John Collins vs. Kevin McHale Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kevin McHale 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 / Stats / Stats Rankings

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, 5 less than Kevin McHale, who played 13. John Collins had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Kevin McHale had his rookie season in 1980-81. 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
Kevin McHale 13 13 1980-81 to 1992-93

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2017-181980-81
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+8+4.0+0.5+0.5+2.4+2.9+0.6+0.3+0.7-0.1-0.3+0.1+0.7+.043+0.2+0.6+0.5+0.6+.036
Kevin McHale 82 20.1 10.0 1.9 2.5 4.4 0.7 0.3 1.8 1.3 3.2 4.3 8.1 .533 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 1.9 .679
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
Kevin McHale 17 17.4 8.5 1.7 1.8 3.5 0.8 0.2 1.5 0.9 3.0 3.6 6.6 .540 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.1 .639

Season 2

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2018-191981-82
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+21+1.6+5.9+1.3+1.7+3.0+0.9+1.7-0.3-0.1+1.9+2.9+.029+0.9+2.6+1.0+1.4+.009
Kevin McHale 82 28.4 13.6 2.3 4.5 6.8 1.1 0.4 2.3 1.7 3.2 5.7 10.7 .531 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.0 .754
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
Kevin McHale 12 28.7 16.2 3.4 3.7 7.1 0.9 0.4 2.3 1.3 3.7 6.4 11.2 .575 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.4 .755

Season 3

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2019-201982-83
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
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:+41+4.6+7.5+0.2+3.2+3.4+0.2+0.4+0.7-0.1-0.5+2.7+3.9+.042+1.4+3.6+0.5+0.4+.083
Kevin McHale 82 28.6 14.1 2.6 4.1 6.7 1.3 0.4 2.3 1.9 2.9 5.9 10.9 .541 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.3 .717
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
Kevin McHale 7 25.3 11.1 2.1 3.9 6.0 0.7 0.4 1.0 1.4 2.3 4.9 8.9 .548 0.0 0.1 .000 1.4 2.6 .556

Season 4

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2020-211983-84
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+19+2.1+0.8+0.6+0.6+0.1+0.2+0.5-0.5-0.1+0.4+0.7+1.3+3.3+1.4+2.2+.068
Kevin McHale 82 31.4 18.4 2.5 4.9 7.4 1.3 0.3 1.5 1.8 3.0 7.2 12.9 .556 0.0 0.0 - 4.1 5.4 .765
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:+5+1.5+0.9+0.7+3.2+2.5+0.3+0.3+0.9-0.4+0.3+0.5+.045+1.1+3.0+.357+2.4+3.3+.056
Kevin McHale 23 30.5 14.8 2.7 3.5 6.2 1.2 0.1 1.5 1.7 3.3 5.3 10.6 .504 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.3 .777

Season 5

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2021-221984-85
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost NBA 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:+25+2.8+3.6+1.2+1.2+0.2+0.5-0.9+1.4+1.5+.044+1.2+3.2+.364+2.0+2.8+.033
Kevin McHale 79 33.6 19.8 2.9 6.1 9.0 1.8 0.4 1.5 2.0 3.0 7.7 13.4 .570 0.0 0.1 .000 4.5 5.9 .760
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:+16+15.5+12.7+3.1+2.2+5.3+0.3+0.2+2.0-1.9-1.1+4.4+6.6+.081+0.8+2.2+4.8+5.1+.307
Kevin McHale 21 39.9 22.1 3.5 6.4 9.9 1.5 0.6 2.2 2.9 3.5 8.2 14.4 .568 0.0 0.0 - 5.8 7.1 .807

Season 6

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2022-231985-86
Team Atlanta HawksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+3+5.3+8.2+1.4+0.2+1.6+1.5+0.2+1.0-1.1-0.3+3.2+4.4+.066+1.0+3.4+2.8+3.7+.027
Kevin McHale 68 35.3 21.3 2.5 5.6 8.1 2.7 0.4 2.0 2.2 2.8 8.3 14.4 .574 0.0 0.0 - 4.8 6.2 .776
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:+12+12.4+13.6+1.6+2.6+4.3+1.9+0.1+1.4-1.2-1.4+5.0+6.1+.146+1.8+5.2+.344+5.4+6.8+.039
Kevin McHale 18 39.7 24.9 2.8 5.8 8.6 2.7 0.4 2.4 2.7 3.6 9.3 16.1 .579 0.0 0.1 .000 6.2 7.8 .794

Season 7

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2023-241986-87
Team Utah JazzBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost NBA Finals
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:+9+11.7+11.0+0.9+0.6+1.4+1.5+0.1+1.3-1.2-0.3+4.5+6.0+.072+1.3+3.3+.371+3.4+3.9+.041
Kevin McHale 77 39.7 26.1 3.2 6.7 9.9 2.6 0.5 2.2 2.6 3.1 10.3 17.0 .604 0.0 0.1 .000 5.6 6.6 .836
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
Kevin McHale 21 39.4 21.1 3.1 6.1 9.2 1.9 0.3 1.4 2.6 3.4 8.3 14.2 .584 0.0 0.0 - 4.6 6.0 .762

Season 8

John Collins Kevin McHale
Season 2024-251987-88
Team Utah JazzBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+24+6.8+3.6+0.3+0.1+0.2+0.7+0.6+0.4-0.4-0.1+1.6+0.9+.077+1.5+3.7+1.9+2.7+.051
Kevin McHale 64 37.3 22.6 2.5 5.9 8.4 2.7 0.4 1.4 2.2 2.8 8.6 14.2 .604 0.0 0.0 - 5.4 6.8 .797
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Collins DNP------ --- ----------
Kevin McHale 17 42.1 25.4 3.2 4.8 8.0 2.4 0.4 1.8 2.3 3.8 9.3 15.4 .603 0.1 0.1 1.000 6.8 8.1 .839

Additional Years

* Kevin McHale played 5 seasons more than John Collins in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 13, from 1989 to 1993—Kevin McHale played in 5 Playoffs.

In those 5 extra years over John Collins, Kevin McHale got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 2 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 3 All-Star Game