.8	.509	0.8	2.4	.314	6.7	7.3	.911

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	5	16.2	8.6	0.8	2.0	2.8	2.4	0.2	0.2	1.2	2.8	3.6	8.4	.429	0.6	2.4	.250	0.8	1.2	.667
difference:	+9	+20.8	+9.8	+0.3	+2.9	+3.1	+9.4	+1.7		-2.6	-0.7	+2.5	+4.0	+.060	+0.1	+0.1	+.036	+4.8	+4.9	+.240
Magic Johnson	14	37.0	18.4	1.1	4.9	5.9	11.8	1.9	0.2	3.8	2.1	6.1	12.4	.489	0.7	2.5	.286	5.6	6.1	.907


Season 11
	Gilbert Arenas	Magic Johnson
Season	2011-12	1989-90
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs	Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost West Conf Semis

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11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	17	12.4	4.2	0.1	0.9	1.1	1.1	0.6	0.1	0.7	2.1	1.5	3.8	.406	0.8	2.3	.333	0.4	0.6	.700
difference:	+62	+24.8	+18.1	+1.5	+4.1	+5.5	+10.4	+1.1	+0.3	-3.0		+5.4	+10.6	+.074	+0.5	+1.2	+.051	+6.8	+7.5	+.190
Magic Johnson	79	37.2	22.3	1.6	5.0	6.6	11.5	1.7	0.4	3.7	2.1	6.9	14.4	.480	1.3	3.5	.384	7.2	8.1	.890

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Gilbert Arenas	6	3.8	0.7	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.0	0.3	1.3	.250	0.0	0.7	.000	0.0	0.0	-
difference:	+3	+38.0	+24.5	+1.3	+4.8	+6.1	+12.6	+1.2	+0.1	-3.8	-2.1	+8.1	+15.9	+.240	+0.6	+2.1	+.200	+7.8	+8.8
Magic Johnson	9	41.8	25.2	1.3	5.0	6.3	12.8	1.2	0.1	4.0	3.1	8.4	17.2	.490	0.6	2.8	.200	7.8	8.8	.886


Additional Years
* Magic Johnson played 2 seasons more than Gilbert Arenas in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 12 to 13, from 1991 to 1996—Magic Johnson played in two Playoffs. In those 2 extra years over Gilbert Arenas, Magic Johnson got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-NBA First Team 1 All-Star Game

Gilbert Arenas vs. Magic Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Magic Johnson and Gilbert Arenas, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Season 8

8th Season Stats Comparison

Season 9

9th Season Stats Comparison

Season 10

10th Season Stats Comparison

Season 11

11th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years