Jermaine O'Neal vs. Arvydas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Arvydas Sabonis and Jermaine O'Neal, 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.

Jermaine O'Neal played 18 years in the NBA, 11 more than Arvydas Sabonis, who played 7. Jermaine O'Neal had the first of his seasons in 1996-97, while Arvydas Sabonis had his rookie season in 1995-96. 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
Jermaine O'Neal	18	14	1996-97 to 2013-14
Arvydas Sabonis	7	7	1995-96 to 2002-03

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7


Rookie Season
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1996-97	1995-96
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	45	10.2	4.1	0.9	1.9	2.8	0.2	0.0	0.6	0.6	1.0	1.5	3.4	.451	0.0	0.0	-	1.0	1.7	.603
difference:	+28	+13.6	+10.4	+1.1	+4.1	+5.3	+1.6	+0.9	+0.5	-1.5	-1.9	+3.9	+6.5	+.094	+0.5	+1.4		+2.2	+2.5	+.154
Arvydas Sabonis	73	23.8	14.5	2.0	6.0	8.1	1.8	0.9	1.1	2.1	2.9	5.4	9.9	.545	0.5	1.4	.375	3.2	4.2	.757

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	2	2.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	.000	0.0	0.5	.000	0.0	1.0	.000
difference:	+3	+33.4	+23.6	+2.4	+7.3	+9.7	+1.8	+0.8	+0.1	-2.0	-3.4	+7.0	+15.2	+.432	+1.0	+1.3	+.556	+8.6	+11.0	+.717
Arvydas Sabonis	5	35.4	23.6	2.4	7.8	10.2	1.8	0.8	0.6	2.0	3.4	7.0	16.2	.432	1.0	1.8	.556	8.6	12.0	.717


Season 2
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1997-98	1996-97
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	60	13.5	4.5	1.3	2.0	3.4	0.3	0.3	1.0	0.9	1.7	1.9	3.9	.485	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.5	.506
difference:	+9	+12.0	+8.9	+0.4	+4.3	+4.5	+1.8	+0.6	+0.2	-1.3	-1.2	+2.9	+5.6	+.013	+0.7	+1.9		+2.4	+2.7	+.271
Arvydas Sabonis	69	25.5	13.4	1.7	6.3	7.9	2.1	0.9	1.2	2.2	2.9	4.8	9.5	.498	0.7	1.9	.371	3.2	4.2	.777

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	1	3.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	3.0	.000	0.0	1.0	.000	0.0	0.0	-
difference:	+3	+23.8	+11.3	+1.0	+4.5	+5.5	+2.3	+0.8	+1.2	-2.3	-3.8	+4.5	+7.5	+.429	+0.5	+1.0	+.250	+1.8	+2.0
Arvydas Sabonis	4	26.8	11.3	2.0	4.5	6.5	2.3	0.8	0.8	2.3	4.8	4.5	10.5	.429	0.5	2.0	.250	1.8	2.0	.875


Season 3
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1998-99	1997-98
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	36	8.6	2.5	1.2	1.5	2.7	0.4	0.1	0.4	0.4	1.1	1.0	2.3	.434	0.0	0.0	-	0.5	1.0	.514
difference:	+37	+23.4	+13.5	+0.8	+6.4	+7.3	+2.6	+0.8	+0.7	-2.2	-2.6	+4.6	+9.0	+.059	+0.4	+1.6		+3.9	+4.5	+.284
Arvydas Sabonis	73	32.0	16.0	2.0	7.9	10.0	3.0	0.9	1.1	2.6	3.7	5.6	11.3	.493	0.4	1.6	.261	4.4	5.5	.798

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	9	6.0	1.6	0.9	1.0	1.9	0.1	0.0	0.3	0.2	1.2	0.4	1.1	.400	0.0	0.0	-	0.7	1.3	.500
difference:	+5	+20.8	+10.7	+0.9	+5.0	+5.9	+1.4	+1.8	+0.5	-2.3	-3.6	+4.1	+8.9	+.050	+0.3	+0.5		+2.3	+2.2	+.357
Arvydas Sabonis	4	26.8	12.3	1.8	6.0	7.8	1.5	1.8	0.8	2.5	4.8	4.5	10.0	.450	0.3	0.5	.500	3.0	3.5	.857


Season 4
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	1999-00	1998-99
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	70	12.3	3.9	1.4	1.9	3.3	0.3	0.2	0.8	0.7	1.8	1.5	3.2	.486	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.4	.582
difference:	+20	+14.7	+8.2	+0.4	+4.2	+4.6	+2.1	+0.5	+0.5	-1.0	-1.1	+3.1	+6.4	+.001	+0.1	+0.5		+1.9	+2.1	+.189
Arvydas Sabonis	50	27.0	12.1	1.8	6.1	7.9	2.4	0.7	1.3	1.7	2.9	4.6	9.6	.485	0.1	0.5	.292	2.7	3.5	.771

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	8	4.9	1.5	0.3	0.6	0.9	0.1	0.0	0.4	0.0	1.1	0.4	1.4	.273	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.1	.667
difference:	+5	+25.2	+8.5	+0.6	+7.2	+7.9	+2.1	+1.2	+0.8	-1.5	-1.6	+3.1	+7.3	+.125	+0.1	+0.4		+2.2	+2.2	+.240
Arvydas Sabonis	13	30.1	10.0	0.9	7.8	8.8	2.2	1.2	1.2	1.5	2.7	3.5	8.7	.398	0.1	0.4	.200	3.0	3.3	.907


Season 5
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	2000-01	1999-00
Team	Indiana Pacers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	81	32.6	12.9	3.1	6.7	9.8	1.2	0.6	2.8	2.0	3.5	5.0	10.7	.465	0.0	0.1	.000	2.9	4.8	.601
difference:	+15	+7.0	+1.1	+1.6	+0.4	+2.0	+0.6	+0.1	+1.6	-0.5	-0.7	+0.4	+1.6	+.040	+0.1	+0.2	+.368	+0.4	+1.8	+.242
Arvydas Sabonis	66	25.6	11.8	1.5	6.3	7.8	1.8	0.7	1.2	1.5	2.8	4.6	9.1	.505	0.1	0.3	.368	2.5	3.0	.843

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	4	39.3	9.8	3.0	9.5	12.5	1.8	0.0	2.5	1.8	3.3	4.3	9.8	.436	0.0	0.3	.000	1.3	2.5	.500
difference:	+12	+8.5	+1.5	+1.8	+4.0	+5.8	+0.1	+0.9	+1.7	-0.2	-0.4		+0.4	+.017	+0.4	+1.0	+.286	+1.1	+0.6	+.296
Arvydas Sabonis	16	30.8	11.3	1.2	5.5	6.7	1.9	0.9	0.8	1.6	3.7	4.3	9.4	.453	0.4	1.3	.286	2.4	3.1	.796


Season 6
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	2001-02	2000-01
Team	Indiana Pacers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
	Most Improved Player	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	72	37.6	19.0	2.6	7.9	10.5	1.6	0.6	2.3	2.4	3.7	7.5	15.7	.479	0.0	0.2	.071	3.9	5.7	.688
difference:	+11	+16.3	+8.9	+1.8	+3.3	+5.1	+0.1	+0.1	+1.3	-1.0	-1.5	+3.5	+7.2				+.004	+1.9	+3.1	+.088
Arvydas Sabonis	61	21.3	10.1	0.8	4.6	5.4	1.5	0.7	1.0	1.4	2.2	4.0	8.5	.479	0.0	0.2	.067	2.0	2.6	.776

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	5	38.0	17.2	1.2	6.4	7.6	1.0	0.8	1.6	2.8	4.8	6.8	15.2	.447	0.0	0.2	.000	3.6	4.8	.750
difference:	+2	+3.0	+5.9	+1.5	+0.7	+0.7	+1.7	+0.5	+0.7	-2.1	-0.8	+2.1	+5.5	+.036		+0.5		+1.6	+2.1
Arvydas Sabonis	3	35.0	11.3	2.7	5.7	8.3	2.7	0.3	2.3	0.7	4.0	4.7	9.7	.483	0.0	0.7	.000	2.0	2.7	.750

Note: Arvydas Sabonis didn't play in 2001-02.


Season 7
	Jermaine O'Neal	Arvydas Sabonis
Season	2002-03	2002-03
Team	Indiana Pacers	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	77	37.2	20.8	2.6	7.7	10.3	2.0	0.9	2.3	2.3	3.6	7.9	16.4	.484	0.1	0.3	.333	4.8	6.6	.731
difference:	+1	+21.7	+14.7	+1.5	+4.5	+6.0	+0.2	+0.1	+1.7	-1.3	-1.8	+5.7	+11.8	+.008	+0.1	+0.2	+.167	+3.1	+4.5	+.056
Arvydas Sabonis	78	15.5	6.1	1.1	3.2	4.3	1.8	0.8	0.6	1.0	1.8	2.2	4.6	.476	0.0	0.1	.500	1.7	2.1	.787

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jermaine O'Neal	6	45.5	22.8	4.0	13.5	17.5	0.7	0.5	3.0	3.0	3.7	7.2	15.3	.467	0.0	0.5	.000	8.5	10.8	.785
difference:		+31.0	+12.8	+3.0	+10.5	+13.5	+0.1	+0.2	+2.3	-2.0	-1.4	+3.2	+9.3	+.200		+0.5		+6.5	+8.3	+.015
Arvydas Sabonis	6	14.5	10.0	1.0	3.0	4.0	0.8	0.7	0.7	1.0	2.3	4.0	6.0	.667	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	2.5	.800


Additional Years
* Jermaine O'Neal played 11 seasons more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 8 to 18, from 2004 to 2014—Jermaine O'Neal played in 7 Playoffs. In those 11 extra years over Arvydas Sabonis, Jermaine O'Neal got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-NBA Second Team 4 All-Star Game

Jermaine O'Neal vs. Arvydas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Arvydas Sabonis and Jermaine O'Neal, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years