Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. Jamal Murray Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jamal Murray and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 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

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.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 20 years in the NBA, 12 more than Jamal Murray, who played 8. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the first of his seasons in 1969-70, while Jamal Murray 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
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 20 18 1969-70 to 1988-89
Jamal Murray 8 5 2016-17 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1969-702016-17
Team Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Div FinalsDid 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%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 82 43.1 28.8 - - 14.5 4.1 - - - 3.5 11.4 22.1 .518 - - - 5.9 9.1 .653
difference:+21.6+18.9+11.9+2.0-2.0+7.8+13.2+.114+4.6+7.6+.230
Jamal Murray 82 21.5 9.9 0.5 2.1 2.6 2.1 0.6 0.3 1.4 1.5 3.6 8.9 .404 1.4 4.2 .334 1.3 1.5 .883
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10 43.5 35.2 - - 16.8 4.1 - - - 2.5 13.9 24.5 .567 - - - 7.4 10.1 .733
Jamal Murray DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1970-712017-18
Team Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 82 40.1 31.7 - - 16.0 3.3 - - - 3.2 13.0 22.5 .577 - - - 5.7 8.3 .690
difference:+1+8.4+15.0+12.3+0.1-1.1+7.1+9.4+.126+2.9+5.2+.215
Jamal Murray 81 31.7 16.7 1.0 2.7 3.7 3.4 1.0 0.3 2.1 2.1 5.9 13.1 .451 2.0 5.4 .378 2.8 3.1 .905
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 14 41.2 26.6 - - 17.0 2.5 - - - 3.2 10.9 21.1 .515 - - - 4.9 7.2 .673
Jamal Murray DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1971-722018-19
Team Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks Lost West Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 81 44.2 34.8 - - 16.6 4.6 - - - 2.9 14.3 24.9 .574 - - - 6.2 9.0 .689
difference:+6+11.6+16.6+12.4+0.2-0.9+7.5+9.3+.137+3.7+6.0+.159
Jamal Murray 75 32.6 18.2 0.9 3.4 4.2 4.8 0.9 0.4 2.1 2.0 6.8 15.6 .437 2.0 5.5 .367 2.5 3.0 .848
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 11 46.4 28.7 - - 18.2 5.1 - - - 3.2 12.6 28.9 .437 - - - 3.5 4.9 .704
difference:+3+10.1+7.4+13.8+0.4-1.5+5.0+10.9+.012+0.5+0.5+.199
Jamal Murray 14 36.3 21.3 1.4 3.0 4.4 4.7 1.0 0.1 1.6 1.7 7.6 18.0 .425 2.0 5.9 .337 4.0 4.4 .903

Season 4
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1972-732019-20
Team Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks Lost West Conf SemisNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 76 42.8 30.2 - - 16.1 5.0 - - - 2.7 12.9 23.3 .554 - - - 4.3 6.1 .713
difference:+17+10.5+11.7+12.1+0.2-1.0+6.0+8.1+.098+1.5+3.0+.168
Jamal Murray 59 32.3 18.5 0.8 3.2 4.0 4.8 1.1 0.3 2.2 1.7 6.9 15.2 .456 1.9 5.5 .346 2.8 3.1 .881
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 6 46.0 22.8 - - 16.2 2.8 - - - 4.3 9.8 23.0 .428 - - - 3.2 5.8 .543
difference:+13+6.4+3.7+11.4+3.8-2.1+3.6+.077+0.5+1.7+.354
Jamal Murray 19 39.6 26.5 1.1 3.8 4.8 6.6 0.9 0.3 2.8 2.2 9.8 19.4 .505 3.3 7.2 .453 3.7 4.1 .897

Season 5
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1973-742020-21
Team Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks Lost NBA 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%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 81 43.8 27.0 3.5 11.0 14.5 4.8 1.4 3.5 - 2.9 11.7 21.7 .539 - - - 3.6 5.2 .702
difference:+33+8.3+5.8+2.7+7.7+10.5+0.1+3.2-0.9+3.8+5.2+.062+0.8+2.0+.167
Jamal Murray 48 35.5 21.2 0.8 3.3 4.0 4.8 1.3 0.3 2.3 2.0 7.9 16.5 .477 2.7 6.6 .408 2.8 3.2 .869
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 16 47.4 32.2 4.2 11.6 15.8 4.9 1.3 2.4 - 2.6 14.0 25.1 .557 - - - 4.2 5.7 .736
Jamal Murray DNP------ --- ----------

Note: Jamal Murray didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 6
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1974-752022-23
Team Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement Blocks Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 65 42.3 30.0 3.0 11.0 14.0 4.1 1.0 3.3 - 3.2 12.5 24.4 .513 - - - 5.0 6.6 .763
difference:+9.5+10.0+2.3+7.8+10.0+2.1+3.1-1.6+5.2+8.4+.059+2.2+3.3+.070
Jamal Murray 65 32.8 20.0 0.7 3.2 4.0 6.2 1.0 0.2 2.2 1.6 7.3 16.0 .454 2.6 6.6 .398 2.8 3.3 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar DNP------ --- ----------
Jamal Murray 20 40.0 26.1 0.8 4.9 5.7 7.1 1.5 0.3 2.5 2.1 9.7 20.5 .473 3.0 7.5 .396 3.8 4.1 .926

Season 7
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1975-762023-24
Team Los Angeles LakersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Rebounds Leader-
Achievement Blocks Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 82 41.2 27.7 3.3 13.5 16.9 5.0 1.5 4.1 - 3.6 11.1 21.1 .529 - - - 5.5 7.8 .703
difference:+23+9.7+6.5+2.6+10.1+12.8+1.5+0.5+3.4-1.8+3.1+4.4+.048+2.8+4.7+.150
Jamal Murray 59 31.5 21.2 0.7 3.4 4.1 6.5 1.0 0.7 2.1 1.8 8.0 16.7 .481 2.5 5.8 .425 2.7 3.1 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar DNP------ --- ----------
Jamal Murray 12 38.5 20.6 0.8 3.6 4.3 5.6 0.8 0.5 2.6 2.3 8.3 20.8 .402 1.9 6.1 .315 2.0 2.2 .923

Season 8
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamal Murray
Season 1976-772024-25
Team Los Angeles LakersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West 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%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 82 36.8 26.2 3.2 10.0 13.3 3.9 1.2 3.2 - 3.2 10.8 18.7 .579 - - - 4.6 6.5 .701
difference:+15+0.7+4.8+2.5+6.8+9.4+2.1+0.2+2.7-1.3+2.9+2.0+.105+1.3+2.8+.185
Jamal Murray 67 36.1 21.4 0.7 3.2 3.9 6.0 1.4 0.5 2.1 1.9 7.9 16.7 .474 2.3 5.9 .393 3.3 3.7 .886
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 11 42.5 34.6 4.6 13.1 17.7 4.1 1.7 3.5 - 3.8 13.4 22.0 .607 - - - 7.9 10.9 .725
difference:+3+1.2+12.8+4.0+8.9+12.8+1.1+0.5+2.7-1.6+5.5+4.1+.163+4.4+6.9+.150
Jamal Murray 14 41.3 21.8 0.6 4.2 4.9 5.2 1.2 0.8 3.1 2.2 7.9 17.9 .444 2.4 6.9 .354 3.5 4.0 .875

Additional Years

* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played 12 seasons more than Jamal Murray in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 20, from 1978 to 1989—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in 12 Playoffs and won 5 NBA Championships.

In those 12 extra years over Jamal Murray, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Finals MVP
Achievement 1 Season MVP
Achievement 4 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 4 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 3 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 2 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 2 Blocks Leader
Achievement 11 All-Star Game
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