Jimmy Butler vs. Julius Erving Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Julius Erving 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.

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 15 years in the NBA, 4 more than Julius Erving, who played 11. Jimmy Butler had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while Julius Erving had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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.

Rookie Season
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2011-12	1976-77
Team	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	76ers Lost NBA Finals

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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:	+40	+27.4	+19.0	+1.8	+5.3	+7.2	+3.4	+1.6	+1.3		-2.6	+7.6	+14.8	+.094				+3.9	+5.0	+.009
Julius Erving	82	35.9	21.6	2.3	6.1	8.5	3.7	1.9	1.4	-	3.1	8.4	16.7	.499	-	-	-	4.9	6.3	.777
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:	+16	+38.6	+27.3	+2.2	+4.3	+6.4	+4.5	+2.2	+1.2		-2.1	+10.7	+20.5					+5.8	+7.1
Julius Erving	19	39.9	27.3	2.2	4.3	6.4	4.5	2.2	1.2	-	2.4	10.7	20.5	.523	-	-	-	5.8	7.1	.821

Season 2
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2012-13	1977-78
Team	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis	76ers Lost East Conf Finals

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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:	+8	+6.8	+12.0	+0.7	+1.8	+2.5	+2.4	+0.8	+0.9	-2.4	-1.6	+5.4	+10.2	+.035				+1.8	+2.1	+.042
Julius Erving	74	32.8	20.6	2.4	4.1	6.5	3.8	1.8	1.3	3.2	2.8	8.3	16.4	.502	-	-	-	4.1	4.9	.845
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:	+2	+5.0	+8.5	+3.2	+1.3	+4.5	+1.3	+0.2	+1.3	-2.2	-0.8	+4.6	+8.4	+.054				+0.4	+1.0	+.068
Julius Erving	10	35.8	21.8	4.0	5.7	9.7	4.0	1.5	1.8	3.5	3.0	8.8	18.0	.489	-	-	-	4.2	5.6	.750

Season 3
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2013-14	1978-79
Team	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	76ers Lost East Conf Semis

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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:	+11	+2.8	+10.0	+1.2	+1.1	+2.3	+2.0	+0.2	+0.8	-2.5	-1.1	+5.1	+8.4	+.094				+0.9	+1.4	+.024
Julius Erving	78	35.9	23.1	2.5	4.7	7.2	4.6	1.7	1.3	4.0	2.7	9.2	18.7	.491	-	-	-	4.8	6.4	.745
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:	+4	+2.3	+11.8	+2.0	+0.6	+2.6	+3.7	+0.8	+1.9	-3.6	-0.2	+5.5	+7.7	+.131				+2.1	+2.8	+.022
Julius Erving	9	41.3	25.4	3.2	4.6	7.8	5.9	2.0	1.9	4.2	2.4	9.9	19.1	.517	-	-	-	5.7	7.4	.761

Season 4
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2014-15	1979-80
Team	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	Most Improved Player	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis	76ers Lost NBA 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		%
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:	+13	+2.6	+6.9	+1.0	+0.5	+1.6	+1.3	+0.4	+1.2	-2.2	-1.0	+4.2	+6.7	+.057	+1.0	+2.7	+.178	+0.5	+0.3	+.047
Julius Erving	78	36.1	26.9	2.8	4.6	7.4	4.6	2.2	1.8	3.6	2.7	10.7	20.7	.519	0.1	0.3	.200	5.4	6.8	.787
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:	+6	+3.6	+1.5	+0.2	+1.7	+2.0	+1.2	+0.4	+1.3	-1.3	-0.8	+1.4	+1.0	+.047	+2.2	+5.5	+.167	+1.1	+1.6	+.025
Julius Erving	18	38.6	24.4	1.7	5.8	7.6	4.4	2.0	2.1	3.1	3.1	9.2	18.8	.488	0.1	0.5	.222	6.0	7.6	.794

Season 5
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2015-16	1980-81
Team	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	76ers Lost East 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		%
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	+1.9	+3.7	+1.8	+0.8	+2.7	+0.4	+0.5	+1.2	-1.2	-0.9	+2.7	+3.2	+.067	+1.0	+2.9	+.090	+0.8	+0.6	+.045
Julius Erving	82	35.0	24.6	3.0	5.0	8.0	4.4	2.1	1.8	3.2	2.8	9.7	18.6	.521	0.0	0.2	.222	5.1	6.5	.787
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Julius Erving	16	37.0	22.9	3.3	3.9	7.1	3.4	1.4	2.6	3.4	3.4	8.9	18.8	.475	0.0	0.1	.000	5.1	6.7	.757

Season 6
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2016-17	1981-82
Team	Chicago Bulls	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Third Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd	76ers Lost NBA Finals

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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:	+5	+2.6	+0.5	+1.0	+0.3	+0.7	+1.6	+0.1	+1.3	-0.5	-1.3	+2.1	+1.1	+.091	+1.2	+3.2	+.094	+2.6	+2.2	+.102
Julius Erving	81	34.4	24.4	2.7	4.2	6.9	3.9	2.0	1.7	2.6	2.8	9.6	17.6	.546	0.0	0.1	.273	5.1	6.7	.763
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:	+15	+2.7	+0.7	+1.2	+1.1	+0.1	+0.4	+0.1	+1.0	-0.7	-0.9	+0.3	+2.6	+.093	+1.0	+3.5	+.094	+0.4	+0.1	+.057
Julius Erving	21	37.1	22.0	2.7	4.7	7.4	4.7	1.8	1.8	3.2	2.6	8.0	15.4	.519	0.0	0.3	.167	5.9	7.9	.752

Season 7
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2017-18	1982-83
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Third Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs	Timberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

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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:	+13	+3.1	+0.8	+1.1	+0.4	+1.5	+1.2	+0.4	+1.4	-0.9	-1.5	+1.0	+0.7	+.043	+1.2	+3.3	+.064	+1.6	+1.2	+.095
Julius Erving	72	33.6	21.4	2.4	4.4	6.8	3.7	1.6	1.8	2.7	2.8	8.4	16.3	.517	0.0	0.1	.286	4.6	6.0	.759
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
difference:	+8	+3.9	+2.6	+1.9	+0.2	+1.6	+0.6	+0.4	+1.9	-2.0	-1.4	+1.7	+3.6	+.006	+1.6	+3.3	+.471	+0.8	+1.6	+.112
Julius Erving	13	37.9	18.4	2.5	5.2	7.6	3.4	1.2	2.1	3.0	3.2	7.3	16.2	.450	0.0	0.1	.000	3.8	5.2	.721

Season 8
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2018-19	1983-84
Team	Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	76ers Lost East Conf Semis	76ers Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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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:	+12	+1.2	+3.7	+0.6	+1.0	+1.6		+0.1	+1.2	-1.5	-1.1	+2.4	+3.3	+.050	+0.9	+2.7	+.014	+0.1	+0.7	+.101
Julius Erving	77	34.8	22.4	2.5	4.4	6.9	4.0	1.8	1.8	3.0	2.8	8.8	17.2	.512	0.1	0.3	.333	4.7	6.3	.754
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
difference:	+7	+3.7	+1.2		+0.4	+0.4	+0.2	+0.1	+0.6	-2.4	-1.1	+0.6	+0.6	+.023	+1.0	+3.6	+.267	+1.5	+1.6	+.011
Julius Erving	5	38.8	18.2	1.8	4.6	6.4	5.0	1.6	1.2	4.2	2.8	7.2	15.2	.474	0.0	0.2	.000	3.8	4.4	.864

Season 9
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2019-20	1984-85
Team	Miami Heat	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Heat Lost NBA Finals	76ers Lost East Conf Finals

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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:	+20	+1.3	+0.1	+0.4	+1.7	+1.4	+3.0	+0.1	+0.8	-0.5	-1.2	+1.9	+2.7	+.039	+0.5	+1.9	+.030	+3.3	+3.4	+.069
Julius Erving	78	32.5	20.0	2.2	3.1	5.3	3.0	1.7	1.4	2.7	2.6	7.8	15.8	.494	0.0	0.2	.214	4.3	5.7	.765
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:	+8	+5.0	+5.1		+0.9	+0.9	+2.3	+0.1	+0.1		-0.8	+0.4	+0.4	+.039	+0.7	+1.9	+.349	+3.6	+4.3	+.002
Julius Erving	13	33.4	17.1	2.2	3.4	5.6	3.7	1.9	0.8	2.8	2.6	6.5	14.4	.449	0.0	0.1	.000	4.2	4.8	.857

Season 10
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2020-21	1985-86
Team	Miami Heat	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Third Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	Steals Leader	-
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Heat Lost East Conf 1st Rd	76ers Lost East Conf Semis

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10th 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	52	33.6	21.5	1.8	5.1	6.9	7.1	2.1	0.3	2.1	1.4	7.0	14.2	.497	0.5	2.0	.245	6.9	8.0	.863
difference:	+22	+0.2	+3.4	+0.5	+2.4	+1.9	+3.7	+0.6	+0.8	-0.8	-1.2		+0.5	+.017	+0.4	+1.6	+.036	+3.0	+3.0	+.078
Julius Erving	74	33.4	18.1	2.3	2.7	5.0	3.4	1.5	1.1	2.9	2.6	7.0	14.7	.480	0.1	0.4	.281	3.9	5.0	.785
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	4	38.5	14.5	1.5	6.0	7.5	7.0	1.3	0.3	2.3	1.5	4.8	16.0	.297	1.0	3.8	.267	4.0	5.5	.727
difference:	+8	+2.4	+3.2	+0.7	+2.3	+1.7	+2.8	+0.4	+1.0	-1.0	-1.2	+2.0	+1.0	+.153	+0.8	+2.9	+.085		+0.1	+.011
Julius Erving	12	36.1	17.7	2.2	3.7	5.8	4.2	0.9	1.3	3.3	2.7	6.8	15.0	.450	0.2	0.9	.182	4.0	5.4	.738

Season 11
	Jimmy Butler	Julius Erving
Season	2021-22	1986-87
Team	Miami Heat	Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Heat Lost East Conf Finals	76ers Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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11th 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	57	33.9	21.4	1.8	4.1	5.9	5.5	1.6	0.5	2.1	1.5	7.0	14.5	.480	0.5	2.0	.233	6.9	8.0	.870
difference:	+3	+1.9	+4.6	+0.1	+1.6	+1.5	+2.3	+0.3	+1.1	-0.5	-0.8	+0.3	+0.3	+.009	+0.3	+1.1	+.031	+3.7	+4.1	+.057
Julius Erving	60	32.0	16.8	1.9	2.5	4.4	3.2	1.3	1.6	2.6	2.3	6.7	14.2	.471	0.2	0.9	.264	3.2	3.9	.813
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Jimmy Butler	17	37.0	27.4	2.4	4.9	7.4	4.6	2.1	0.6	1.5	1.5	9.8	19.3	.506	1.4	4.0	.338	6.5	7.8	.841
difference:	+12	+1.0	+9.2	+0.4	+2.7	+2.4	+1.2	+0.7	+0.6	-0.3	-2.3	+3.0	+2.9	+.091	+1.0	+2.8	+.005	+2.3	+2.8	+.001
Julius Erving	5	36.0	18.2	2.8	2.2	5.0	3.4	1.4	1.2	1.8	3.8	6.8	16.4	.415	0.4	1.2	.333	4.2	5.0	.840

Additional Years
* Jimmy Butler played 4 seasons more than Julius Erving in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 12 to 15, from 2023 to 2026—Jimmy Butler played in two Playoffs. In those 4 extra years over Julius Erving, Jimmy Butler got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-NBA Second Team