Isaiah Thomas vs. Fred VanVleet Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Fred VanVleet 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 / Stats Rankings / 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.

Isaiah Thomas played 12 years in the NBA, 3 more than Fred VanVleet, who played 9. Isaiah Thomas had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while Fred VanVleet 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.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Isaiah Thomas 12 4 2011-12 to 2023-24
Fred VanVleet 9 6 2016-17 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2011-122016-17
Team Sacramento KingsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayRaptors Lost East 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:+28+17.6+8.6+0.6+0.8+1.5+3.2+0.4-1.2-0.9+2.8+5.8+.097+1.0+2.6+1.9+2.2+.014
Fred VanVleet 37 7.9 2.9 0.1 1.0 1.1 0.9 0.4 0.1 0.4 1.0 1.1 3.0 .351 0.3 0.8 .379 0.5 0.6 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
Fred VanVleet 7 4.1 2.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.9 1.3 .667 0.3 0.7 .400 0.0 0.0 -

Season 2

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2012-132017-18
Team Sacramento KingsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayRaptors Lost East Conf Semis
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:+3+6.9+5.3+0.1+0.4+0.4+0.8+0.1+0.3-0.8-0.4+1.5+3.3+.014+0.1+0.7+.056+2.1+2.3+.050
Fred VanVleet 76 20.0 8.6 0.3 2.1 2.4 3.2 0.9 0.3 1.0 1.7 3.1 7.2 .426 1.4 3.4 .414 1.1 1.3 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
Fred VanVleet 6 19.0 6.8 0.0 1.7 1.7 2.2 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.3 2.2 6.5 .333 1.3 4.7 .286 1.2 1.3 .875

Season 3

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2013-142018-19
Team Sacramento KingsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+8+7.2+9.3+0.4+0.3+1.5+0.4+0.2-1.7-0.9+3.1+5.8+.043+0.5+.029+3.3+3.9+.007
Fred VanVleet 64 27.5 11.0 0.3 2.3 2.6 4.8 0.9 0.3 1.3 1.7 3.8 9.4 .410 1.8 4.6 .378 1.5 1.8 .843
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
Fred VanVleet 24 24.7 8.0 0.3 1.4 1.7 2.6 0.8 0.3 0.9 2.0 2.7 6.9 .392 1.6 4.1 .388 1.0 1.3 .774

Season 4

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2014-152019-20
Team Phoenix Suns, Boston CelticsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdRaptors Lost East Conf Semis
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:+13+9.9+1.2+0.2+1.6+1.5+2.4+1.0+0.2-0.1-0.2+0.9+2.4+.007+0.8+1.7+.017+1.4+1.5+.020
Fred VanVleet 54 35.7 17.6 0.3 3.4 3.8 6.6 1.9 0.3 2.2 2.4 5.9 14.3 .413 2.7 6.9 .390 3.1 3.7 .848
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
difference:+7+9.3+2.1+0.2+1.1+1.4+0.1+0.8+0.6-1.5+2.4+3.8+.067+3.1+5.5+.224+5.9+5.7+.129
Fred VanVleet 11 39.1 19.6 0.5 3.9 4.4 6.9 1.6 0.6 2.0 2.5 6.9 17.3 .400 3.9 10.0 .391 1.9 2.3 .840

Season 5

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2015-162020-21
Team Boston CelticsToronto Raptors
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:+30+4.3+2.6+1.2+1.2+0.1+0.6+0.6-0.9-0.3+0.7+0.2+.039+1.3+3.5+.007+2.5+2.9+.014
Fred VanVleet 52 36.5 19.6 0.6 3.6 4.2 6.3 1.7 0.7 1.8 2.3 6.5 16.7 .389 3.3 9.2 .366 3.3 3.7 .885
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
Fred VanVleet DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2016-172021-22
Team Boston CelticsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsRaptors Lost East 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:+11+4.1+8.6+0.1+1.7+1.7+0.8+0.8+0.3-0.2-0.3+2.2+2.5+.060+0.5+1.4+.002+4.8+5.1+.035
Fred VanVleet 65 37.9 20.3 0.7 3.8 4.4 6.7 1.7 0.5 2.6 2.5 6.8 16.9 .403 3.7 9.9 .377 3.0 3.4 .874
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:+11+0.3+9.5+0.2+0.3+0.1+0.4+0.9+0.9-2.3-0.7+2.6+3.9+.073+0.6+1.8+4.8+5.9+.013
Fred VanVleet 4 35.0 13.8 0.5 2.5 3.0 6.3 1.8 1.0 1.0 3.0 4.8 13.5 .352 3.0 9.0 .333 1.3 1.5 .833

Season 7

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2017-182022-23
Team Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
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:+37+9.8+4.1+0.1+2.0+2.0+2.4+1.3+0.5-1.0-1.0+1.4+2.9+.020+1.3+2.9+.049+.005
Fred VanVleet 69 36.7 19.3 0.4 3.6 4.1 7.2 1.8 0.6 2.0 2.8 6.3 16.1 .393 3.0 8.8 .342 3.7 4.1 .898
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isaiah Thomas nor Fred VanVleet played in the postseason in their season 7

Season 8

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2018-192023-24
Team Denver NuggetsHouston Rockets
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:+61+21.7+9.3+0.1+2.7+2.7+6.2+1.0+0.7-0.2-1.1+3.0+5.6+.073+2.1+4.4+.108+1.3+0.8+.230
Fred VanVleet 73 36.8 17.4 0.5 3.4 3.8 8.1 1.4 0.8 1.7 2.5 5.8 13.9 .416 3.1 8.0 .387 2.7 3.1 .860
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isaiah Thomas nor Fred VanVleet played in the postseason in their season 8

Season 9

Isaiah Thomas Fred VanVleet
Season 2019-202024-25
Team Washington WizardsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas 40 23.1 12.2 0.3 1.4 1.7 3.7 0.3 0.2 1.9 1.9 4.4 10.7 .408 2.0 4.7 .413 1.6 1.9 .816
difference:+20+12.1+1.9+0.2+1.8+2.0+1.9+1.3+0.2-0.4-0.4+0.4+2.0+.030+0.7+3.0+.068+0.3+0.4+.006
Fred VanVleet 60 35.2 14.1 0.5 3.2 3.7 5.6 1.6 0.4 1.5 2.3 4.8 12.7 .378 2.7 7.7 .345 1.9 2.3 .810
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Isaiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------
Fred VanVleet 7 40.0 18.7 0.4 3.7 4.1 4.4 1.0 0.3 1.9 2.3 5.7 13.3 .430 3.9 8.9 .435 3.4 3.4 1.000

Additional Years

* Isaiah Thomas played 3 seasons more than Fred VanVleet in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 12, from 2021 to 2024—Isaiah Thomas played in one postseason.