J.R. Smith vs. Zion Williamson Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Zion Williamson and J.R. Smith, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other
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.
J.R. Smith played 16 years in the NBA, 11 more than Zion Williamson, who played 5. J.R. Smith had the first of his seasons in 2004-05, while Zion Williamson had his rookie season in 2019-20. 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 |
| J.R. Smith | 16 | 12 | 2004-05 to 2019-20 |
| Zion Williamson | 5 | 0 | 2019-20 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| J.R. Smith | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2004-05 | 2019-20 |
| Team | New Orleans Hornets | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | - |  All-Rookie First Team |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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Rookie Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 76 | 24.5 | 10.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 9.8 | .394 | 1.1 | 3.7 | .288 | 1.5 | 2.1 | .689 |
| difference: | +52 | +3.3 | +12.2 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +4.3 | +0.2 | +0.3 | -1.1 | +4.9 | +5.2 | +.189 | +0.8 | +3.1 | +.141 | +3.3 | +5.3 | +.049 | ||
| Zion Williamson | 24 | 27.8 | 22.5 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 8.8 | 15.0 | .583 | 0.3 | 0.6 | .429 | 4.8 | 7.4 | .640 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher J.R. Smith nor Zion Williamson played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| J.R. Smith | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2005-06 | 2020-21 |
| Team | New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 55 | 18.0 | 7.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 6.7 | .393 | 0.9 | 2.5 | .371 | 1.5 | 1.8 | .822 |
| difference: | +6 | +15.2 | +19.3 | +2.4 | +2.8 | +5.2 | +2.6 | +0.2 | +0.5 | -1.7 | -0.6 | +7.8 | +10.3 | +.218 | +0.7 | +1.9 | +.077 | +4.5 | +6.9 | +.124 |
| Zion Williamson | 61 | 33.2 | 27.0 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 7.2 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 10.4 | 17.0 | .611 | 0.2 | 0.6 | .294 | 6.0 | 8.7 | .698 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher J.R. Smith nor Zion Williamson played in the postseason in their season 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Note: Zion Williamson didn't play in 2021-22.
Season 3 |
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| J.R. Smith | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2006-07 | 2022-23 |
| Team | Denver Nuggets | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Did Not Play |
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 63 | 23.3 | 13.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 10.2 | .441 | 2.4 | 6.1 | .390 | 1.6 | 2.0 | .810 |
| difference: | +34 | +9.7 | +13.0 | +1.5 | +3.2 | +4.7 | +3.2 | +0.3 | +0.5 | -2.1 | -0.1 | +5.3 | +6.0 | +.167 | +2.2 | +5.4 | +.022 | +4.5 | +6.6 | +.096 |
| Zion Williamson | 29 | 33.0 | 26.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 9.8 | 16.2 | .608 | 0.2 | 0.7 | .368 | 6.1 | 8.6 | .714 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 4 | 11.8 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 5.5 | .273 | 0.0 | 3.0 | .000 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.000 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 4 |
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| J.R. Smith | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2007-08 | 2023-24 |
| Team | Denver Nuggets | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Did Not Play |
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 74 | 19.2 | 12.3 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 9.1 | .461 | 2.1 | 5.3 | .403 | 1.7 | 2.4 | .719 |
| difference: | +4 | +12.3 | +10.6 | +1.1 | +2.6 | +3.7 | +3.3 | +0.3 | +0.5 | -1.3 | -0.4 | +4.7 | +6.5 | +.109 | +2.0 | +5.0 | +.070 | +3.3 | +4.7 | +.017 |
| Zion Williamson | 70 | 31.5 | 22.9 | 1.7 | 4.1 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 8.9 | 15.6 | .570 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .333 | 5.0 | 7.1 | .702 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 4 | 27.0 | 18.3 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 5.8 | 10.8 | .535 | 1.8 | 5.5 | .318 | 5.0 | 6.0 | .833 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 5 |
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| J.R. Smith | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2008-09 | 2024-25 |
| Team | Denver Nuggets | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Nuggets Lost West Conf Finals | Did Not Play |
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 81 | 27.7 | 15.2 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 5.2 | 11.7 | .446 | 2.2 | 5.6 | .397 | 2.5 | 3.4 | .754 |
| difference: | +51 | +0.9 | +9.4 | +2.0 | +1.6 | +3.5 | +2.5 | +0.2 | +0.7 | -1.1 | -0.4 | +4.4 | +5.2 | +.121 | +2.1 | +5.2 | +.166 | +2.8 | +4.6 | +.098 |
| Zion Williamson | 30 | 28.6 | 24.6 | 2.5 | 4.7 | 7.2 | 5.3 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 9.6 | 16.9 | .567 | 0.1 | 0.4 | .231 | 5.3 | 8.0 | .656 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| J.R. Smith | 16 | 27.2 | 14.9 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 5.5 | 12.1 | .454 | 2.4 | 6.6 | .358 | 1.6 | 2.9 | .543 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Additional Years |
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* J.R. Smith played 11 seasons more than Zion Williamson in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 16, from 2010 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 9 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 11 extra years over Zion Williamson, J.R. Smith got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 Sixth Man of the Year |