John Starks vs. Jayson Tatum Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jayson Tatum and John Starks, 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 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 Starks played 13 years in the NBA, 5 more than Jayson Tatum, who played 8. John Starks had the first of his seasons in 1988-89, while Jayson Tatum had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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 Starks 13 9 1988-89 to 2001-02
Jayson Tatum 8 8 2017-18 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1988-892017-18
Team Golden State WarriorsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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 Starks 36 8.8 4.1 0.4 0.7 1.1 0.8 0.6 0.1 1.1 1.0 1.4 3.5 .408 0.3 0.7 .385 0.9 1.4 .654
difference:+44+21.7+9.8+0.2+3.7+3.9+0.8+0.4+0.6-0.3-1.1+3.6+6.9+.067+1.0+2.3+.049+1.8+1.8+.172
Jayson Tatum 80 30.5 13.9 0.6 4.4 5.0 1.6 1.0 0.7 1.4 2.1 5.0 10.4 .475 1.3 3.0 .434 2.7 3.2 .826
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks DNP------ --- ----------
Jayson Tatum 19 35.9 18.5 0.5 3.8 4.4 2.7 1.2 0.5 2.2 2.6 6.5 13.7 .471 1.2 3.7 .324 4.3 5.1 .845

Note: John Starks didn't play in 1989-90.

Season 2

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1990-912018-19
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
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 Starks 61 19.2 7.6 0.5 1.7 2.1 3.3 1.0 0.3 1.2 2.2 3.0 6.7 .439 0.4 1.5 .290 1.3 1.7 .752
difference:+18+11.9+8.1+0.4+3.5+3.9+1.2+0.1+0.4-0.3-0.1+2.9+6.4+.011+1.1+2.4+.083+1.2+1.2+.103
Jayson Tatum 79 31.1 15.7 0.9 5.2 6.0 2.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 2.1 5.9 13.1 .450 1.5 3.9 .373 2.5 2.9 .855
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 3 9.3 2.0 0.3 0.7 1.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 1.3 0.7 1.7 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.7 1.000
difference:+6+23.5+13.2+0.5+5.2+5.7+0.1+1.1+0.8-1.0+4.7+10.7+.038+1.1+3.4+2.5+3.6+.256
Jayson Tatum 9 32.8 15.2 0.8 5.9 6.7 1.9 1.1 0.8 2.0 2.3 5.4 12.4 .438 1.1 3.4 .323 3.2 4.3 .744

Season 3

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1991-922019-20
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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 Starks 82 25.8 13.9 0.5 1.8 2.3 3.4 1.3 0.2 1.8 2.8 4.9 11.0 .449 1.1 3.3 .348 2.9 3.7 .778
difference:+16+8.5+9.5+0.5+4.2+4.7+0.4+0.1+0.7-0.5-0.7+3.5+7.6+.001+1.8+3.8+.055+0.9+1.0+.034
Jayson Tatum 66 34.3 23.4 1.0 6.0 7.0 3.0 1.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 8.4 18.6 .450 2.9 7.1 .403 3.8 4.7 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 12 24.6 12.1 0.6 1.9 2.5 3.2 1.4 0.0 1.8 3.8 3.8 10.3 .374 0.9 3.8 .239 3.5 4.3 .808
difference:+5+16.0+13.6+0.7+6.8+7.5+1.8+0.4+1.2-1.0-1.4+4.7+9.3+.060+1.9+3.6+.134+2.4+2.9+.005
Jayson Tatum 17 40.6 25.7 1.3 8.7 10.0 5.0 1.0 1.2 2.8 2.4 8.5 19.6 .434 2.8 7.4 .373 5.9 7.2 .813

Season 4

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1992-932020-21
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsCeltics Lost East 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 Starks 80 31.0 17.5 0.7 1.9 2.6 5.1 1.1 0.2 2.2 2.9 6.4 15.0 .428 1.4 4.2 .321 3.3 4.1 .795
difference:+16+4.8+8.9+0.1+4.7+4.8+0.8+0.1+0.3-0.5-1.0+3.1+5.6+.031+1.5+3.4+.065+1.3+1.2+.073
Jayson Tatum 64 35.8 26.4 0.8 6.6 7.4 4.3 1.2 0.5 2.7 1.9 9.5 20.6 .459 2.9 7.6 .386 4.6 5.3 .868
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 15 38.3 16.5 0.3 3.2 3.5 6.4 1.0 0.2 3.7 3.8 5.9 13.3 .440 1.9 5.0 .373 2.9 4.0 .717
difference:+10+1.3+14.1+0.3+2.0+2.3+1.8+0.2+1.4-1.1-0.8+3.5+8.9+.017+0.9+2.2+.016+6.1+5.8+.201
Jayson Tatum 5 37.0 30.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 4.6 1.2 1.6 2.6 3.0 9.4 22.2 .423 2.8 7.2 .389 9.0 9.8 .918

Season 5

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1993-942021-22
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost NBA FinalsCeltics 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 Starks 59 34.9 19.0 0.6 2.5 3.1 5.9 1.6 0.1 3.1 3.2 6.9 16.6 .420 1.9 5.7 .335 3.2 4.2 .754
difference:+17+1.0+7.9+0.5+4.4+4.9+1.5+0.6+0.5-0.2-0.9+2.4+4.0+.033+1.1+2.9+.018+2.1+2.0+.099
Jayson Tatum 76 35.9 26.9 1.1 6.9 8.0 4.4 1.0 0.6 2.9 2.3 9.3 20.6 .453 3.0 8.6 .353 5.3 6.2 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 25 33.6 14.6 0.4 2.0 2.3 4.6 1.4 0.1 2.3 3.4 4.4 11.6 .381 1.9 5.3 .356 3.9 5.0 .770
difference:+1+7.4+11.0+0.6+3.7+4.4+1.6+0.2+0.8-1.9-0.4+4.0+8.1+.045+1.3+2.9+.037+1.8+2.1+.030
Jayson Tatum 24 41.0 25.6 1.0 5.7 6.7 6.2 1.2 0.9 4.2 3.0 8.4 19.7 .426 3.2 8.2 .393 5.7 7.1 .800

Season 6

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1994-952022-23
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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 Starks 80 34.1 15.3 0.4 2.3 2.7 5.1 1.2 0.1 2.0 3.2 5.2 13.3 .395 2.7 7.6 .355 2.1 2.9 .737
difference:+6+2.8+14.8+0.7+5.4+6.1+0.5+0.1+0.6-0.9-1.0+4.6+7.8+.071+0.5+1.7+.005+5.1+5.5+.117
Jayson Tatum 74 36.9 30.1 1.1 7.7 8.8 4.6 1.1 0.7 2.9 2.2 9.8 21.1 .466 3.2 9.3 .350 7.2 8.4 .854
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 11 34.5 15.6 0.2 2.1 2.3 5.2 1.2 0.1 2.4 3.6 5.3 11.7 .450 2.7 6.6 .411 2.4 3.8 .619
difference:+9+5.5+11.6+1.1+7.1+8.2+0.1+0.1+1.0-0.4-1.4+4.0+8.5+.008+1.6+.088+3.6+3.1+.257
Jayson Tatum 20 40.0 27.2 1.3 9.2 10.5 5.3 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.2 9.3 20.2 .458 2.7 8.2 .323 6.0 6.9 .876

Season 7

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1995-962023-24
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
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 Starks 81 30.8 12.6 0.4 2.5 2.9 3.9 1.3 0.1 1.9 2.8 4.6 10.4 .443 1.8 4.9 .361 1.6 2.1 .753
difference:+7+4.9+14.3+0.5+4.7+5.2+1.0+0.3+0.5-0.6-0.8+4.5+8.9+.028+1.3+3.3+.015+4.0+4.6+.080
Jayson Tatum 74 35.7 26.9 0.9 7.2 8.1 4.9 1.0 0.6 2.5 2.0 9.1 19.3 .471 3.1 8.2 .376 5.6 6.7 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 8 39.3 16.0 0.4 3.3 3.6 4.1 1.6 0.1 3.1 3.3 4.9 10.9 .448 2.6 5.6 .467 3.6 4.9 .744
difference:+11+1.1+9.0+0.5+5.5+6.1+2.2+0.5+0.6-0.5-0.5+3.5+8.7+.021+0.5+1.7+.184+2.6+2.3+.117
Jayson Tatum 19 40.4 25.0 0.9 8.8 9.7 6.3 1.1 0.7 2.6 2.8 8.4 19.6 .427 2.1 7.3 .283 6.2 7.2 .861

Season 8

John Starks Jayson Tatum
Season 1996-972024-25
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement Sixth Man of the Year-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
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 Starks 77 26.5 13.8 0.5 2.2 2.7 2.8 1.2 0.1 2.1 2.5 4.8 11.1 .431 1.9 5.3 .369 2.2 2.9 .769
difference:+5+9.9+13.0+0.2+5.8+6.0+3.2+0.1+0.4-0.8-0.3+4.4+9.2+.021+1.6+4.8+.026+2.8+3.2+.045
Jayson Tatum 72 36.4 26.8 0.7 8.0 8.7 6.0 1.1 0.5 2.9 2.2 9.2 20.3 .452 3.5 10.1 .343 5.0 6.1 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
John Starks 9 28.3 14.0 0.8 2.7 3.4 2.8 1.1 0.0 2.2 2.8 4.9 11.0 .444 1.4 4.6 .317 2.8 3.4 .806
difference:+1+12.0+14.1+0.3+7.7+8.1+2.6+1.0+0.8-1.1-0.2+4.4+10.9+.021+2.2+5.2+.055+3.2+3.4+.083
Jayson Tatum 8 40.3 28.1 1.1 10.4 11.5 5.4 2.1 0.8 3.3 2.6 9.3 21.9 .423 3.6 9.8 .372 6.0 6.8 .889

Additional Years

* John Starks played 5 seasons more than Jayson Tatum in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 13, from 1998 to 2002—John Starks played in two Playoffs.