John Paxson vs. Arvydas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Arvydas Sabonis and John Paxson, 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 Paxson played 11 years in the NBA, 4 more than Arvydas Sabonis, who played 7. John Paxson had the first of his seasons in 1983-84, while Arvydas Sabonis had his rookie season in 1995-96. 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 Paxson 11 10 1983-84 to 1993-94
Arvydas Sabonis 7 7 1995-96 to 2002-03

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1983-841995-96
Team San Antonio SpursPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 49 9.3 2.9 0.1 0.6 0.7 3.0 0.2 0.0 0.7 1.0 1.2 2.8 .445 0.1 0.4 .182 0.3 0.5 .615
Arvydas Sabonis 73 23.8 14.5 2.0 6.0 8.1 1.8 0.9 1.1 2.1 2.9 5.4 9.9 .545 0.5 1.4 .375 3.2 4.2 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson ------- --- ----------
Arvydas Sabonis 5 35.4 23.6 2.4 7.8 10.2 1.8 0.8 0.6 2.0 3.4 7.0 16.2 .432 1.0 1.8 .556 8.6 12.0 .717

Season 2

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1984-851996-97
Team San Antonio SpursPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf 1st RdTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 78 16.1 6.2 0.2 0.6 0.9 2.8 0.6 0.0 1.0 1.5 2.5 4.9 .509 0.1 0.4 .294 1.1 1.3 .840
Arvydas Sabonis 69 25.5 13.4 1.7 6.3 7.9 2.1 0.9 1.2 2.2 2.9 4.8 9.5 .498 0.7 1.9 .371 3.2 4.2 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 5 22.8 10.2 0.0 1.0 1.0 4.2 1.0 0.0 1.0 1.8 4.2 8.4 .500 0.4 1.8 .222 1.4 1.8 .778
Arvydas Sabonis 4 26.8 11.3 2.0 4.5 6.5 2.3 0.8 0.8 2.3 4.8 4.5 10.5 .429 0.5 2.0 .250 1.8 2.0 .875

Season 3

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1985-861997-98
Team Chicago BullsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st RdTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 75 20.9 5.3 0.2 1.0 1.3 3.7 0.7 0.0 0.8 2.3 2.0 4.4 .466 0.2 0.7 .300 1.0 1.2 .804
Arvydas Sabonis 73 32.0 16.0 2.0 7.9 10.0 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.6 3.7 5.6 11.3 .493 0.4 1.6 .261 4.4 5.5 .798
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 3 26.7 9.0 0.0 0.0 0 1.7 1.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 2.3 5.0 .467 0.0 0.0 - 4.3 5.7 .765
Arvydas Sabonis 4 26.8 12.3 1.8 6.0 7.8 1.5 1.8 0.8 2.5 4.8 4.5 10.0 .450 0.3 0.5 .500 3.0 3.5 .857

Season 4

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1986-871998-99
Team Chicago BullsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st RdTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 82 32.8 11.3 0.3 1.4 1.7 5.7 0.8 0.1 1.3 2.5 4.7 9.7 .487 0.6 1.7 .371 1.3 1.6 .809
Arvydas Sabonis 50 27.0 12.1 1.8 6.1 7.9 2.4 0.7 1.3 1.7 2.9 4.6 9.6 .485 0.1 0.5 .292 2.7 3.5 .771
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 3 29.0 8.7 0.0 1.0 1.0 3.7 0.7 0.0 1.7 3.0 3.7 7.3 .500 1.0 2.3 .429 0.3 0.3 1.000
Arvydas Sabonis 13 30.1 10.0 0.9 7.8 8.8 2.2 1.2 1.2 1.5 2.7 3.5 8.7 .398 0.1 0.4 .200 3.0 3.3 .907

Season 5

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1987-881999-00
Team Chicago BullsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf SemisTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 81 23.3 7.9 0.2 1.1 1.3 3.7 0.6 0.0 0.8 1.9 3.5 7.2 .493 0.4 1.2 .347 0.4 0.6 .733
Arvydas Sabonis 66 25.6 11.8 1.5 6.3 7.8 1.8 0.7 1.2 1.5 2.8 4.6 9.1 .505 0.1 0.3 .368 2.5 3.0 .843
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 10 16.5 4.6 0.0 0.4 0.4 3.0 0.1 0.1 0.5 2.4 2.0 5.3 .377 0.2 1.2 .167 0.4 0.4 1.000
Arvydas Sabonis 16 30.8 11.3 1.2 5.5 6.7 1.9 0.9 0.8 1.6 3.7 4.3 9.4 .453 0.4 1.3 .286 2.4 3.1 .796

Season 6

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1988-892000-01
Team Chicago BullsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf FinalsTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 78 22.3 7.3 0.2 1.0 1.2 3.9 0.7 0.1 0.9 2.1 3.2 6.6 .480 0.6 1.7 .331 0.4 0.5 .861
Arvydas Sabonis 61 21.3 10.1 0.8 4.6 5.4 1.5 0.7 1.0 1.4 2.2 4.0 8.5 .479 0.0 0.2 .067 2.0 2.6 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 16 18.9 5.8 0.1 0.5 0.6 2.1 0.8 0.0 0.9 2.2 2.3 4.9 .474 0.3 1.2 .263 0.9 1.0 .875
Arvydas Sabonis 3 35.0 11.3 2.7 5.7 8.3 2.7 0.3 2.3 0.7 4.0 4.7 9.7 .483 0.0 0.7 .000 2.0 2.7 .750

Note: Arvydas Sabonis didn't play in 2001-02.

Season 7

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1989-902002-03
Team Chicago BullsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf FinalsTrail Blazers 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 Paxson 82 28.8 10.0 0.3 1.1 1.5 4.1 1.0 0.1 1.0 2.1 4.5 8.6 .516 0.4 1.1 .359 0.7 0.8 .824
Arvydas Sabonis 78 15.5 6.1 1.1 3.2 4.3 1.8 0.8 0.6 1.0 1.8 2.2 4.6 .476 0.0 0.1 .500 1.7 2.1 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 15 26.3 6.1 0.1 1.3 1.5 3.6 0.6 0.0 1.0 2.8 2.5 5.8 .425 0.3 0.6 .444 0.9 0.9 1.000
Arvydas Sabonis 6 14.5 10.0 1.0 3.0 4.0 0.8 0.7 0.7 1.0 2.3 4.0 6.0 .667 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .800

Season 8

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1990-91-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 82 24.0 8.7 0.2 0.9 1.1 3.6 0.8 0.0 0.8 1.7 3.9 7.0 .548 0.5 1.2 .438 0.4 0.5 .829
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 17 28.6 8.2 0.1 1.2 1.4 3.1 0.6 0.0 0.4 1.9 3.6 6.9 .530 0.1 0.8 .143 0.8 0.8 1.000
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------

Season 9

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1991-92-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 79 24.6 7.0 0.3 0.9 1.2 3.1 0.6 0.1 0.6 1.8 3.3 6.2 .528 0.2 0.6 .273 0.4 0.5 .784
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 22 27.2 7.9 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 2.4 3.3 6.3 .525 0.5 1.2 .444 0.7 0.9 .842
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------

Season 10

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1992-93-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 59 17.5 4.2 0.2 0.7 0.8 2.3 0.6 0.0 0.5 1.7 1.8 3.9 .451 0.3 0.7 .463 0.3 0.3 .850
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 19 17.4 4.9 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.3 0.1 0.2 1.6 1.8 3.2 .583 0.8 1.3 .625 0.4 0.6 .727
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------

Season 11

John Paxson Arvydas Sabonis
Season 1993-94-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls 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 %
John Paxson 27 12.7 2.6 0.1 0.6 0.7 1.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.7 1.1 2.5 .441 0.3 0.8 .409 0.0 0.1 .500
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Paxson 9 6.4 0.7 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.3 0.8 .429 0.0 0.1 .000 0.0 0.0 -
Arvydas Sabonis ------- --- ----------