Hot Rod Williams vs. Zion Williamson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Zion Williamson and Hot Rod Williams, 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.

Hot Rod Williams played 13 years in the NBA, 9 more than Zion Williamson, who played 4. Hot Rod Williams had the first of his seasons in 1986-87, while Zion Williamson had his rookie season in 2019-20. 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
Hot Rod Williams 13 9 1986-87 to 1998-99
Zion Williamson 4 0 2019-20 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

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1986-872019-20
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards -Achievement 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 80 33.9 14.6 2.8 5.1 7.9 1.9 0.7 2.1 1.7 2.5 5.4 11.2 .485 0.0 0.0 .000 3.7 5.0 .745
Zion Williamson 24 27.8 22.5 2.7 3.6 6.3 2.1 0.7 0.4 2.5 1.8 8.8 15.0 .583 0.3 0.6 .429 4.8 7.4 .640
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1987-882020-21
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 77 27.4 10.9 2.1 4.5 6.6 1.3 0.8 1.9 1.4 2.6 4.1 8.6 .477 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.6 .756
Zion Williamson 61 33.2 27.0 2.7 4.5 7.2 3.7 0.9 0.6 2.7 2.2 10.4 17.0 .611 0.2 0.6 .294 6.0 8.7 .698
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 5 26.6 9.2 2.6 3.2 5.8 0.8 0.6 1.4 0.8 2.6 4.0 8.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 2.6 .462
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Note: Zion Williamson didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 3

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1988-892022-23
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 82 25.9 11.6 2.1 3.7 5.8 1.3 0.9 1.6 1.2 2.3 4.3 8.5 .509 0.0 0.0 .250 2.9 3.8 .748
Zion Williamson 29 33.0 26.0 2.0 5.0 7.0 4.6 1.1 0.6 3.4 2.2 9.8 16.2 .608 0.2 0.7 .368 6.1 8.6 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 5 32.2 11.0 1.4 5.4 6.8 2.0 0.4 1.4 2.2 2.4 4.2 9.0 .467 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.6 .722
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1989-902023-24
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 82 33.9 16.8 2.7 5.4 8.1 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.7 2.6 6.4 13.0 .493 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 5.4 .739
Zion Williamson 70 31.5 22.9 1.7 4.1 5.8 5.0 1.1 0.7 2.8 2.3 8.9 15.6 .570 0.1 0.3 .333 5.0 7.1 .702
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 5 34.8 19.0 2.8 6.4 9.2 2.2 0.4 1.0 1.4 4.6 7.8 14.0 .557 0.0 0.0 - 3.4 4.4 .773
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1990-91-
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 %
Hot Rod Williams 43 30.1 11.7 2.6 4.2 6.7 2.3 0.8 1.6 1.5 2.9 4.6 10.0 .463 0.0 0.0 .000 2.5 3.8 .652
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1991-92-
Team Cleveland Cavaliers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 80 30.4 11.9 2.9 4.7 7.6 2.5 0.8 2.3 1.0 2.4 4.3 8.5 .503 0.0 0.1 .000 3.4 4.5 .752
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 17 33.4 15.0 2.9 4.7 7.6 2.5 1.4 1.0 1.8 3.4 4.9 9.1 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 6.4 .798
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1992-93-
Team Cleveland Cavaliers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 67 30.7 11.0 1.9 4.3 6.2 2.3 0.7 1.6 1.7 2.6 3.9 8.4 .470 0.0 0.0 - 3.2 4.4 .716
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 9 26.3 9.0 1.3 3.2 4.6 1.9 0.6 1.6 1.2 2.9 3.3 8.3 .400 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.1 .750
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1993-94-
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 %
Hot Rod Williams 76 35.0 13.7 2.7 4.8 7.6 2.5 1.0 1.7 1.8 2.9 5.2 10.9 .478 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.6 .728
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1994-95-
Team Cleveland Cavaliers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 74 35.7 12.6 2.3 4.5 6.9 2.6 1.1 1.4 2.0 2.9 4.9 10.9 .452 0.0 0.1 .200 2.6 3.9 .685
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 4 36.0 6.8 0.8 5.5 6.3 2.8 2.3 0.8 2.5 2.8 3.0 10.5 .286 0.0 0.3 .000 0.8 2.0 .375
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1995-96-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 62 26.6 7.3 2.1 3.9 6.0 1.0 0.7 1.5 1.0 2.7 2.9 6.4 .453 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 2.1 .731
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 4 28.8 9.0 2.8 3.8 6.5 0.3 0.0 1.8 1.5 4.3 3.5 8.0 .438 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.0 .667
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1996-97-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 68 31.4 8.0 2.6 5.6 8.3 1.5 1.0 1.3 1.0 2.6 3.0 6.1 .490 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 2.9 .672
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 5 20.6 4.0 2.0 2.6 4.6 0.6 0.4 1.6 1.0 2.4 1.6 3.0 .533 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 2.0 .400
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1997-98-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns 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 %
Hot Rod Williams 71 18.8 3.6 1.5 2.9 4.4 0.7 0.5 0.8 0.4 1.9 1.3 2.8 .470 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.3 .699
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams 3 11.0 2.0 0.7 0.7 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.7 0.0 2.7 0.7 2.3 .286 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.0 .667
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Hot Rod Williams Zion Williamson
Season 1998-99-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
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 %
Hot Rod Williams 25 16.1 1.2 1.4 1.9 3.3 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.5 2.0 0.4 1.3 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.4 .700
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Hot Rod Williams ------- --- ----------
Zion Williamson ------- --- ----------