Joel Embiid vs. Zydrunas Ilgauskas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Zydrunas Ilgauskas 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, 5 less than Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who played 13. Joel Embiid had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas had his rookie season in 1997-98. 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 13 7 1997-98 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2016-171997-98
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 82 29.0 13.9 3.4 5.4 8.8 0.9 0.6 1.6 1.8 3.5 5.5 10.7 .518 0.0 0.0 .250 2.8 3.7 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 4 36.8 17.3 3.5 4.0 7.5 0.5 0.5 1.3 2.5 5.5 7.0 12.3 .571 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 6.3 .520

Season 2
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2017-181998-99
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
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 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 5 34.2 15.2 3.4 5.4 8.8 0.8 0.8 1.4 1.8 4.8 5.8 11.4 .509 0.0 0.0 - 3.6 6.0 .600
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas ------- --- ----------

Note: Zydrunas Ilgauskas didn't play in 1999-00.

Season 3
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2018-192000-01
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 24 25.7 11.7 2.7 4.0 6.7 0.8 0.6 1.5 2.5 3.3 4.8 9.8 .487 0.0 0.1 .000 2.2 3.3 .679
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas ------- --- ----------

Season 4
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2019-202001-02
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
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 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 62 21.4 11.1 2.2 3.2 5.4 1.1 0.3 1.4 1.5 3.0 3.9 9.1 .425 0.0 0.1 .000 3.4 4.5 .754
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2020-212002-03
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement 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 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 81 30.0 17.2 3.0 4.6 7.5 1.6 0.7 1.9 2.6 3.4 6.1 13.9 .441 0.0 0.1 .000 4.9 6.3 .781
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2021-222003-04
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
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 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 81 31.3 15.3 3.4 4.6 8.1 1.3 0.5 2.5 2.0 3.4 5.8 11.9 .483 0.0 0.1 .286 3.7 5.0 .746
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2022-232004-05
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement 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 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 78 33.5 16.9 3.8 4.8 8.6 1.3 0.7 2.1 2.4 4.0 5.9 12.6 .468 0.0 0.1 .286 5.2 6.4 .799
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season 2023-242005-06
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf 1st RdCavaliers Lost East 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 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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 78 29.3 15.6 3.1 4.4 7.6 1.2 0.5 1.7 2.0 3.6 5.8 11.4 .506 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 4.9 .834
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
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 13 27.2 10.4 2.5 3.8 6.3 0.8 0.4 2.1 1.8 3.5 4.2 9.2 .454 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 2.8 .750

Season 9
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season -2006-07
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers 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 ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 78 27.3 11.9 3.1 4.6 7.7 1.6 0.6 1.3 1.8 3.3 4.9 10.2 .485 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 2.5 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 20 32.5 12.6 3.3 6.4 9.7 0.9 0.5 0.8 1.6 3.0 4.9 9.9 .492 0.0 0.0 - 2.9 3.4 .838

Season 10
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season -2007-08
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers Lost East 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 ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 73 30.4 14.1 3.6 5.7 9.3 1.4 0.5 1.6 1.8 3.4 5.7 12.0 .474 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.3 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 13 30.2 13.1 2.5 5.0 7.5 1.6 0.4 1.1 1.6 2.7 5.2 10.8 .479 0.0 0.0 - 2.8 3.4 .818

Season 11
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season -2008-09
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers Lost East 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 ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 65 27.2 12.9 2.4 5.1 7.5 1.0 0.4 1.3 1.4 2.8 5.3 11.1 .472 0.2 0.6 .385 2.1 2.7 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 14 29.1 10.5 1.9 5.9 7.8 1.2 0.4 0.9 0.6 3.4 4.4 9.9 .449 0.1 0.9 .154 1.5 2.4 .636

Season 12
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season -2009-10
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers Lost East 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 ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 64 20.9 7.4 1.8 3.6 5.4 0.8 0.2 0.8 1.0 2.9 3.0 6.8 .443 0.2 0.4 .478 1.2 1.6 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 7 9.9 1.7 1.0 0.6 1.6 0.4 0.0 1.0 0.1 1.4 0.7 1.9 .385 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.4 .667

Season 13
Joel Embiid Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Season -2010-11
Team -Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Heat 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 ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 72 15.9 5.0 1.5 2.5 4.0 0.4 0.3 0.8 0.7 2.6 2.3 4.4 .508 0.0 0.0 .000 0.5 0.6 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 9 11.6 3.6 1.7 1.9 3.6 0.3 0.0 0.3 1.0 1.8 1.6 3.3 .467 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.7 .667
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