Jalen Brunson vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith 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 / Scoring / 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.

Jalen Brunson played 7 years in the NBA, 9 less than J.R. Smith, who played 16. Jalen Brunson had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while J.R. Smith had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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
J.R. Smith 16 12 2004-05 to 2019-20

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2018-192004-05
Team Dallas MavericksNew Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards
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:+3+2.7+1.0+0.2+0.5+0.3+1.3+0.2-0.2-0.1+0.3+2.1+.073+0.2+1.2+.060+0.3+0.5+.036
J.R. Smith 76 24.5 10.3 0.5 1.5 2.0 1.9 0.7 0.1 1.4 1.8 3.9 9.8 .394 1.1 3.7 .288 1.5 2.1 .689
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2019-202005-06
Team Dallas MavericksNew Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Honors & Awards
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:+2+0.1+0.5+0.1+0.3+0.4+2.2+0.3-0.2-0.3+0.6+0.1+.073+0.1+0.4+.013+0.4+0.5+.009
J.R. Smith 55 18.0 7.7 0.3 1.7 2.0 1.1 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.6 2.6 6.7 .393 0.9 2.5 .371 1.5 1.8 .822
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2020-212006-07
Team Dallas MavericksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdNuggets 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%
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:+5+1.7+0.4+0.1+1.2+1.1+2.1+0.3+0.1-0.1-0.7+0.3+1.0+.082+1.2+3.2+.015+0.2+0.2+.015
J.R. Smith 63 23.3 13.0 0.5 1.8 2.3 1.4 0.8 0.1 1.3 2.3 4.5 10.2 .441 2.4 6.1 .390 1.6 2.0 .810
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
difference:+3+4.5+3.5+0.6+0.3+0.3+0.9+1.0+0.3-0.2-0.6+1.4+0.8+.182+0.9+1.1+.462+0.1+0.4+.231
J.R. Smith 4 11.8 4.5 0.3 2.0 2.3 0.5 1.0 0.3 0.8 1.5 1.5 5.5 .273 0.0 3.0 .000 1.5 1.5 1.000

Season 4
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2021-222007-08
Team Dallas MavericksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
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:+5+12.7+4.0+0.1+1.9+1.8+3.1+0.2-0.1+2.2+3.7+.041+0.9+2.1+.030+0.6+0.3+.121
J.R. Smith 74 19.2 12.3 0.6 1.5 2.1 1.7 0.8 0.2 1.5 1.9 4.2 9.1 .461 2.1 5.3 .403 1.7 2.4 .719
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:+14+7.9+3.3+0.5+2.3+2.8+1.9+0.2+0.1-0.2-0.9+2.3+6.5+.069+0.4+1.3+.029+1.0+1.0+.033
J.R. Smith 4 27.0 18.3 0.3 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.0 0.0 1.3 3.0 5.8 10.8 .535 1.8 5.5 .318 5.0 6.0 .833

Season 5
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2022-232008-09
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
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:+13+7.3+8.8+0.1+0.1+0.2+3.4+0.1-0.2-0.1+3.4+5.9+.045+0.2+0.9+.019+2.3+2.4+.075
J.R. Smith 81 27.7 15.2 0.5 3.1 3.7 2.8 1.0 0.2 1.9 2.3 5.2 11.7 .446 2.2 5.6 .397 2.5 3.4 .754
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:+5+13.1+12.9+0.1+1.5+1.6+2.8+0.4+0.2-0.5-0.8+4.4+8.8+.020+0.7+.033+4.0+3.3+.369
J.R. Smith 16 27.2 14.9 0.7 2.6 3.3 2.8 1.1 0.3 1.6 3.2 5.5 12.1 .454 2.4 6.6 .358 1.6 2.9 .543

Season 6
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2023-242009-10
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisNuggets 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%
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:+2+7.6+13.3+0.2+0.4+0.5+4.3+0.4+0.1-0.5-0.4+4.6+7.6+.065+0.6+0.6+.063+3.6+3.8+.141
J.R. Smith 75 27.8 15.4 0.4 2.7 3.1 2.4 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.3 5.7 13.8 .414 2.1 6.2 .338 1.9 2.7 .706
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:+7+13.3+21.2+0.2+0.3+0.5+5.8+0.1+0.1-1.7-0.8+8.1+16.7+.076+0.2+1.3+.045+4.9+6.5+.100
J.R. Smith 6 26.5 11.2 0.8 3.0 3.8 1.7 0.7 0.3 1.0 2.8 3.5 9.5 .368 1.8 5.2 .355 2.3 2.7 .875

Season 7
Jalen Brunson J.R. Smith
Season 2024-252010-11
Team New York KnicksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Clutch Player of the Year-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsNuggets 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:+14+10.5+13.7+0.2+1.0+1.2+5.1+0.3+0.1-1.2-0.1+4.7+8.6+.053+0.7+2.1+.007+3.6+4.1+.083
J.R. Smith 79 24.9 12.3 0.6 3.5 4.1 2.2 1.2 0.2 1.3 2.2 4.3 9.9 .435 1.6 4.0 .390 2.1 2.8 .738
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:+13+22.6+19.6+0.5+1.0+1.4+6.0+0.3-1.5-1.7+6.9+12.8+.105+0.9+3.2+.071+5.1+5.6+.124
J.R. Smith 5 15.2 9.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 1.0 0.4 0.0 1.6 1.6 3.2 9.0 .356 1.8 4.2 .429 1.6 2.2 .727

Additional Years

* J.R. Smith played 9 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 16, from 2012 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 7 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 9 extra years over Jalen Brunson, J.R. Smith got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Sixth Man of the Year
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