Jalen Brunson vs. Rudy Gay Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Rudy Gay 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 / 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, 10 less than Rudy Gay, who played 17. Jalen Brunson had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Rudy Gay had his rookie season in 2006-07. 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
Rudy Gay 17 3 2006-07 to 2022-23

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2018-192006-07
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
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:+5+5.2+1.5+0.9+1.3+2.2+1.9+0.4+0.8-0.6-0.8+0.5+2.0+.045+0.2+0.7+.016+0.7+1.1+.002
Rudy Gay 78 27.0 10.8 1.2 3.3 4.5 1.3 0.9 0.9 1.8 2.5 4.1 9.7 .422 0.7 1.8 .364 1.9 2.7 .727
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor Rudy Gay played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2019-202007-08
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
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:+24+19.1+11.9+1.3+2.4+3.8+1.3+1.0+0.9-1.1-1.5+4.5+9.9+.005+0.9+2.7+.012+2.0+2.6+.028
Rudy Gay 81 37.0 20.1 1.7 4.4 6.2 2.0 1.4 1.0 2.3 2.8 7.7 16.7 .461 1.7 4.8 .346 3.1 3.9 .785
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jalen Brunson nor Rudy Gay played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2020-212008-09
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards
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:+11+12.3+6.3+1.0+1.2+2.1+1.8+0.7+0.7-1.4-1.2+2.4+6.8+.070+0.1+0.2+.054+1.5+2.2+.028
Rudy Gay 79 37.3 18.9 1.4 4.2 5.5 1.7 1.2 0.7 2.6 2.8 7.2 16.0 .453 1.1 3.1 .351 3.3 4.4 .767
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
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2021-222009-10
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
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:+1+7.8+3.3+0.9+1.1+2.0+2.9+0.7+0.8-0.5-0.6+1.1+3.3+.036+0.4+0.7+.046+1.5+2.3+.087
Rudy Gay 80 39.7 19.6 1.4 4.5 5.9 1.9 1.5 0.8 2.1 2.5 7.5 16.1 .466 0.8 2.5 .327 3.8 5.0 .753
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
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2022-232010-11
Team New York KnicksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisDid 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%
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:+14+4.9+4.2+0.9+1.7+2.7+3.4+0.8+0.9-0.4-0.2+1.0+1.5+.020+0.9+2.0+.020+1.2+1.3+.024
Rudy Gay 54 39.9 19.8 1.5 4.7 6.2 2.8 1.7 1.1 2.5 2.4 7.6 16.1 .471 1.1 2.7 .396 3.6 4.5 .805
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
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2023-242011-12
Team New York KnicksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisGrizzlies 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:+12+1.9+9.7+1.4+1.3+2.8+4.4+0.6+0.6-0.1-0.2+2.8+5.0+.024+1.9+4.1+.089+2.3+2.5+.056
Rudy Gay 65 37.3 19.0 2.0 4.4 6.4 2.3 1.5 0.8 2.5 2.1 7.5 16.4 .455 0.8 2.7 .312 3.2 4.0 .791
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:+6+0.1+13.4+0.8+2.4+3.3+6.1+0.5+0.1-0.3-0.1+4.7+9.9+.023+1.4+3.8+.099+2.5+3.5+.050
Rudy Gay 7 39.9 19.0 1.4 5.1 6.6 1.4 1.3 0.3 3.0 2.1 6.9 16.3 .421 0.6 2.7 .211 4.7 5.7 .825

Season 7

Jalen Brunson Rudy Gay
Season 2024-252012-13
Team New York KnicksMemphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Clutch Player of the Year-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsDid 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%
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:+10+0.4+7.8+0.9+2.3+3.2+4.6+0.6+0.6-0.1-0.3+2.1+1.8+.072+1.2+2.6+.060+2.5+3.0+.007
Rudy Gay 75 35.8 18.2 1.3 4.8 6.1 2.7 1.5 0.7 2.6 2.4 6.9 16.7 .416 1.1 3.5 .323 3.2 3.9 .814
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
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Rudy Gay played 10 seasons more than Jalen Brunson in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 17, from 2014 to 2023—Rudy Gay played in two Playoffs.