Isiah Thomas vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Isiah 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.

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.

Isiah Thomas played 13 years in the NBA, 3 more than Bill Walton, who played 10. Isiah Thomas had the first of his seasons in 1981-82, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1981-82	1974-75
Team	Detroit Pistons	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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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		%
Isiah Thomas	72	33.8	17.0	0.8	2.1	2.9	7.8	2.1	0.2	4.2	3.5	6.3	14.8	.424	0.2	0.8	.288	4.2	6.0	.704
difference:	+37	+0.9	+4.2	+1.8	+7.9	+9.7	+3.0	+1.3	+2.5		-0.2	+1.2	+4.9	+.089				+1.5	+2.1	+.018
Bill Walton	35	32.9	12.8	2.6	10.0	12.6	4.8	0.8	2.7	-	3.3	5.1	9.9	.513	-	-	-	2.7	3.9	.686
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isiah Thomas nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1982-83	1975-76
Team	Detroit Pistons	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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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		%
Isiah Thomas	81	38.2	22.9	1.3	2.8	4.0	7.8	2.5	0.4	4.0	3.9	9.0	19.0	.472	0.4	1.5	.288	4.5	6.4	.710
difference:	+30	+5.1	+6.8	+1.3	+8.0	+9.4	+3.5	+1.5	+1.2		-1.1	+2.2	+4.6	+.001				+1.9	+1.9	+.127
Bill Walton	51	33.1	16.1	2.6	10.8	13.4	4.3	1.0	1.6	-	2.8	6.8	14.4	.471	-	-	-	2.6	4.5	.583
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isiah Thomas nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1983-84	1976-77
Team	Detroit Pistons	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	-	Blocks Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd	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		%
Isiah Thomas	82	36.7	21.3	1.3	2.7	4.0	11.1	2.5	0.4	3.7	4.0	8.2	17.7	.462	0.3	0.8	.338	4.7	6.5	.733
difference:	+17	+1.9	+2.7	+1.9	+8.4	+10.4	+7.3	+1.5	+2.8		-1.3	+0.6	+3.4	+.066				+1.2	+1.5	+.036
Bill Walton	65	34.8	18.6	3.2	11.1	14.4	3.8	1.0	3.2	-	2.7	7.6	14.3	.528	-	-	-	3.5	5.0	.697
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	5	39.6	21.4	1.4	2.4	3.8	11.0	2.6	1.2	4.6	4.4	7.8	16.6	.470	0.4	1.2	.333	5.4	7.0	.771
difference:	+14	+0.1	+3.2	+1.5	+9.8	+11.4	+5.5	+1.5	+2.2		-0.2	+0.3	+0.7	+.037				+3.3	+4.0	+.087
Bill Walton	19	39.7	18.2	2.9	12.2	15.2	5.5	1.1	3.4	-	4.2	8.1	15.9	.507	-	-	-	2.1	3.0	.684

Season 4
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1984-85	1977-78
Team	Detroit Pistons	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	All-NBA First Team	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf Semis	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis

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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		%
Isiah Thomas	81	38.1	21.2	1.4	3.0	4.5	13.9	2.3	0.3	3.7	3.6	8.0	17.4	.458	0.4	1.4	.257	4.9	6.1	.809
difference:	+23	+4.8	+2.3	+0.6	+8.2	+8.7	+8.9	+1.3	+2.2	-0.1	-1.1	+0.1	+2.2	+.064				+1.8	+1.9	+.089
Bill Walton	58	33.3	18.9	2.0	11.2	13.2	5.0	1.0	2.5	3.6	2.5	7.9	15.2	.522	-	-	-	3.1	4.2	.720
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	9	39.4	24.3	1.2	4.0	5.2	11.2	2.1	0.4	3.3	4.3	9.2	18.4	.500	0.7	1.7	.400	5.2	6.9	.758
difference:	+7	+14.9	+10.8	+1.3	+4.5	+5.8	+9.2	+0.6	+1.1	-0.3	-3.8	+3.7	+9.4	+.111				+2.7	+3.4	+.044
Bill Walton	2	24.5	13.5	2.5	8.5	11.0	2.0	1.5	1.5	3.0	0.5	5.5	9.0	.611	-	-	-	2.5	3.5	.714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 5
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1985-86	1979-80
Team	Detroit Pistons	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd	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		%
Isiah Thomas	77	36.2	20.9	1.1	2.5	3.6	10.8	2.2	0.3	3.8	3.2	7.9	16.2	.488	0.3	1.1	.310	4.7	6.0	.790
difference:	+63	+12.1	+7.0	+0.9	+4.5	+5.4	+8.4	+1.6	+2.4	-1.2	-0.6	+2.1	+4.7	+.015	+0.3	+1.1		+2.4	+2.1	+.197
Bill Walton	14	24.1	13.9	2.0	7.0	9.0	2.4	0.6	2.7	2.6	2.6	5.8	11.5	.503	0.0	0.0	-	2.3	3.9	.593
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	4	40.8	26.5	2.0	3.5	5.5	12.0	2.3	0.8	4.3	4.3	10.3	22.8	.451	0.0	1.3	.000	6.0	9.0	.667
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 6
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1986-87	1982-83
Team	Detroit Pistons	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf Finals	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		%
Isiah Thomas	81	37.2	20.6	1.0	2.9	3.9	10.0	1.9	0.2	4.2	3.1	7.7	16.7	.463	0.2	1.2	.194	4.9	6.4	.768
difference:	+48	+3.9	+6.5	+1.3	+4.6	+5.9	+6.4	+0.9	+3.4	-1.0	-0.3	+1.6	+5.2	+.065	+0.2	+1.2		+2.9	+2.9	+.212
Bill Walton	33	33.3	14.1	2.3	7.5	9.8	3.6	1.0	3.6	3.2	3.4	6.1	11.5	.528	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	3.5	.556
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	15	37.5	24.1	1.4	3.1	4.5	8.7	2.6	0.3	2.8	3.4	8.9	19.8	.451	0.7	2.2	.303	5.5	7.3	.755
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 7
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1987-88	1983-84
Team	Detroit Pistons	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost NBA Finals	Did Not Play

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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		%
Isiah Thomas	81	36.1	19.5	0.8	2.6	3.4	8.4	1.7	0.2	3.4	2.7	7.7	16.6	.463	0.4	1.2	.309	3.8	4.9	.774
difference:	+26	+9.3	+7.4	+1.6	+3.7	+5.3	+5.1	+0.9	+1.4	-0.2	-0.1	+2.5	+7.2	+.093	+0.4	+1.2		+2.1	+2.1	+.177
Bill Walton	55	26.8	12.1	2.4	6.3	8.7	3.3	0.8	1.6	3.2	2.8	5.2	9.4	.556	0.0	0.0	-	1.7	2.8	.597
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	23	39.6	21.9	1.1	3.5	4.7	8.7	2.9	0.3	3.7	3.1	8.0	18.2	.437	0.6	1.9	.295	5.4	6.6	.828
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 8
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1988-89	1984-85
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	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		%
Isiah Thomas	80	36.6	18.2	0.6	2.8	3.4	8.3	1.7	0.3	3.7	2.6	7.1	15.3	.464	0.4	1.5	.273	3.6	4.4	.818
difference:	+13	+12.0	+8.1	+1.9	+3.6	+5.6	+6.0	+1.0	+1.8	-1.1	-0.1	+3.1	+7.6	+.057	+0.4	+1.5		+1.5	+1.4	+.138
Bill Walton	67	24.6	10.1	2.5	6.4	9.0	2.3	0.7	2.1	2.6	2.7	4.0	7.7	.521	0.0	0.0	-	2.1	3.0	.680
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	17	37.2	18.2	1.4	2.9	4.3	8.3	1.6	0.2	2.5	2.3	6.8	16.4	.412	0.5	1.8	.267	4.2	5.6	.740
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 9
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1989-90	1985-86
Team	Detroit Pistons	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	-	Sixth Man of the Year
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	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		%
Isiah Thomas	81	37.0	18.4	0.9	2.9	3.8	9.4	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	7.1	16.3	.438	0.5	1.7	.309	3.6	4.7	.775
difference:	+1	+17.7	+10.8	+0.8	+2.2	+3.0	+7.3	+1.2	+1.1	-2.1	-0.1	+4.2	+11.2	+.124	+0.5	+1.7		+1.8	+2.2	+.062
Bill Walton	80	19.3	7.6	1.7	5.1	6.8	2.1	0.5	1.3	1.9	2.6	2.9	5.1	.562	0.0	0.0	-	1.8	2.5	.713
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	20	37.9	20.5	1.1	4.4	5.5	8.2	2.2	0.4	3.6	3.3	7.4	16.0	.463	1.6	3.4	.471	4.1	5.1	.794
difference:	+4	+19.7	+12.6	+0.5	+0.5	+0.9	+6.5	+1.8	+0.4	-2.2	-0.5	+4.0	+10.2	+.118	+1.6	+3.3	+.471	+2.9	+3.7	+.032
Bill Walton	16	18.2	7.9	1.6	4.9	6.4	1.7	0.4	0.8	1.4	2.8	3.4	5.8	.581	0.0	0.1	.000	1.2	1.4	.826

Season 10
	Isiah Thomas	Bill Walton
Season	1990-91	1986-87
Team	Detroit Pistons	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf Finals	Celtics 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		%
Isiah Thomas	48	34.5	16.2	0.7	2.6	3.3	9.3	1.6	0.2	3.9	2.5	6.0	13.9	.435	0.4	1.4	.292	3.7	4.8	.782
difference:	+38	+23.3	+13.4	+0.4	+0.6	+0.2	+8.4	+1.5	+0.8	-2.4	-0.2	+5.0	+11.3	+.050	+0.4	+1.4		+2.9	+3.3	+.249
Bill Walton	10	11.2	2.8	1.1	2.0	3.1	0.9	0.1	1.0	1.5	2.3	1.0	2.6	.385	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.5	.533
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	13	33.5	13.5	1.0	3.2	4.2	8.5	1.0	0.2	3.2	3.2	4.6	11.5	.403	0.5	1.7	.273	3.8	5.3	.725
difference:	+1	+25.0	+11.1	+0.2	+1.4	+1.6	+7.7	+0.7	+0.1	-2.5	-1.3	+3.6	+9.4	+.077	+0.5	+1.7		+3.4	+4.1	+.368
Bill Walton	12	8.5	2.4	0.8	1.8	2.6	0.8	0.3	0.3	0.7	1.9	1.0	2.1	.480	0.0	0.0	-	0.4	1.2	.357

Additional Years
* Isiah Thomas played 3 seasons more than Bill Walton in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 11 to 13, from 1992 to 1994—Isiah Thomas played in one postseason. In those 3 extra years over Bill Walton, Isiah Thomas got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	2 All-Star Game