John Havlicek vs. Buddy Hield Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Buddy Hield and John Havlicek, 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 Havlicek played 16 years in the NBA, 7 more than Buddy Hield, who played 9. John Havlicek had the first of his seasons in 1962-63, while Buddy Hield had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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 Havlicek 16 13 1962-63 to 1977-78
Buddy Hield 9 2 2016-17 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1962-632016-17
Team Boston CelticsNew Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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 Havlicek 80 27.5 14.3 - - 6.7 2.2 - - - 2.4 6.0 13.6 .445 - - - 2.2 3.0 .728
difference:+2+4.5+3.7+3.4+0.7-1.0+2.0+4.2+.019+1.4+2.1+.114
Buddy Hield 82 23.0 10.6 0.4 2.9 3.3 1.5 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.4 4.0 9.4 .426 1.8 4.6 .391 0.8 0.9 .842
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 11 23.1 11.8 - - 4.8 1.5 - - - 2.5 5.1 11.4 .448 - - - 1.6 2.5 .667
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1963-642017-18
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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 Havlicek 80 32.3 19.9 - - 5.4 3.0 - - - 2.8 8.0 19.2 .417 - - - 3.9 5.3 .746
difference:+7.0+6.4+1.6+1.1-0.9+2.8+7.5+.029+3.0+4.3+.131
Buddy Hield 80 25.3 13.5 0.7 3.2 3.8 1.9 1.1 0.3 1.6 1.9 5.2 11.7 .446 2.2 5.1 .431 0.9 1.0 .877
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 10 28.9 15.7 - - 4.3 3.2 - - - 2.6 6.1 15.9 .384 - - - 3.5 4.4 .795
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1964-652018-19
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
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 Havlicek 75 28.9 18.3 - - 4.9 2.7 - - - 2.7 7.6 18.9 .401 - - - 3.1 4.2 .744
difference:+7+3.0+2.4+0.1+0.2-0.2+2.3+.057+1.0+1.8+.142
Buddy Hield 82 31.9 20.7 1.3 3.7 5.0 2.5 0.7 0.4 1.8 2.5 7.6 16.6 .458 3.4 7.9 .427 2.1 2.4 .886
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 12 33.8 18.5 - - 7.3 2.4 - - - 3.7 7.3 20.8 .352 - - - 3.8 4.6 .836
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1965-662019-20
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
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 Havlicek 71 30.6 18.8 - - 6.0 3.0 - - - 2.2 7.5 18.7 .399 - - - 3.9 4.9 .785
difference:+1+0.2+0.4+1.4-0.1+0.6+2.6+.030+2.3+3.0+.061
Buddy Hield 72 30.8 19.2 0.8 3.8 4.6 3.0 0.9 0.2 2.3 2.3 6.9 16.1 .429 3.8 9.6 .394 1.6 1.9 .846
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 17 42.3 23.6 - - 9.1 4.1 - - - 4.1 9.0 22.0 .409 - - - 5.6 6.6 .841
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1966-672020-21
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Div FinalsDid Not Play
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 Havlicek 81 32.1 21.4 - - 6.6 3.4 - - - 2.6 8.4 19.0 .444 - - - 4.5 5.4 .828
difference:+10+2.2+4.8+1.9+0.2-0.1+2.7+5.0+.038+3.3+3.9+.018
Buddy Hield 71 34.3 16.6 0.4 4.3 4.7 3.6 0.9 0.4 1.8 2.5 5.7 14.0 .406 4.0 10.2 .391 1.2 1.5 .846
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 9 36.7 27.4 - - 8.1 3.1 - - - 3.3 10.6 23.6 .448 - - - 6.3 7.9 .803
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1967-682021-22
Team Boston CelticsSacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
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 Havlicek 82 35.6 20.7 - - 6.7 4.7 - - - 2.9 8.1 18.9 .429 - - - 4.5 5.5 .812
difference:+1+4.7+5.1+2.3+1.9-0.6+2.6+5.3+.023+3.1+3.9+.062
Buddy Hield 81 30.9 15.6 0.8 3.5 4.4 2.8 0.9 0.3 1.9 2.3 5.5 13.6 .406 3.2 8.8 .366 1.4 1.6 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 19 45.4 25.9 - - 8.6 7.5 - - - 3.5 9.7 21.4 .452 - - - 6.6 7.9 .828
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1968-692022-23
Team Boston CelticsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
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 Havlicek 82 38.7 21.6 - - 7.0 5.4 - - - 3.0 8.4 20.8 .405 - - - 4.7 6.0 .780
difference:+2+7.7+4.8+2.0+2.6-1.0+2.5+7.8+.053+3.4+4.4+.042
Buddy Hield 80 31.0 16.8 0.8 4.2 5.0 2.8 1.2 0.3 1.7 2.0 5.9 13.0 .458 3.6 8.5 .425 1.3 1.6 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 18 47.2 25.4 - - 9.9 5.6 - - - 3.2 9.4 21.2 .445 - - - 6.6 7.7 .855
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 8

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1969-702023-24
Team Boston CelticsIndiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers 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 Havlicek 81 41.6 24.2 - - 7.8 6.8 - - - 2.6 9.1 19.6 .464 - - - 6.0 7.1 .844
difference:+3+15.9+12.1+4.6+4.0-0.6+4.7+9.5+.028+5.4+6.4+.037
Buddy Hield 84 25.7 12.1 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.8 0.8 0.5 1.2 2.0 4.4 10.1 .436 2.6 6.8 .386 0.6 0.7 .881
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek DNP------ --- ----------
Buddy Hield 4 12.8 5.5 0.5 0.8 1.3 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.5 1.0 1.8 4.3 .412 1.5 3.3 .462 0.5 0.5 1.000

Season 9

John Havlicek Buddy Hield
Season 1970-712024-25
Team Boston CelticsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek 81 45.4 28.9 - - 9.0 7.5 - - - 2.5 11.0 24.5 .450 - - - 6.8 8.4 .818
difference:+1+22.7+17.8+5.8+5.9-0.9+7.0+14.9+.033+6.2+7.6+.010
Buddy Hield 82 22.7 11.1 0.6 2.6 3.2 1.6 0.8 0.3 1.1 1.6 4.0 9.6 .417 2.5 6.7 .370 0.6 0.8 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Havlicek DNP------ --- ----------
Buddy Hield 12 27.3 12.5 1.5 2.0 3.5 1.8 1.2 0.4 1.1 2.0 4.3 10.4 .416 2.8 6.4 .429 1.1 1.2 .929

Additional Years

* John Havlicek played 7 seasons more than Buddy Hield in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 16, from 1972 to 1978—John Havlicek played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 7 extra years over Buddy Hield, John Havlicek got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Finals MVP
Achievement 3 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 2 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 5 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 7 All-Star Game