John Johnson vs. Karl-Anthony Towns Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Karl-Anthony Towns and John Johnson, 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.

John Johnson played 12 years in the NBA, 3 more than Karl-Anthony Towns, who played 9. John Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Karl-Anthony Towns had his rookie season in 2015-16. 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
John Johnson 12 5 1970-71 to 1981-82
Karl-Anthony Towns 9 4 2015-16 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1970-712015-16
Team Cleveland CavaliersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
John Johnson 67 34.5 16.6 - - 6.8 4.8 - - - 3.7 6.5 15.4 .422 - - - 3.6 4.4 .805
Karl-Anthony Towns 82 32.0 18.3 2.8 7.7 10.5 2.0 0.7 1.7 2.2 3.0 7.6 14.1 .542 0.4 1.1 .341 2.7 3.4 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 2

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1971-722016-17
Team Cleveland CavaliersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
John Johnson 82 37.1 17.0 - - 7.7 5.1 - - - 3.3 6.8 15.7 .433 - - - 3.4 4.3 .785
Karl-Anthony Towns 82 37.0 25.1 3.6 8.7 12.3 2.7 0.7 1.3 2.6 2.9 9.8 18.0 .542 1.2 3.4 .367 4.3 5.2 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 3

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1972-732017-18
Team Cleveland CavaliersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 82 34.3 14.4 - - 6.7 3.8 - - - 3.0 6.0 13.9 .430 - - - 2.4 3.3 .734
Karl-Anthony Towns 82 35.6 21.3 2.9 9.4 12.3 2.4 0.8 1.4 1.9 3.5 7.8 14.3 .545 1.5 3.5 .421 4.2 4.9 .858
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns 5 34.0 15.2 3.0 10.4 13.4 2.2 0.4 1.0 2.4 2.8 5.6 12.0 .467 0.6 2.2 .273 3.4 4.6 .739

Season 4

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1973-742018-19
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
John Johnson 69 33.1 16.4 2.3 5.1 7.5 4.1 1.0 0.4 - 3.2 6.7 14.3 .464 - - - 3.1 3.8 .812
Karl-Anthony Towns 77 33.1 24.4 3.4 9.0 12.4 3.4 0.9 1.6 3.1 3.8 8.8 17.1 .518 1.8 4.6 .400 4.9 5.8 .836
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 5

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1974-752019-20
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
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 %
John Johnson 80 31.8 16.1 2.0 4.2 6.3 3.0 0.9 0.5 - 3.1 6.6 13.5 .487 - - - 3.0 3.8 .784
Karl-Anthony Towns 35 33.9 26.5 2.7 8.1 10.8 4.4 0.9 1.2 3.1 3.3 9.0 17.8 .508 3.3 7.9 .412 5.1 6.5 .796
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 6

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1975-762020-21
Team Portland Trail Blazers, Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
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 %
John Johnson 76 22.3 9.9 1.2 3.1 4.4 2.9 0.8 0.5 - 2.6 4.2 9.2 .453 - - - 1.6 2.0 .774
Karl-Anthony Towns 50 33.8 24.8 2.7 7.9 10.6 4.5 0.8 1.1 3.2 3.7 8.5 17.5 .486 2.4 6.3 .387 5.3 6.2 .859
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 7

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1976-772021-22
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost East Conf FinalsTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 79 22.0 9.3 0.9 2.4 3.4 2.1 0.6 0.3 - 2.5 4.0 8.8 .458 - - - 1.2 1.7 .712
Karl-Anthony Towns 74 33.5 24.6 2.6 7.2 9.8 3.6 1.0 1.1 3.1 3.6 8.7 16.4 .529 2.0 4.9 .410 5.2 6.3 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 12 12.2 4.8 0.6 1.8 2.4 0.8 0.3 0.0 - 1.7 2.0 5.1 .393 - - - 0.8 1.3 .667
Karl-Anthony Towns 6 37.0 21.8 1.8 9.0 10.8 2.2 0.7 2.0 4.5 4.2 6.5 13.3 .488 1.7 3.7 .455 7.2 8.3 .860

Season 8

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1977-782022-23
Team Houston Rockets, Seattle SupersonicsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics Lost NBA FinalsTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 77 23.7 10.6 1.3 2.7 4.0 2.7 0.6 0.2 2.2 2.6 4.4 10.7 .415 - - - 1.7 2.3 .751
Karl-Anthony Towns 29 33.0 20.8 1.7 6.5 8.1 4.8 0.7 0.6 3.0 3.8 7.3 14.8 .495 2.1 5.7 .366 4.1 4.7 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 22 27.1 10.1 1.6 2.9 4.5 2.5 0.4 0.3 2.4 2.9 4.3 10.2 .424 - - - 1.5 2.1 .696
Karl-Anthony Towns 5 36.0 18.2 1.2 9.0 10.2 2.0 0.6 0.8 3.6 4.2 6.4 14.0 .457 1.2 4.8 .250 4.2 5.6 .750

Season 9

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1978-792023-24
Team Seattle SupersonicsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionTimberwolves TBD
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 82 29.1 11.0 1.5 3.5 5.0 4.4 0.7 0.3 3.1 3.0 4.3 10.0 .434 - - - 2.3 3.0 .760
Karl-Anthony Towns 62 32.7 21.8 1.5 6.8 8.3 3.0 0.7 0.7 2.9 3.3 7.7 15.3 .504 2.2 5.3 .416 4.1 4.7 .873
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 17 36.2 12.2 2.4 4.4 6.8 5.4 1.0 0.2 3.8 2.9 4.9 10.3 .474 - - - 2.4 3.8 .641
Karl-Anthony Towns 11 32.4 18.8 2.0 7.3 9.3 2.8 0.7 0.3 1.8 3.9 6.8 13.2 .517 2.0 4.5 .440 3.2 3.8 .833

Season 10

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1979-80-
Team Seattle Supersonics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics 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 %
John Johnson 81 31.3 11.3 2.0 3.2 5.3 5.2 0.9 0.4 3.0 2.6 4.7 9.5 .488 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .801
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 15 32.4 12.4 2.9 3.9 6.8 5.7 0.5 0.2 3.7 3.0 5.2 10.5 .494 0.0 0.1 .000 2.0 2.5 .811
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 11

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1980-81-
Team Seattle Supersonics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 80 29.1 11.5 1.7 2.8 4.5 3.9 0.7 0.3 2.9 2.5 4.7 10.8 .431 0.0 0.0 .000 2.2 2.7 .808
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 12

John Johnson Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 1981-82-
Team Seattle Supersonics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Supersonics 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 %
John Johnson 14 13.4 4.2 0.2 1.1 1.3 2.1 0.3 0.2 1.2 1.4 1.6 3.2 .489 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.4 .750
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Johnson 7 22.7 5.4 1.0 1.0 2.0 4.9 0.9 0.0 1.6 2.4 2.1 5.4 .395 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.6 .727
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------