John Collins vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith and John Collins, 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.

John Collins played 8 years in the NBA, 8 less than J.R. Smith, who played 16. John Collins had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while J.R. Smith had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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
John Collins 8 3 2017-18 to 2024-25
J.R. Smith 16 12 2004-05 to 2019-20

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2017-182004-05
Team Atlanta HawksNew Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 74 24.1 10.5 2.4 4.9 7.3 1.3 0.6 1.1 1.4 2.9 4.2 7.4 .576 0.2 0.6 .340 1.8 2.5 .715
difference:+2+0.4+0.2+1.9+3.4+5.3+0.6+0.1+1.0-1.1+0.3+2.4+.182+0.9+3.1+.052+0.3+0.4+.026
J.R. Smith 76 24.5 10.3 0.5 1.5 2.0 1.9 0.7 0.1 1.4 1.8 3.9 9.8 .394 1.1 3.7 .288 1.5 2.1 .689
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher John Collins nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2018-192005-06
Team Atlanta HawksNew Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 61 30.0 19.5 3.6 6.2 9.8 2.0 0.4 0.6 2.0 3.3 7.6 13.6 .560 0.9 2.6 .348 3.3 4.4 .763
difference:+6+12.0+11.8+3.3+4.5+7.8+0.9+0.3+0.5-1.0-1.7+5.0+6.9+.167+0.1+.023+1.8+2.6+.059
J.R. Smith 55 18.0 7.7 0.3 1.7 2.0 1.1 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.6 2.6 6.7 .393 0.9 2.5 .371 1.5 1.8 .822
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher John Collins nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2019-202006-07
Team Atlanta HawksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 41 33.2 21.6 2.8 7.3 10.1 1.5 0.8 1.6 1.8 3.4 8.6 14.8 .583 1.4 3.6 .401 2.9 3.7 .800
difference:+22+9.9+8.6+2.3+5.5+7.8+0.1+1.5-0.5-1.1+4.1+4.6+.142+1.0+2.5+.011+1.3+1.7+.010
J.R. Smith 63 23.3 13.0 0.5 1.8 2.3 1.4 0.8 0.1 1.3 2.3 4.5 10.2 .441 2.4 6.1 .390 1.6 2.0 .810
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
J.R. Smith 4 11.8 4.5 0.3 2.0 2.3 0.5 1.0 0.3 0.8 1.5 1.5 5.5 .273 0.0 3.0 .000 1.5 1.5 1.000

Season 4
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2020-212007-08
Team Atlanta HawksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 63 29.3 17.6 1.9 5.5 7.4 1.2 0.5 1.0 1.3 3.1 6.8 12.2 .556 1.3 3.3 .399 2.7 3.2 .833
difference:+11+10.1+5.3+1.3+4.0+5.3+0.5+0.3+0.8-0.2-1.2+2.6+3.1+.095+0.8+2.0+.004+1.0+0.8+.114
J.R. Smith 74 19.2 12.3 0.6 1.5 2.1 1.7 0.8 0.2 1.5 1.9 4.2 9.1 .461 2.1 5.3 .403 1.7 2.4 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 18 32.0 13.9 2.0 6.7 8.7 0.9 0.4 0.6 1.3 3.3 5.6 10.1 .549 1.1 3.1 .357 1.7 2.0 .833
difference:+14+5.0+4.4+1.7+5.2+6.9+0.9+0.6+0.6-0.3+0.2+0.7+.014+0.7+2.4+.039+3.3+4.0
J.R. Smith 4 27.0 18.3 0.3 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.0 0.0 1.3 3.0 5.8 10.8 .535 1.8 5.5 .318 5.0 6.0 .833

Season 5
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2021-222008-09
Team Atlanta HawksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf 1st RdNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 54 30.8 16.2 1.7 6.1 7.8 1.8 0.6 1.0 1.1 3.0 6.3 11.9 .526 1.2 3.3 .364 2.5 3.1 .793
difference:+27+3.1+1.0+1.2+3.0+4.1+1.0+0.4+0.8-0.8-0.7+1.1+0.2+.080+1.0+2.3+.033+0.3+.039
J.R. Smith 81 27.7 15.2 0.5 3.1 3.7 2.8 1.0 0.2 1.9 2.3 5.2 11.7 .446 2.2 5.6 .397 2.5 3.4 .754
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 5 24.4 9.4 0.4 4.2 4.6 1.2 0.4 0.2 1.0 2.4 3.8 7.8 .487 0.8 2.2 .364 1.0 2.0 .500
difference:+11+2.8+5.5+0.3+1.6+1.3+1.6+0.7+0.1-0.6-0.8+1.7+4.3+.033+1.6+4.4+.006+0.6+0.9+.043
J.R. Smith 16 27.2 14.9 0.7 2.6 3.3 2.8 1.1 0.3 1.6 3.2 5.5 12.1 .454 2.4 6.6 .358 1.6 2.9 .543

Season 6
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2022-232009-10
Team Atlanta HawksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf 1st RdNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 71 30.0 13.1 1.1 5.4 6.5 1.2 0.6 1.0 1.1 3.1 5.1 10.0 .508 1.0 3.4 .292 2.0 2.5 .803
difference:+4+2.2+2.3+0.7+2.7+3.4+1.2+0.7+0.7-0.8-0.8+0.6+3.8+.094+1.1+2.8+.046+0.1+0.2+.097
J.R. Smith 75 27.8 15.4 0.4 2.7 3.1 2.4 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.3 5.7 13.8 .414 2.1 6.2 .338 1.9 2.7 .706
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 6 27.3 11.3 1.2 3.2 4.3 0.8 0.3 1.0 1.5 2.2 4.3 10.0 .433 1.8 5.3 .344 0.8 1.0 .833
difference:+0.8+0.1+0.4+0.2+0.5+0.9+0.4+0.7-0.5-0.6+0.8+0.5+.065+0.1+.011+1.5+1.7+.042
J.R. Smith 6 26.5 11.2 0.8 3.0 3.8 1.7 0.7 0.3 1.0 2.8 3.5 9.5 .368 1.8 5.2 .355 2.3 2.7 .875

Season 7
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2023-242010-11
Team Utah JazzDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 68 28.0 15.1 2.3 6.1 8.5 1.1 0.6 0.9 1.4 2.8 5.8 11.0 .532 1.3 3.4 .371 2.2 2.7 .795
difference:+11+3.1+2.8+1.7+2.6+4.4+1.1+0.6+0.7-0.1-0.6+1.5+1.1+.097+0.3+0.6+.019+0.1+0.1+.057
J.R. Smith 79 24.9 12.3 0.6 3.5 4.1 2.2 1.2 0.2 1.3 2.2 4.3 9.9 .435 1.6 4.0 .390 2.1 2.8 .738
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
J.R. Smith 5 15.2 9.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 1.0 0.4 0.0 1.6 1.6 3.2 9.0 .356 1.8 4.2 .429 1.6 2.2 .727

Season 8
John Collins J.R. Smith
Season 2024-252011-12
Team Utah JazzNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins 40 30.5 19.0 2.2 6.0 8.2 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.6 2.9 7.0 13.3 .527 1.5 3.7 .399 3.5 4.1 .848
difference:+5+2.9+6.5+1.4+2.9+4.3+0.4+0.5+0.8-1.3-0.4+2.3+1.7+.120+0.4+1.8+.052+2.4+2.5+.139
J.R. Smith 35 27.6 12.5 0.8 3.1 3.9 2.4 1.5 0.2 1.3 2.5 4.7 11.6 .407 1.9 5.5 .347 1.1 1.6 .709
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
J.R. Smith 5 35.0 12.2 0.4 2.2 2.6 2.2 1.2 0.2 2.2 3.8 4.8 15.2 .316 1.0 5.6 .179 1.6 1.6 1.000

Additional Years

* J.R. Smith played 8 seasons more than John Collins in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 16, from 2013 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 8 extra years over John Collins, J.R. Smith got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Sixth Man of the Year
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