James Donaldson vs. Ben Simmons Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ben Simmons and James Donaldson, 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.

James Donaldson played 14 years in the NBA, 8 more than Ben Simmons, who played 6. James Donaldson had the first of his seasons in 1980-81, while Ben Simmons had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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 achivements, 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
James Donaldson 14 9 1980-81 to 1994-95
Ben Simmons 6 3 2017-18 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1980-812017-18
Team Seattle SupersonicsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 68 14.4 5.3 1.6 3.0 4.5 0.6 0.1 1.1 1.0 1.2 1.9 3.5 .542 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.5 .594
Ben Simmons 81 33.7 15.8 1.8 6.3 8.1 8.2 1.7 0.9 3.4 2.6 6.7 12.3 .545 0.0 0.1 .000 2.4 4.2 .560
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons 10 36.9 16.3 1.6 7.8 9.4 7.7 1.7 0.8 4.4 3.4 6.1 12.5 .488 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.8 .707

Season 2
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1981-822018-19
Team Seattle SupersonicsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf Semis76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 82 20.9 8.1 1.7 4.3 6.0 0.6 0.3 1.7 1.4 2.3 3.1 5.1 .609 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.9 .629
Ben Simmons 79 34.2 16.9 2.2 6.6 8.8 7.7 1.4 0.8 3.5 2.6 6.8 12.2 .563 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 5.4 .600
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 8 23.6 6.8 3.1 6.1 9.3 0.9 0.3 0.6 1.3 2.0 2.3 5.4 .419 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.0 .750
Ben Simmons 12 35.1 13.9 1.9 5.1 7.0 6.0 1.3 1.0 2.7 3.8 6.0 9.7 .621 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.3 .575

Season 3
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1982-832019-20
Team Seattle SupersonicsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 82 21.8 8.9 1.6 4.5 6.1 1.2 0.2 1.2 1.6 2.1 3.5 6.0 .583 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.7 .688
Ben Simmons 57 35.4 16.4 2.0 5.8 7.8 8.0 2.1 0.6 3.5 3.3 6.6 11.4 .580 0.0 0.1 .286 3.2 5.2 .621
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 2 23.5 12.0 2.5 6.0 8.5 1.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 2.0 5.5 11.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.5 .667
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 4
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1983-842020-21
Team San Diego ClippersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 82 30.8 11.8 2.0 5.9 7.9 1.1 0.5 1.7 2.1 2.6 4.4 7.4 .596 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 4.0 .761
Ben Simmons 58 32.4 14.3 1.6 5.6 7.2 6.9 1.6 0.6 3.0 2.9 5.6 10.1 .557 0.1 0.2 .300 3.0 4.9 .613
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons 12 33.5 11.9 2.1 5.8 7.9 8.8 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.3 4.9 7.9 .621 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 6.1 .342

Note: Ben Simmons didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 5
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1984-852022-23
Team Los Angeles ClippersBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 82 29.2 11.3 2.0 6.1 8.1 0.6 0.3 1.6 2.5 2.6 4.3 6.7 .637 0.0 0.0 - 2.8 3.7 .749
Ben Simmons 42 26.3 6.9 1.0 5.3 6.3 6.1 1.3 0.6 2.3 3.3 3.2 5.6 .566 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 1.4 .439
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 6
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1985-862023-24
Team Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas MavericksBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 83 32.3 8.6 2.1 7.5 9.6 1.2 0.3 1.7 1.5 2.3 3.1 5.5 .558 0.0 0.0 - 2.5 3.1 .803
Ben Simmons 15 23.9 6.1 2.1 5.9 7.9 5.7 0.8 0.6 1.8 2.4 2.9 4.9 .581 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.0 .400
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 10 41.0 10.9 3.0 8.7 11.7 1.0 0.6 1.2 1.0 2.6 3.6 4.8 .750 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.0 .925
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 7
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1986-87-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 82 36.9 10.8 3.6 8.3 11.9 0.8 0.6 1.7 1.3 2.3 3.8 6.5 .586 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.0 .812
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 3 22.7 5.3 0.7 5.0 5.7 0.7 0.3 1.0 0.7 2.0 1.3 1.7 .800 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 3.0 .889
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 8
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1987-88-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 81 31.1 7.0 3.0 6.3 9.3 0.8 0.5 1.3 1.4 2.2 2.6 4.7 .558 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.3 .778
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 17 29.4 9.3 2.8 5.8 8.6 0.7 0.4 0.9 1.7 2.4 4.0 6.1 .654 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 2.2 .595
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 9
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1988-89-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 53 32.9 9.1 3.0 7.8 10.8 0.7 0.5 1.5 1.6 2.1 3.6 6.4 .573 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.3 .766
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 10
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1989-90-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 73 31.0 9.1 2.1 6.5 8.6 0.8 0.3 0.6 1.6 1.8 3.5 6.6 .539 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.9 .700
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 3 24.7 7.3 2.0 3.3 5.3 0.7 0.7 0.0 1.3 2.7 3.0 4.3 .692 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 1.7 .800
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 11
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1990-91-
Team Dallas Mavericks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 82 34.1 10.0 2.5 6.4 8.9 0.8 0.4 1.1 1.8 2.2 4.0 7.5 .532 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.8 .721
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 12
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1991-92-
Team Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 58 18.5 4.9 1.7 3.3 5.0 0.6 0.1 0.8 0.8 1.8 1.9 4.2 .457 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.5 .709
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 2 5.5 2.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 13
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1992-93-
Team Utah Jazz-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 6 15.7 3.5 1.0 3.8 4.8 0.2 0.2 1.2 0.7 2.2 1.3 2.3 .571 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.5 .556
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 1 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Note: James Donaldson didn't play in 1993-94.

Season 14
James Donaldson Ben Simmons
Season 1994-95-
Team Utah Jazz-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 43 14.3 2.6 0.4 2.0 2.5 0.3 0.1 0.7 0.5 1.5 1.0 1.7 .595 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.7 .710
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
James Donaldson 5 15.2 2.8 0.6 1.2 1.8 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.4 1.6 1.0 1.2 .833 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 0.8 1.000
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
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