Isiah Thomas vs. James Worthy Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of James Worthy 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.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Stats / 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.

Isiah Thomas played 13 years in the NBA, 1 more than James Worthy, who played 12. Isiah Thomas had the first of his seasons in 1981-82, while James Worthy had his rookie season in 1982-83. 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
Isiah Thomas	13	9	1981-82 to 1993-94
James Worthy	12	9	1982-83 to 1993-94

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12


Rookie Season
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1981-82	1982-83
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
Honors & Awards	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:	+5	+8.2	+3.6	+1.2	+1.0	+2.3	+6.1	+0.9	+0.6	-1.9	-0.6	+0.5	+4.8	+.155	+0.2	+0.7	+.038	+2.4	+3.1	+.080
James Worthy	77	25.6	13.4	2.0	3.1	5.2	1.7	1.2	0.8	2.3	2.9	5.8	10.0	.579	0.0	0.1	.250	1.8	2.9	.624

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isiah Thomas nor James Worthy played in the postseason in their season 1


Season 2
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1982-83	1983-84
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

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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:	+1	+8.7	+8.4	+0.6	+1.6	+2.3	+5.3	+1.6	+0.5	-1.8	-0.9	+3.0	+8.1	+.084	+0.4	+1.4	+.288	+2.1	+3.3	+.049
James Worthy	82	29.5	14.5	1.9	4.4	6.3	2.5	0.9	0.9	2.2	3.0	6.0	10.9	.556	0.0	0.1	.000	2.4	3.1	.759

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
James Worthy	21	33.7	17.7	1.7	3.3	5.0	2.7	1.3	0.5	1.9	2.7	7.8	13.0	.599	0.0	0.1	.500	2.0	3.3	.609


Season 3
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1983-84	1984-85
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	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:	+2	+3.0	+3.7	+0.8	+1.6	+2.4	+8.6	+1.4	+0.4	-1.2	-1.5	+0.6	+4.4	+.110	+0.3	+0.7	+.338	+2.3	+3.4	+.043
James Worthy	80	33.7	17.6	2.1	4.3	6.4	2.5	1.1	0.8	2.5	2.5	7.6	13.3	.572	0.0	0.1	.000	2.4	3.1	.776

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	+6.7	+0.1	+0.4	+0.8	+1.3	+8.8	+1.7	+0.5	-3.2	-1.6	+0.9	+2.5	+.152	+0.3	+1.1	+.167	+1.5	+1.2	+.095
James Worthy	19	32.9	21.5	1.8	3.2	5.1	2.2	0.9	0.7	1.4	2.8	8.7	14.1	.622	0.1	0.1	.500	3.9	5.8	.676


Season 4
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1984-85	1985-86
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf Semis	Lakers Lost West Conf 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		%
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:	+6	+5.4	+1.2	+0.4	+0.3	+0.7	+11.2	+1.2	+0.7	-1.7	-1.0	+0.4	+2.9	+.121	+0.4	+1.2	+.257	+1.7	+1.9	+.038
James Worthy	75	32.7	20.0	1.8	3.3	5.2	2.7	1.1	1.0	2.0	2.6	8.4	14.5	.579	0.0	0.2	.000	3.2	4.2	.771

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:	+5	+0.9	+4.7	+0.4	+0.9	+0.6	+8.0	+1.0	+0.3	-0.7	-1.2	+0.6	+2.9	+.058	+0.7	+1.4	+.400	+2.9	+3.5	+.077
James Worthy	14	38.5	19.6	1.6	3.1	4.6	3.2	1.1	0.7	2.6	3.1	8.6	15.5	.558	0.0	0.3	.000	2.3	3.4	.681


Season 5
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1985-86	1986-87
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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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:	+5	+1.8	+1.5	+0.8	+1.3	+2.1	+8.0	+0.9	+0.7	-1.8	-0.7		+1.5	+.051	+0.3	+0.9	+.310	+1.1	+1.3	+.039
James Worthy	82	34.4	19.4	1.9	3.8	5.7	2.8	1.3	1.0	2.0	2.5	7.9	14.7	.539	0.0	0.2	.000	3.6	4.7	.751

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
difference:	+14	+3.0	+2.9	+0.3	+0.4	+0.1	+8.5	+0.7	+0.4	-2.1	-2.0	+0.5	+6.2	+.140		+1.2		+1.9	+3.6	+.086
James Worthy	18	37.8	23.6	1.7	3.9	5.6	3.5	1.6	1.2	2.2	2.3	9.8	16.6	.591	0.0	0.1	.000	4.1	5.4	.753


Season 6
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1986-87	1987-88
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf Finals	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		%
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:	+6	+1.8	+0.9	+0.7	+0.4	+1.1	+6.1	+0.9	+0.5	-2.1	-0.8	+0.5	+1.2	+.068	+0.2	+1.0	+.069	+1.7	+2.3	+.028
James Worthy	75	35.4	19.7	1.7	3.3	5.0	3.9	1.0	0.7	2.1	2.3	8.2	15.5	.531	0.0	0.2	.125	3.2	4.1	.796

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
difference:	+9	+0.2	+3.0	+0.8	+0.5	+1.3	+4.3	+1.2	+0.5	-0.5	-1.0	+0.4	+3.5	+.072	+0.7	+1.8	+.192	+1.5	+2.0	+.003
James Worthy	24	37.3	21.1	2.2	3.6	5.8	4.4	1.4	0.8	2.3	2.4	8.5	16.3	.523	0.0	0.4	.111	4.0	5.3	.758


Season 7
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1987-88	1988-89
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pistons Lost NBA Finals	Lakers Lost NBA 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		%
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:		+0.4	+1.0	+1.3	+1.4	+2.6	+4.8	+0.4	+0.5	-1.2	-0.5	+1.0	+0.8	+.085	+0.4	+0.9	+.222	+0.7	+0.9	+.008
James Worthy	81	36.5	20.5	2.1	4.0	6.0	3.6	1.3	0.7	2.2	2.2	8.7	15.8	.548	0.0	0.3	.087	3.1	4.0	.782

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
difference:	+8	+0.4	+2.9	+1.4	+0.8	+2.0	+5.9	+1.7	+0.8	-1.5	-0.7	+2.2	+0.2	+.130	+0.4	+1.4	+.080	+1.2	+1.3	+.040
James Worthy	15	40.0	24.8	2.5	4.3	6.7	2.8	1.2	1.1	2.2	2.4	10.2	18.0	.567	0.2	0.5	.375	4.2	5.3	.788


Season 8
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1988-89	1989-90
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Lakers Lost West Conf Semis

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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:		+0.4	+2.9	+1.4	+1.2	+2.6	+4.7	+0.5	+0.3	-1.7	-0.2	+1.8	+0.9	+.084	+0.2	+0.9	+.033	+0.5	+0.4	+.036
James Worthy	80	37.0	21.1	2.0	4.0	6.0	3.6	1.2	0.6	2.0	2.4	8.9	16.2	.548	0.2	0.6	.306	3.1	4.0	.782

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
difference:	+8	+3.5	+6.0	+0.2	+1.4	+1.3	+5.3		+0.1	-0.1	-0.3	+3.2	+3.7	+.085	+0.3	+0.9	+.017	+0.2	+0.8	+.097
James Worthy	9	40.7	24.2	1.2	4.3	5.6	3.0	1.6	0.3	2.4	2.0	10.0	20.1	.497	0.2	0.9	.250	4.0	4.8	.837


Season 9
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1989-90	1990-91
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	-	All-NBA Third Team
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Lakers Lost NBA Finals

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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:	+3	+1.6	+3.0	+0.5	+0.3	+0.8	+5.9	+0.4	+0.2	-2.4	-1.0	+2.1	+2.4	+.054	+0.2	+0.5	+.020	+0.9	+1.3	+.022
James Worthy	78	38.6	21.4	1.4	3.2	4.6	3.5	1.3	0.4	1.6	1.5	9.2	18.7	.492	0.3	1.2	.289	2.7	3.4	.797

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:	+2	+2.8	+0.6	+0.3	+1.7	+1.4	+4.3	+1.1	+0.3	-1.4	-1.4	+1.5	+3.2	+.002	+1.4	+2.1	+.304	+1.2	+1.1	+.058
James Worthy	18	40.7	21.1	1.4	2.7	4.1	3.9	1.1	0.1	2.2	1.9	8.9	19.2	.465	0.2	1.3	.167	2.9	4.0	.736


Season 10
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1990-91	1991-92
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf Finals	Did Not Play

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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:	+6	+4.5	+3.7	+1.1	+1.2	+2.3	+4.6	+0.2	+0.2	-1.5	-0.9	+2.3	+4.7	+.012	+0.2	+0.6	+.083	+0.6	+1.0	+.032
James Worthy	54	39.0	19.9	1.8	3.8	5.6	4.7	1.4	0.4	2.4	1.6	8.3	18.6	.447	0.2	0.8	.209	3.1	3.8	.814

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
James Worthy	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 11
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1991-92	1992-93
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Pistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
Isiah Thomas	78	37.4	18.5	0.9	2.3	3.2	7.2	1.5	0.2	3.2	2.5	7.2	16.2	.446	0.3	1.1	.291	3.7	4.8	.772
difference:	+4	+8.6	+3.6		+0.2	+0.2	+3.8	+0.4	+0.1	-1.5	-1.4	+1.0	+2.3	+.001	+0.1	+0.3	+.021	+1.6	+2.2	+.038
James Worthy	82	28.8	14.9	0.9	2.1	3.0	3.4	1.1	0.3	1.7	1.1	6.2	13.9	.447	0.4	1.4	.270	2.1	2.6	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Isiah Thomas	5	40.0	14.0	0.6	4.6	5.2	7.4	1.0	0.0	3.2	3.6	4.4	13.0	.338	0.8	2.2	.364	4.4	5.6	.786
difference:		+10.4	+0.2	+0.8	+2.6	+1.8	+4.8			-1.8	-1.4	+2.0	+4.2	+.034	+0.4	+0.6	+.114	+3.8	+4.6	+.186
James Worthy	5	29.6	13.8	1.4	2.0	3.4	2.6	1.0	0.0	1.4	2.2	6.4	17.2	.372	0.4	1.6	.250	0.6	1.0	.600


Season 12
	Isiah Thomas	James Worthy
Season	1992-93	1993-94
Team	Detroit Pistons	Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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12th 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	79	37.0	17.6	0.9	2.0	2.9	8.5	1.6	0.2	3.6	2.8	6.7	15.9	.418	0.8	2.5	.308	3.5	4.8	.737
difference:	+1	+17.0	+7.4	+0.3	+0.3	+0.6	+6.6	+1.0		-2.4	-1.8	+2.4	+5.4	+.012	+0.4	+1.1	+.020	+2.2	+3.1	+.004
James Worthy	80	20.0	10.2	0.6	1.7	2.3	1.9	0.6	0.2	1.2	1.0	4.3	10.5	.406	0.4	1.4	.288	1.3	1.7	.741

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Isiah Thomas nor James Worthy played in the postseason in their season 12

Additional Years

* Isiah Thomas played 1 season more than James Worthy in the NBA.

In that period—his season 13 in 1994—Isiah Thomas didn't play in the postseason.

Isiah Thomas vs. James Worthy Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of James Worthy 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.

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

Season 12

12th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years