Jalen Brunson vs. Bob Lanier Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bob Lanier and Jalen Brunson, 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.

Jalen Brunson played 7 years in the NBA, 7 less than Bob Lanier, who played 14. Jalen Brunson had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Bob Lanier had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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
Jalen Brunson 7 5 2018-19 to 2024-25
Bob Lanier 14 9 1970-71 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2018-191970-71
Team Dallas MavericksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 73 21.8 9.3 0.3 2.0 2.3 3.2 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.7 3.6 7.7 .467 0.9 2.5 .348 1.2 1.6 .725
difference:+9+2.8+6.3+5.8+1.4-1.6+2.5+5.8+.012+2.1+3.0+.001
Bob Lanier 82 24.6 15.6 - - 8.1 1.8 - - - 3.3 6.1 13.5 .455 - - - 3.3 4.6 .726
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor Bob Lanier played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2019-201971-72
Team Dallas MavericksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 57 17.9 8.2 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.3 0.4 0.1 1.2 1.3 3.2 6.8 .466 0.8 2.1 .358 1.1 1.3 .813
difference:+23+20.8+17.5+11.8+0.2-2.4+7.2+14.3+.027+3.8+5.0+.045
Bob Lanier 80 38.7 25.7 - - 14.2 3.1 - - - 3.7 10.4 21.1 .493 - - - 4.9 6.3 .768
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor Bob Lanier played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2020-211972-73
Team Dallas MavericksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 68 25.0 12.6 0.4 3.0 3.4 3.5 0.5 0.0 1.2 1.6 4.8 9.2 .523 1.2 2.9 .405 1.8 2.2 .795
difference:+13+13.9+11.2+11.5+0.3-1.8+5.2+11.2+.033+2.0+2.7+.022
Bob Lanier 81 38.9 23.8 - - 14.9 3.2 - - - 3.4 10.0 20.4 .490 - - - 3.8 4.9 .773
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 7 16.3 8.0 0.9 1.7 2.6 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.9 2.9 6.3 .455 0.9 1.9 .462 1.4 1.9 .769
Bob Lanier DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2021-221973-74
Team Dallas MavericksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf FinalsPistons Lost West 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%
Jalen Brunson 79 31.9 16.3 0.5 3.4 3.9 4.8 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.9 6.4 12.8 .502 1.2 3.2 .373 2.3 2.7 .840
difference:+2+5.7+6.2+2.8+6.5+9.4+0.6+0.6+3.0-1.5+2.8+5.5+.002+1.7+2.3+.043
Bob Lanier 81 37.6 22.5 3.3 9.9 13.3 4.2 1.4 3.0 - 3.4 9.2 18.3 .504 - - - 4.0 5.0 .797
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 18 34.9 21.6 0.8 3.8 4.6 3.7 0.8 0.1 1.1 2.1 8.1 17.3 .466 1.4 4.2 .347 4.0 5.0 .800
difference:+11+8.4+4.7+2.9+7.8+10.7+0.7+0.2+1.9-1.9+2.9+4.4+.041+0.3+0.4+.011
Bob Lanier 7 43.3 26.3 3.7 11.6 15.3 3.0 0.6 2.0 - 4.0 11.0 21.7 .507 - - - 4.3 5.4 .789

Season 5

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2022-231974-75
Team New York KnicksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisPistons Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 68 35.0 24.0 0.6 3.0 3.5 6.2 0.9 0.2 2.1 2.2 8.6 17.6 .491 2.0 4.7 .416 4.8 5.8 .829
difference:+8+4.3+2.4+6.1+8.5+1.6+0.1+2.1-0.9+1.0+1.3+.019+0.1+.027
Bob Lanier 76 39.3 24.0 3.0 9.1 12.0 4.6 1.0 2.3 - 3.1 9.6 18.9 .510 - - - 4.8 5.9 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 11 40.3 27.8 0.8 4.1 4.9 5.6 1.5 0.1 2.1 2.4 9.9 20.9 .474 2.4 7.3 .325 5.6 6.2 .912
difference:+8+2.4+7.5+0.9+4.9+5.8+0.7+0.2+3.9-0.9+1.2+3.9+.036+2.6+2.2+.162
Bob Lanier 3 42.7 20.3 1.7 9.0 10.7 6.3 1.3 4.0 - 3.3 8.7 17.0 .510 - - - 3.0 4.0 .750

Season 6

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2023-241975-76
Team New York KnicksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisPistons Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 77 35.4 28.7 0.6 3.1 3.6 6.7 0.9 0.2 2.4 1.9 10.3 21.4 .479 2.7 6.8 .401 5.5 6.5 .847
difference:+13+1.5+7.4+2.8+5.2+8.1+3.3+0.3+1.1-1.3+1.8+5.5+.053+1.1+0.7+.079
Bob Lanier 64 36.9 21.3 3.4 8.3 11.7 3.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.2 8.5 15.9 .532 - - - 4.4 5.8 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 13 39.8 32.4 0.6 2.7 3.3 7.5 0.8 0.2 2.7 2.0 11.6 26.2 .444 2.0 6.5 .310 7.2 9.2 .775
difference:+4+0.1+6.3+3.7+5.6+9.4+4.2+0.1+2.1-1.8+1.0+7.1+.108+2.2+3.6+.125
Bob Lanier 9 39.9 26.1 4.3 8.3 12.7 3.3 0.9 2.3 - 3.8 10.6 19.1 .552 - - - 5.0 5.6 .900

Season 7

Jalen Brunson Bob Lanier
Season 2024-251976-77
Team New York KnicksDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Clutch Player of the Year-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsPistons 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%
Jalen Brunson 65 35.4 26.0 0.4 2.5 2.9 7.3 0.9 0.1 2.5 2.1 9.0 18.5 .488 2.3 6.1 .383 5.7 6.9 .821
difference:+1+2.8+0.7+2.7+6.0+8.7+4.0+0.2+1.9-0.6+1.6+1.3+.046+1.6+1.9+.003
Bob Lanier 64 38.2 25.3 3.1 8.5 11.6 3.3 1.1 2.0 - 2.7 10.6 19.8 .534 - - - 4.1 5.0 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jalen Brunson 18 37.8 29.4 0.7 2.8 3.4 7.0 0.4 0.3 3.1 3.3 10.1 21.8 .461 2.7 7.4 .358 6.7 7.8 .851
difference:+15+1.5+1.4+3.6+9.5+13.3+5.0+0.6+2.0+1.2+3.8+.169+1.4+1.5+.009
Bob Lanier 3 39.3 28.0 4.3 12.3 16.7 2.0 1.0 2.3 - 3.3 11.3 18.0 .630 - - - 5.3 6.3 .842

Additional Years

* Bob Lanier played 7 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 14, from 1978 to 1984—Bob Lanier played in 5 Playoffs.

In those 7 extra years over Jalen Brunson, Bob Lanier got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 3 All-Star Game