Joel Embiid vs. Pat Riley Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Pat Riley and Joel Embiid, 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.

Joel Embiid played 8 years in the NBA, 1 less than Pat Riley, who played 9. Joel Embiid had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while Pat Riley had his rookie season in 1967-68. 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
Joel Embiid 8 7 2016-17 to 2023-24
Pat Riley 9 6 1967-68 to 1975-76

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2016-171967-68
Team Philadelphia 76ersSan Diego Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 31 25.4 20.2 2.0 5.9 7.8 2.1 0.9 2.5 3.8 3.6 6.5 13.8 .466 1.2 3.2 .367 6.2 7.9 .783
Pat Riley 80 15.8 7.9 - - 2.2 1.7 - - - 2.6 3.1 8.3 .379 - - - 1.6 2.5 .634
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2017-181968-69
Team Philadelphia 76ersSan Diego Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisRockets Lost West Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 63 30.3 22.9 2.3 8.7 11.0 3.2 0.6 1.8 3.7 3.3 8.1 16.8 .483 1.0 3.4 .308 5.7 7.4 .769
Pat Riley 56 18.3 8.8 - - 2.0 2.4 - - - 2.6 3.6 8.9 .406 - - - 1.6 2.4 .672
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 8 34.8 21.4 2.9 9.8 12.6 3.0 0.9 1.8 3.6 3.9 7.5 17.3 .435 1.0 3.6 .276 5.4 7.6 .705
Pat Riley 5 15.2 7.4 - - 2.2 0.4 - - - 2.6 3.2 7.4 .432 - - - 1.0 1.2 .833

Season 3

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2018-191969-70
Team Philadelphia 76ersSan Diego Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 64 33.7 27.5 2.5 11.1 13.6 3.7 0.7 1.9 3.5 3.3 9.1 18.7 .484 1.2 4.1 .300 8.2 10.1 .804
Pat Riley 36 13.2 5.3 - - 1.6 2.4 - - - 1.9 2.1 5.0 .417 - - - 1.1 1.5 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 11 30.4 20.2 1.9 8.5 10.5 3.4 0.7 2.3 3.6 3.1 6.2 14.5 .428 1.1 3.5 .308 6.7 8.2 .822
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2019-201970-71
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf 1st RdLakers 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 %
Joel Embiid 51 29.5 23.0 2.8 8.9 11.6 3.0 0.9 1.3 3.1 3.4 7.5 15.7 .477 1.1 3.4 .331 6.9 8.5 .807
Pat Riley 54 9.4 4.9 - - 1.0 1.3 - - - 1.6 1.9 4.7 .413 - - - 1.0 1.6 .644
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 4 36.3 30.0 2.8 9.5 12.3 1.3 1.5 1.3 3.8 4.5 8.5 18.5 .459 1.0 4.0 .250 12.0 14.8 .814
Pat Riley 7 19.3 9.4 - - 2.1 2.0 - - - 1.7 4.1 9.9 .420 - - - 1.1 1.6 .727

Season 5

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2020-211971-72
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 51 31.1 28.5 2.2 8.4 10.6 2.8 1.0 1.4 3.1 2.4 9.0 17.6 .513 1.1 3.0 .377 9.2 10.7 .859
Pat Riley 67 13.8 6.7 - - 1.9 1.1 - - - 1.6 2.9 6.6 .447 - - - 0.8 1.1 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 11 32.5 28.1 1.5 9.1 10.5 3.4 1.0 1.5 3.8 3.0 9.2 17.9 .513 1.5 3.7 .390 8.3 9.9 .835
Pat Riley 15 16.3 5.2 - - 1.9 0.9 - - - 2.5 2.2 6.6 .333 - - - 0.8 1.1 .750

Season 6

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2021-221972-73
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 68 33.8 30.6 2.1 9.6 11.7 4.2 1.1 1.5 3.1 2.7 9.8 19.6 .499 1.4 3.7 .371 9.6 11.8 .814
Pat Riley 55 14.6 7.3 - - 1.2 1.5 - - - 2.3 3.0 7.1 .428 - - - 1.2 1.5 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 10 38.5 23.6 2.1 8.6 10.7 2.1 0.4 0.8 3.2 3.4 7.8 16.1 .484 0.7 3.3 .212 7.3 8.9 .820
Pat Riley 7 7.6 2.6 - - 0.7 1.0 - - - 1.4 1.3 3.9 .333 - - - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 7

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2022-231973-74
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisLakers 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 %
Joel Embiid 66 34.6 33.1 1.7 8.4 10.2 4.2 1.0 1.7 3.4 3.1 11.0 20.1 .548 1.0 3.0 .330 10.0 11.7 .857
Pat Riley 72 18.9 9.5 0.5 1.3 1.8 2.1 0.8 0.0 - 2.4 4.0 9.3 .430 - - - 1.5 2.0 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 9 37.3 23.7 1.8 8.0 9.8 2.7 0.7 2.8 3.9 3.0 7.3 17.0 .431 0.6 3.1 .179 8.4 9.3 .905
Pat Riley 5 21.2 7.8 0.6 0.6 1.2 2.0 0.8 0.0 - 2.2 3.6 10.0 .360 - - - 0.6 0.8 .750

Season 8

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season 2023-241974-75
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 39 33.6 34.7 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.6 1.2 1.7 3.8 2.9 11.5 21.8 .529 1.4 3.6 .388 10.2 11.6 .883
Pat Riley 46 22.1 11.0 0.5 1.3 1.8 2.6 0.8 0.1 - 2.8 4.8 11.4 .419 - - - 1.5 2.0 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 6 41.3 33.0 3.2 7.7 10.8 5.7 1.2 1.5 4.2 3.3 9.8 22.2 .444 2.2 6.5 .333 11.2 13.0 .859
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Joel Embiid Pat Riley
Season -1975-76
Team -Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Suns Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Pat Riley 62 13.1 4.7 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.9 0.4 0.1 - 1.8 1.9 4.9 .389 - - - 0.9 1.2 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Pat Riley 5 5.4 2.6 0.0 0.0 0 1.0 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.2 3.0 .400 - - - 0.2 0.2 1.000