Isaiah Thomas vs. David Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of David Thompson and Isaiah Thomas, 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.

Isaiah Thomas played 12 years in the NBA, 4 more than David Thompson, who played 8. Isaiah Thomas had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while David Thompson had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Isaiah Thomas 12 4 2011-12 to 2023-24
David Thompson 8 5 1976-77 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2011-121976-77
Team Sacramento KingsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 65 25.5 11.5 0.7 1.8 2.6 4.1 0.8 0.1 1.6 1.9 3.9 8.8 .448 1.3 3.4 .379 2.4 2.8 .832
difference:+17+11.1+14.4+1.0+0.6+1.5+0.6+0.5-1.0+6.1+11.0+.059+3.4+4.8+.066
David Thompson 82 36.6 25.9 1.7 2.4 4.1 4.1 1.4 0.6 - 2.9 10.0 19.8 .507 - - - 5.8 7.6 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
David Thompson 6 39.5 24.7 2.2 3.0 5.2 4.0 1.5 0.7 - 3.7 9.3 20.2 .463 - - - 6.0 8.8 .679

Season 2

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2012-131977-78
Team Sacramento KingsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 79 26.9 13.9 0.4 1.7 2.0 4.0 0.8 0.0 1.8 2.1 4.6 10.5 .440 1.5 4.1 .358 3.2 3.6 .882
difference:+1+10.9+13.3+1.6+1.2+2.9+0.5+0.4+1.2-1.3-0.6+5.7+9.3+.081+3.3+4.8+.104
David Thompson 80 37.8 27.2 2.0 2.9 4.9 4.5 1.2 1.2 3.1 2.7 10.3 19.8 .521 - - - 6.5 8.4 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
David Thompson 13 37.0 25.2 1.4 2.7 4.1 4.0 0.7 1.6 3.0 2.6 10.1 22.4 .450 - - - 5.1 6.2 .825

Season 3

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2013-141978-79
Team Sacramento KingsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 72 34.7 20.3 0.7 2.3 2.9 6.3 1.3 0.1 3.0 2.6 6.9 15.2 .453 1.8 5.1 .349 4.8 5.7 .850
difference:+4+0.4+3.7+0.7+0.1+0.7+3.3+0.4+1.0-0.6-0.2+2.2+2.6+.059+1.0+2.0+.097
David Thompson 76 35.1 24.0 1.4 2.2 3.6 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.4 2.4 9.1 17.8 .512 - - - 5.8 7.7 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
David Thompson 3 40.7 28.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 4.0 1.3 0.3 4.0 4.0 12.7 23.0 .551 - - - 2.7 3.7 .727

Season 4

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2014-151979-80
Team Phoenix Suns, Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 67 25.8 16.4 0.5 1.8 2.3 4.2 0.9 0.1 2.1 2.2 5.0 11.9 .420 1.9 5.2 .373 4.5 5.2 .868
difference:+28+6.0+5.1+0.9+1.2+2.2+1.0+0.1+0.9-0.9-0.5+2.4+3.9+.048+1.7+4.7+.005+2.0+3.4+.110
David Thompson 39 31.8 21.5 1.4 3.0 4.5 3.2 1.0 1.0 3.0 2.7 7.4 15.8 .468 0.2 0.5 .368 6.5 8.6 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 4 29.8 17.5 0.3 2.8 3.0 7.0 0.8 0.0 3.5 2.5 4.5 13.5 .333 0.8 4.5 .167 7.8 8.0 .969
David Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2015-161980-81
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 82 32.2 22.2 0.6 2.4 3.0 6.2 1.1 0.1 2.7 2.0 7.2 16.9 .428 2.0 5.7 .359 5.8 6.6 .871
difference:+5+1.8+3.3+0.8+0.1+0.7+3.2+0.4+0.7-0.5-1.0+2.3+1.9+.078+1.9+5.2+.103+0.6+1.4+.076
David Thompson 77 34.0 25.5 1.4 2.3 3.7 3.0 0.7 0.8 3.2 3.0 9.5 18.8 .506 0.1 0.5 .256 6.4 8.0 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 6 36.7 24.2 0.3 2.7 3.0 5.0 0.7 0.8 2.3 3.0 7.8 19.8 .395 2.2 7.7 .283 6.3 7.8 .809
David Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2016-171981-82
Team Boston CelticsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 76 33.8 28.9 0.6 2.1 2.7 5.9 0.9 0.2 2.8 2.2 9.0 19.4 .463 3.2 8.5 .379 7.8 8.5 .909
difference:+15+13.4+14.0+0.3+0.6+0.3+4.0+0.3+0.3-0.5-0.2+3.9+8.8+.023+3.1+8.3+.093+3.3+2.9+.095
David Thompson 61 20.4 14.9 0.9 1.5 2.4 1.9 0.6 0.5 2.3 2.4 5.1 10.6 .486 0.1 0.2 .286 4.5 5.6 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 15 34.7 23.3 0.3 2.8 3.1 6.7 0.9 0.1 3.3 2.3 7.4 17.4 .425 2.4 7.2 .333 6.1 7.4 .820
difference:+12+12.7+11.6+1.0+0.8+0.2+4.7+0.6+0.1-0.6-0.4+2.4+6.4+.030+2.1+6.2+4.8+5.1+.249
David Thompson 3 22.0 11.7 1.3 2.0 3.3 2.0 0.3 0.0 2.7 2.7 5.0 11.0 .455 0.3 1.0 .333 1.3 2.3 .571

Season 7

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2017-181982-83
Team Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles LakersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 32 26.9 15.2 0.5 1.6 2.1 4.8 0.5 0.1 3.0 1.8 4.9 13.2 .373 1.7 5.9 .293 3.7 4.1 .893
difference:+43+1.8+0.7+0.8+0.7+1.5+1.8+0.1+0.3-0.8-0.1+1.0+0.9+.108+1.7+5.8+.093+0.3+1.0+.109
David Thompson 75 28.7 15.9 1.3 2.3 3.6 3.0 0.6 0.4 2.2 1.9 5.9 12.3 .481 0.0 0.1 .200 4.0 5.1 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
David Thompson 2 32.5 12.0 0.0 0.0 0 3.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 3.5 4.5 12.5 .360 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 5.0 .600

Season 8

Isaiah Thomas David Thompson
Season 2018-191983-84
Team Denver NuggetsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 12 15.1 8.1 0.4 0.7 1.1 1.9 0.4 0.1 1.5 1.4 2.8 8.3 .343 1.0 3.6 .279 1.4 2.3 .630
difference:+7+3.3+4.5+0.5+0.7+1.2+1.2+0.1+0.6-0.1-0.2+1.9+0.4+.196+1.0+3.5+.279+1.9+1.5+.219
David Thompson 19 18.4 12.6 0.9 1.4 2.3 0.7 0.5 0.7 1.4 1.6 4.7 8.7 .539 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 3.8 .849
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isaiah Thomas nor David Thompson played in the postseason in their season 8

Additional Years

* Isaiah Thomas played 4 seasons more than David Thompson in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 12, from 2020 to 2024—Isaiah Thomas played in one postseason.