Jayson Tatum vs. Nate Thurmond Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nate Thurmond and Jayson Tatum, 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.

Jayson Tatum played 8 years in the NBA, 6 less than Nate Thurmond, who played 14. Jayson Tatum had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Nate Thurmond had his rookie season in 1963-64. 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
Jayson Tatum 8 8 2017-18 to 2024-25
Nate Thurmond 14 9 1963-64 to 1976-77

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2017-181963-64
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsWarriors Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 80 30.5 13.9 0.6 4.4 5.0 1.6 1.0 0.7 1.4 2.1 5.0 10.4 .475 1.3 3.0 .434 2.7 3.2 .826
difference:+4+4.6+6.9+5.4+0.5-0.3+2.1+3.1+.080+1.4+0.9+.277
Nate Thurmond 76 25.9 7.0 - - 10.4 1.1 - - - 2.4 2.9 7.3 .395 - - - 1.3 2.3 .549
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 19 35.9 18.5 0.5 3.8 4.4 2.7 1.2 0.5 2.2 2.6 6.5 13.7 .471 1.2 3.7 .324 4.3 5.1 .845
difference:+7+1.7+8.5+7.9+1.9-1.2+3.0+5.7+.033+1.3+0.7+.166
Nate Thurmond 12 34.2 10.0 - - 12.3 0.8 - - - 3.8 3.5 8.0 .438 - - - 3.0 4.4 .679

Season 2

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2018-191964-65
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisDid 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%
Jayson Tatum 79 31.1 15.7 0.9 5.2 6.0 2.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 2.1 5.9 13.1 .450 1.5 3.9 .373 2.5 2.9 .855
difference:+2+10.1+0.8+12.1+0.1-0.9+0.8+3.0+.031+0.6+1.7+.197
Nate Thurmond 77 41.2 16.5 - - 18.1 2.0 - - - 3.0 6.7 16.1 .419 - - - 3.1 4.6 .658
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 9 32.8 15.2 0.8 5.9 6.7 1.9 1.1 0.8 2.0 2.3 5.4 12.4 .438 1.1 3.4 .323 3.2 4.3 .744
Nate Thurmond DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2019-201965-66
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid 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%
Jayson Tatum 66 34.3 23.4 1.0 6.0 7.0 3.0 1.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 8.4 18.6 .450 2.9 7.1 .403 3.8 4.7 .812
difference:+7+5.3+7.1+11.0+1.5-1.0+2.2+3.3+.044+1.2+.158
Nate Thurmond 73 39.6 16.3 - - 18.0 1.5 - - - 3.1 6.2 15.3 .406 - - - 3.8 5.9 .654
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 17 40.6 25.7 1.3 8.7 10.0 5.0 1.0 1.2 2.8 2.4 8.5 19.6 .434 2.8 7.4 .373 5.9 7.2 .813
Nate Thurmond DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2020-211966-67
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdWarriors Lost NBA Finals
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 64 35.8 26.4 0.8 6.6 7.4 4.3 1.2 0.5 2.7 1.9 9.5 20.6 .459 2.9 7.6 .386 4.6 5.3 .868
difference:+1+6.7+7.7+13.9+1.7-0.9+2.3+4.2+.022+0.3+1.5+.239
Nate Thurmond 65 42.5 18.7 - - 21.3 2.6 - - - 2.8 7.2 16.4 .437 - - - 4.3 6.8 .629
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 5 37.0 30.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 4.6 1.2 1.6 2.6 3.0 9.4 22.2 .423 2.8 7.2 .389 9.0 9.8 .918
difference:+10+9.0+14.7+17.3+1.5-0.5+3.2+7.9+.010+5.5+3.7+.347
Nate Thurmond 15 46.0 15.9 - - 23.1 3.1 - - - 3.5 6.2 14.3 .433 - - - 3.5 6.1 .571

Season 5

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2021-221967-68
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid 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%
Jayson Tatum 76 35.9 26.9 1.1 6.9 8.0 4.4 1.0 0.6 2.9 2.3 9.3 20.6 .453 3.0 8.6 .353 5.3 6.2 .853
difference:+25+7.7+6.4+14.0+0.2-0.4+1.8+2.4+.042+0.2+2.4+.209
Nate Thurmond 51 43.6 20.5 - - 22.0 4.2 - - - 2.7 7.5 18.2 .411 - - - 5.5 8.6 .644
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 24 41.0 25.6 1.0 5.7 6.7 6.2 1.2 0.9 4.2 3.0 8.4 19.7 .426 3.2 8.2 .393 5.7 7.1 .800
Nate Thurmond DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2022-231968-69
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game MVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsWarriors Lost West Div 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%
Jayson Tatum 74 36.9 30.1 1.1 7.7 8.8 4.6 1.1 0.7 2.9 2.2 9.8 21.1 .466 3.2 9.3 .350 7.2 8.4 .854
difference:+3+8.3+8.6+10.9+1.0-0.2+1.8+1.5+.056+1.8+0.3+.239
Nate Thurmond 71 45.2 21.5 - - 19.7 3.6 - - - 2.4 8.0 19.6 .410 - - - 5.4 8.7 .615
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 20 40.0 27.2 1.3 9.2 10.5 5.3 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.2 9.3 20.2 .458 2.7 8.2 .323 6.0 6.9 .876
difference:+14+3.8+10.5+9.0+0.6-0.8+2.6+3.2+.066+2.7+1.2+.288
Nate Thurmond 6 43.8 16.7 - - 19.5 4.7 - - - 3.0 6.7 17.0 .392 - - - 3.3 5.7 .588

Season 7

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2023-241969-70
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Jayson Tatum 74 35.7 26.9 0.9 7.2 8.1 4.9 1.0 0.6 2.5 2.0 9.1 19.3 .471 3.1 8.2 .376 5.6 6.7 .833
difference:+31+8.9+5.0+9.6+1.4-0.6+1.2+0.1+.057+0.5+1.3+.079
Nate Thurmond 43 44.6 21.9 - - 17.7 3.5 - - - 2.6 7.9 19.2 .414 - - - 6.1 8.0 .754
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 19 40.4 25.0 0.9 8.8 9.7 6.3 1.1 0.7 2.6 2.8 8.4 19.6 .427 2.1 7.3 .283 6.2 7.2 .861
Nate Thurmond DNP------ --- ----------

Season 8

Jayson Tatum Nate Thurmond
Season 2024-251970-71
Team Boston CelticsSan Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf SemisWarriors Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 72 36.4 26.8 0.7 8.0 8.7 6.0 1.1 0.5 2.9 2.2 9.2 20.3 .452 3.5 10.1 .343 5.0 6.1 .814
difference:+10+4.5+6.8+5.1+2.9-0.1+1.6+3.2+.007+0.2+0.5+.084
Nate Thurmond 82 40.9 20.0 - - 13.8 3.1 - - - 2.3 7.6 17.1 .445 - - - 4.8 6.6 .730
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Jayson Tatum 8 40.3 28.1 1.1 10.4 11.5 5.4 2.1 0.8 3.3 2.6 9.3 21.9 .423 3.6 9.8 .372 6.0 6.8 .889
difference:+3+1.9+10.5+1.3+2.4-1.4+2.1+2.5+.052+2.8+2.8+.089
Nate Thurmond 5 38.4 17.6 - - 10.2 3.0 - - - 4.0 7.2 19.4 .371 - - - 3.2 4.0 .800

Additional Years

* Nate Thurmond played 6 seasons more than Jayson Tatum in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 14, from 1972 to 1977—Nate Thurmond played in 5 Playoffs.

In those 6 extra years over Jayson Tatum, Nate Thurmond got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 3 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 2 All-Star Game