Jimmy Butler vs. Fred VanVleet Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Fred VanVleet and Jimmy Butler, 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.

Jimmy Butler played 14 years in the NBA, 5 more than Fred VanVleet, who played 9. Jimmy Butler had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while Fred VanVleet had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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
Jimmy Butler	14	12	2011-12 to 2024-25
Fred VanVleet	9	6	2016-17 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9


Rookie Season
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2011-12	2016-17
Team	Chicago Bulls	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Raptors Lost East Conf Semis

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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		%
Jimmy Butler	42	8.5	2.6	0.5	0.8	1.3	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.3	0.5	0.8	1.9	.405	0.0	0.3	.182	1.0	1.3	.768
difference:	+5	+0.6	+0.3	+0.4	+0.2	+0.2	+0.6	+0.1		-0.1	-0.5	+0.3	+1.1	+.054	+0.3	+0.5	+.197	+0.5	+0.7	+.050
Fred VanVleet	37	7.9	2.9	0.1	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.4	0.1	0.4	1.0	1.1	3.0	.351	0.3	0.8	.379	0.5	0.6	.818

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	3	1.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
difference:	+4	+2.8	+2.0		+0.1	+0.1	+0.6	+0.1		-0.1	-0.1	+0.9	+1.3		+0.3	+0.7
Fred VanVleet	7	4.1	2.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.6	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.4	0.9	1.3	.667	0.3	0.7	.400	0.0	0.0	-


Season 2
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2012-13	2017-18
Team	Chicago Bulls	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis	Raptors Lost East Conf Semis

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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		%
Jimmy Butler	82	26.0	8.6	1.7	2.3	4.0	1.4	1.0	0.4	0.8	1.2	2.9	6.2	.467	0.5	1.3	.381	2.3	2.8	.803
difference:	+6	+6.0		+1.4	+0.2	+1.6	+1.8	+0.1	+0.1	-0.2	-0.5	+0.2	+1.0	+.041	+0.9	+2.1	+.033	+1.2	+1.5	+.029
Fred VanVleet	76	20.0	8.6	0.3	2.1	2.4	3.2	0.9	0.3	1.0	1.7	3.1	7.2	.426	1.4	3.4	.414	1.1	1.3	.832

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	12	40.8	13.3	0.8	4.4	5.2	2.7	1.3	0.5	1.3	2.2	4.2	9.6	.435	1.3	3.1	.405	3.8	4.6	.818
difference:	+6	+21.8	+6.5	+0.8	+2.7	+3.5	+0.5	+1.3	+0.5	-0.6	-0.9	+2.0	+3.1	+.102		+1.6	+.119	+2.6	+3.3	+.057
Fred VanVleet	6	19.0	6.8	0.0	1.7	1.7	2.2	0.0	0.0	0.7	1.3	2.2	6.5	.333	1.3	4.7	.286	1.2	1.3	.875


Season 3
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2013-14	2018-19
Team	Chicago Bulls	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards	All-Defensive Second Team	-
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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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		%
Jimmy Butler	67	38.7	13.1	1.3	3.6	4.9	2.6	1.9	0.5	1.5	1.6	4.1	10.3	.397	1.0	3.6	.283	3.9	5.0	.769
difference:	+3	+11.2	+2.1	+1.0	+1.3	+2.3	+2.2	+1.0	+0.2	-0.2	-0.1	+0.3	+0.9	+.013	+0.8	+1.0	+.095	+2.4	+3.2	+.074
Fred VanVleet	64	27.5	11.0	0.3	2.3	2.6	4.8	0.9	0.3	1.3	1.7	3.8	9.4	.410	1.8	4.6	.378	1.5	1.8	.843

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	5	43.6	13.6	1.2	4.0	5.2	2.2	1.2	0.0	0.6	2.6	4.4	11.4	.386	1.2	4.0	.300	3.6	4.6	.783
difference:	+19	+18.9	+5.6	+0.9	+2.6	+3.5	+0.4	+0.4	+0.3	-0.3	-0.6	+1.7	+4.5	+.006	+0.4	+0.1	+.088	+2.6	+3.3	+.009
Fred VanVleet	24	24.7	8.0	0.3	1.4	1.7	2.6	0.8	0.3	0.9	2.0	2.7	6.9	.392	1.6	4.1	.388	1.0	1.3	.774


Season 4
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2014-15	2019-20
Team	Chicago Bulls	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	Most Improved Player	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis	Raptors Lost East Conf Semis

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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		%
Jimmy Butler	65	38.7	20.0	1.8	4.1	5.8	3.3	1.8	0.6	1.4	1.7	6.5	14.0	.462	1.1	3.0	.378	5.9	7.1	.834
difference:	+11	+3.0	+2.4	+1.5	+0.7	+2.0	+3.3	+0.1	+0.3	-0.8	-0.7	+0.6	+0.3	+.049	+1.6	+3.9	+.012	+2.8	+3.4	+.014
Fred VanVleet	54	35.7	17.6	0.3	3.4	3.8	6.6	1.9	0.3	2.2	2.4	5.9	14.3	.413	2.7	6.9	.390	3.1	3.7	.848

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	12	42.2	22.9	1.5	4.1	5.6	3.2	2.4	0.8	1.8	2.3	7.8	17.8	.441	2.3	6.0	.389	4.9	6.0	.819
difference:	+1	+3.1	+3.3	+1.0	+0.2	+1.2	+3.7	+0.8	+0.2	-0.2	-0.2	+0.9	+0.5	+.041	+1.6	+4.0	+.002	+3.0	+3.7	+.021
Fred VanVleet	11	39.1	19.6	0.5	3.9	4.4	6.9	1.6	0.6	2.0	2.5	6.9	17.3	.400	3.9	10.0	.391	1.9	2.3	.840


Season 5
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2015-16	2020-21
Team	Chicago Bulls	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards	All-Defensive Second Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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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		%
Jimmy Butler	67	36.9	20.9	1.2	4.2	5.3	4.8	1.6	0.6	2.0	1.9	7.0	15.4	.454	1.0	3.1	.312	5.9	7.1	.832
difference:	+15	+0.4	+1.3	+0.6	+0.6	+1.1	+1.5	+0.1	+0.1	-0.2	-0.4	+0.5	+1.3	+.065	+2.3	+6.1	+.054	+2.6	+3.4	+.053
Fred VanVleet	52	36.5	19.6	0.6	3.6	4.2	6.3	1.7	0.7	1.8	2.3	6.5	16.7	.389	3.3	9.2	.366	3.3	3.7	.885

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Jimmy Butler nor Fred VanVleet played in the postseason in their season 5


Season 6
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2016-17	2021-22
Team	Chicago Bulls	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Raptors Lost East 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		%
Jimmy Butler	76	37.0	23.9	1.7	4.5	6.2	5.5	1.9	0.4	2.1	1.5	7.5	16.5	.455	1.2	3.3	.367	7.7	8.9	.865
difference:	+11	+0.9	+3.6	+1.0	+0.7	+1.8	+1.2	+0.2	+0.1	-0.5	-1.0	+0.7	+0.4	+.052	+2.5	+6.6	+.010	+4.7	+5.5	+.009
Fred VanVleet	65	37.9	20.3	0.7	3.8	4.4	6.7	1.7	0.5	2.6	2.5	6.8	16.9	.403	3.7	9.9	.377	3.0	3.4	.874

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	6	39.8	22.7	1.5	5.8	7.3	4.3	1.7	0.8	2.5	1.7	7.7	18.0	.426	1.0	3.8	.261	6.3	7.8	.809
difference:	+2	+4.8	+8.9	+1.0	+3.3	+4.3	+2.0	+0.1	+0.2	-1.5	-1.3	+2.9	+4.5	+.074	+2.0	+5.2	+.072	+5.0	+6.3	+.024
Fred VanVleet	4	35.0	13.8	0.5	2.5	3.0	6.3	1.8	1.0	1.0	3.0	4.8	13.5	.352	3.0	9.0	.333	1.3	1.5	.833


Season 7
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2017-18	2022-23
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Timberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Did Not Play

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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		%
Jimmy Butler	59	36.7	22.2	1.3	4.0	5.3	4.9	2.0	0.4	1.8	1.3	7.4	15.6	.474	1.2	3.4	.350	6.2	7.2	.854
difference:	+10		+2.9	+0.9	+0.4	+1.2	+2.3	+0.2	+0.2	-0.2	-1.5	+1.1	+0.5	+.081	+1.8	+5.4	+.008	+2.5	+3.1	+.044
Fred VanVleet	69	36.7	19.3	0.4	3.6	4.1	7.2	1.8	0.6	2.0	2.8	6.3	16.1	.393	3.0	8.8	.342	3.7	4.1	.898

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	5	34.0	15.8	0.6	5.4	6.0	4.0	0.8	0.2	1.0	1.8	5.6	12.6	.444	1.6	3.4	.471	3.0	3.6	.833
Fred VanVleet	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 8
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2018-19	2023-24
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	76ers Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	65	33.6	18.7	1.9	3.4	5.3	4.0	1.9	0.6	1.5	1.7	6.4	13.9	.462	1.0	3.0	.347	4.8	5.6	.855
difference:	+8	+3.2	+1.3	+1.4		+1.5	+4.1	+0.5	+0.2	-0.2	-0.8	+0.6		+.046	+2.1	+5.0	+.040	+2.1	+2.5	+.005
Fred VanVleet	73	36.8	17.4	0.5	3.4	3.8	8.1	1.4	0.8	1.7	2.5	5.8	13.9	.416	3.1	8.0	.387	2.7	3.1	.860

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	12	35.1	19.4	1.8	4.2	6.0	5.2	1.5	0.6	1.8	1.7	6.6	14.6	.451	1.0	3.8	.267	5.3	6.0	.875
Fred VanVleet	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 9
	Jimmy Butler	Fred VanVleet
Season	2019-20	2024-25
Team	Miami Heat	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Heat Lost NBA Finals	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	58	33.8	19.9	1.8	4.8	6.7	6.0	1.8	0.6	2.2	1.4	5.9	13.1	.455	0.5	2.1	.244	7.6	9.1	.834
difference:	+2	+1.4	+5.8	+1.3	+1.6	+3.0	+0.4	+0.2	+0.2	-0.7	-0.9	+1.1	+0.4	+.077	+2.2	+5.6	+.101	+5.7	+6.8	+.024
Fred VanVleet	60	35.2	14.1	0.5	3.2	3.7	5.6	1.6	0.4	1.5	2.3	4.8	12.7	.378	2.7	7.7	.345	1.9	2.3	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	21	38.4	22.2	2.2	4.3	6.5	6.0	2.0	0.7	2.8	1.8	6.9	14.0	.488	0.7	2.0	.349	7.8	9.1	.859
difference:	+14	+1.6	+3.5	+1.8	+0.6	+2.4	+1.6	+1.0	+0.4	-0.9	-0.5	+1.2	+0.7	+.058	+3.2	+6.9	+.086	+4.4	+5.7	+.141
Fred VanVleet	7	40.0	18.7	0.4	3.7	4.1	4.4	1.0	0.3	1.9	2.3	5.7	13.3	.430	3.9	8.9	.435	3.4	3.4	1.000


Additional Years
* Jimmy Butler played 5 seasons more than Fred VanVleet in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 10 to 14, from 2021 to 2025—Jimmy Butler played in 4 Playoffs. In those 5 extra years over Fred VanVleet, Jimmy Butler got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 1 All-Defensive Second Team 1 Steals Leader 1 All-Star Game

Jimmy Butler vs. Fred VanVleet Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Fred VanVleet and Jimmy Butler, 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

Season 8

8th Season Stats Comparison

Season 9

9th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years