Jim Cleamons vs. Gary Payton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Gary Payton and Jim Cleamons, 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.

Jim Cleamons played 9 years in the NBA, 8 less than Gary Payton, who played 17. Jim Cleamons had the first of his seasons in 1971-72, while Gary Payton had his rookie season in 1990-91. 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
Jim Cleamons 9 4 1971-72 to 1979-80
Gary Payton 17 15 1990-91 to 2006-07

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17

Rookie Season

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1971-721990-91
Team Los Angeles LakersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSupersonics 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 %
Jim Cleamons 38 5.3 2.6 - - 1.0 0.9 - - - 0.6 0.9 2.6 .350 - - - 0.7 0.9 .778
Gary Payton 82 27.4 7.2 1.3 1.6 3.0 6.4 2.0 0.2 2.2 3.0 3.2 7.0 .450 0.0 0.2 .077 0.8 1.2 .711
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 6 2.8 1.3 - - 0.7 0.7 - - - 0.5 0.7 1.2 .571 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Gary Payton 5 27.0 4.8 1.0 1.6 2.6 6.4 1.6 0.2 1.8 3.2 2.2 5.4 .407 0.0 0.2 .000 0.4 0.4 1.000

Season 2

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1972-731991-92
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 80 17.4 5.7 - - 2.1 2.6 - - - 1.4 2.4 5.3 .454 - - - 0.9 1.3 .743
Gary Payton 81 31.5 9.4 1.5 2.1 3.6 6.2 1.8 0.3 2.1 3.1 4.1 9.1 .451 0.0 0.3 .130 1.2 1.8 .669
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 8 27.6 7.6 0.8 1.9 2.6 4.8 1.0 0.3 1.3 3.3 3.4 7.3 .466 0.0 0.3 .000 0.9 1.5 .583

Season 3

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1973-741992-93
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics 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 %
Jim Cleamons 81 20.3 7.0 0.8 2.1 2.8 2.8 0.8 0.2 - 1.9 2.9 6.7 .433 - - - 1.1 1.6 .699
Gary Payton 82 31.1 13.5 1.2 2.3 3.4 4.9 2.2 0.3 1.8 3.0 5.8 11.7 .494 0.1 0.4 .206 1.8 2.4 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 19 31.8 12.3 1.2 2.2 3.3 3.7 1.8 0.2 1.8 3.4 5.5 12.4 .443 0.1 0.3 .167 1.3 1.9 .676

Season 4

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1974-751993-94
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics 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 %
Jim Cleamons 74 36.4 11.9 1.3 3.1 4.4 5.1 1.1 0.3 - 2.6 5.0 10.4 .480 - - - 1.9 2.4 .796
Gary Payton 82 35.1 16.5 1.3 2.0 3.3 6.0 2.3 0.2 2.1 2.8 7.1 14.1 .504 0.2 0.7 .278 2.0 3.4 .595
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 5 36.2 15.8 1.2 2.2 3.4 5.6 1.6 0.4 1.6 3.0 6.8 13.8 .493 0.6 1.8 .333 1.6 3.8 .421

Season 5

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1975-761994-95
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf FinalsSupersonics 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 %
Jim Cleamons 82 34.6 12.2 1.5 2.8 4.3 5.2 1.5 0.2 - 2.6 5.0 10.8 .466 - - - 2.1 2.7 .798
Gary Payton 82 36.8 20.6 1.3 2.1 3.4 7.1 2.5 0.2 2.5 2.5 8.4 16.4 .509 0.9 2.8 .302 3.0 4.2 .716
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 13 38.7 13.8 1.8 3.7 5.5 4.7 0.6 0.2 - 2.6 5.6 14.2 .397 - - - 2.5 3.1 .825
Gary Payton 4 43.0 17.8 1.5 1.0 2.5 5.3 1.3 0.0 2.0 3.3 8.0 16.8 .478 0.5 2.5 .200 1.3 3.0 .417

Season 6

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1976-771995-96
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 60 34.1 10.4 1.7 2.9 4.6 5.1 1.1 0.4 - 2.1 4.3 9.9 .434 - - - 1.9 2.5 .757
Gary Payton 81 39.0 19.3 1.3 2.9 4.2 7.5 2.9 0.2 3.2 2.7 7.6 15.8 .484 1.2 3.7 .328 2.8 3.8 .748
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 21 43.4 20.7 0.9 4.2 5.1 6.8 1.8 0.3 3.0 3.3 7.7 15.9 .485 2.0 4.8 .410 3.3 5.2 .633

Season 7

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1977-781996-97
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisSupersonics Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 79 25.4 6.5 0.9 1.8 2.7 3.6 0.9 0.2 1.4 1.8 2.7 5.7 .480 - - - 1.0 1.3 .786
Gary Payton 82 39.2 21.8 1.3 3.3 4.6 7.1 2.4 0.2 2.6 2.5 8.6 18.1 .476 1.5 4.6 .313 3.1 4.3 .715
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 6 21.2 5.7 0.8 1.3 2.2 3.8 0.5 0.0 1.3 2.2 2.3 6.0 .389 - - - 1.0 1.0 1.000
Gary Payton 12 45.6 23.8 1.7 3.8 5.4 8.7 2.2 0.3 2.9 2.2 8.8 21.3 .412 2.1 6.3 .333 4.2 5.1 .820

Season 8

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1978-791997-98
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 79 30.3 9.5 0.8 2.0 2.8 4.8 0.9 0.1 1.8 1.9 3.9 8.3 .473 - - - 1.6 2.2 .760
Gary Payton 82 38.4 19.2 0.9 3.6 4.6 8.3 2.3 0.2 2.8 2.4 7.1 15.6 .453 1.6 4.8 .338 3.4 4.6 .744
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 10 42.7 24.0 0.9 2.5 3.4 7.0 1.8 0.1 2.6 3.1 8.7 18.3 .475 1.9 5.0 .380 4.7 5.0 .940

Season 9

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season 1979-801998-99
Team New York Knicks, Washington BulletsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs Bullets Lost East 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 %
Jim Cleamons 79 22.6 6.6 0.7 1.3 1.9 3.6 0.7 0.1 1.4 1.7 2.7 5.7 .476 0.1 0.4 .226 1.1 1.4 .743
Gary Payton 50 40.2 21.7 1.2 3.6 4.9 8.7 2.2 0.2 3.1 2.3 8.0 18.5 .434 1.7 5.6 .295 4.0 5.5 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons 2 10.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 1.5 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Gary Payton ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -1999-00
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Supersonics 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 %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 82 41.8 24.2 1.2 5.2 6.5 8.9 1.9 0.2 2.7 2.2 9.1 20.3 .448 2.2 6.3 .340 3.8 5.2 .735
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 5 44.2 25.8 1.6 6.0 7.6 7.4 1.8 0.2 3.6 3.2 10.0 22.6 .442 1.8 4.6 .391 4.0 5.2 .769

Season 11

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2000-01
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 79 41.1 23.1 0.9 3.6 4.6 8.1 1.6 0.3 2.6 2.3 9.2 20.1 .456 1.3 3.4 .375 3.4 4.5 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2001-02
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Supersonics 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 %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 82 40.3 22.1 1.0 3.9 4.8 9.0 1.6 0.3 2.5 2.2 9.0 19.2 .467 0.9 2.9 .314 3.3 4.1 .797
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 5 41.2 22.2 2.0 6.6 8.6 5.8 0.6 0.4 2.6 2.4 9.0 21.2 .425 0.8 3.0 .267 3.4 5.8 .586

Season 13

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2002-03
Team -Seattle Supersonics, Milwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Bucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 80 40.1 20.4 1.0 3.2 4.2 8.3 1.7 0.3 2.3 2.3 8.3 18.3 .454 0.7 2.3 .297 3.1 4.4 .710
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 6 41.8 18.5 0.7 2.3 3.0 8.7 1.3 0.2 2.2 3.0 8.0 18.7 .429 0.2 2.5 .067 2.3 3.3 .700

Season 14

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2003-04
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Lakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 82 34.5 14.6 0.9 3.3 4.2 5.5 1.2 0.2 1.8 2.1 5.9 12.5 .471 0.7 2.0 .333 2.2 3.1 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 22 35.0 7.8 0.9 2.4 3.3 5.3 1.0 0.2 1.3 2.7 3.1 8.5 .366 0.6 2.5 .250 1.0 1.3 .750

Season 15

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2004-05
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Celtics Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 77 33.0 11.3 0.6 2.4 3.1 6.1 1.1 0.2 1.9 1.6 4.4 9.4 .468 0.5 1.7 .326 2.0 2.6 .761
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 7 34.1 10.3 1.1 3.0 4.1 4.6 0.9 0.1 1.6 1.4 4.7 10.6 .446 0.1 2.0 .071 0.7 0.9 .833

Season 16

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2005-06
Team -Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 81 28.5 7.7 0.4 2.5 2.9 3.2 0.9 0.1 1.3 2.1 2.8 6.8 .420 0.8 2.8 .287 1.2 1.6 .794
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 23 24.3 5.8 0.3 1.5 1.7 1.6 1.0 0.1 0.8 2.4 2.1 5.0 .422 0.7 2.5 .293 0.8 1.1 .720

Season 17

Jim Cleamons Gary Payton
Season -2006-07
Team -Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Heat Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 68 22.1 5.3 0.3 1.7 1.9 3.0 0.6 0.0 1.0 1.7 2.1 5.4 .393 0.5 1.8 .260 0.6 0.8 .667
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Cleamons ------- --- ----------
Gary Payton 2 16.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 2.0 1.5 0.0 1.5 .000 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 0.0 -