Klay Thompson vs. Zion Williamson Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Zion Williamson and Klay Thompson, 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.
Klay Thompson played 13 years in the NBA, 7 more than Zion Williamson, who played 6. Klay Thompson had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, 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 |
| Klay Thompson | 13 | 9 | 2011-12 to 2025-26 |
| Zion Williamson | 6 | 0 | 2019-20 to 2025-26 |
Rookie Season |
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| Klay Thompson | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2011-12 | 2019-20 |
| Team | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards |  All-Rookie First Team | 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 66 | 24.4 | 12.5 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 10.9 | .443 | 1.7 | 4.1 | .414 | 1.2 | 1.4 | .868 |
| difference: | +42 | +3.4 | +10.0 | +2.3 | +1.5 | +3.9 | +0.1 | +0.1 | -0.9 | -0.5 | +4.0 | +4.1 | +.140 | +1.4 | +3.5 | +.015 | +3.6 | +6.0 | +.228 | |
| 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 Klay Thompson nor Zion Williamson played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| Klay Thompson | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2012-13 | 2020-21 |
| Team | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Warriors Lost West Conf Semis | 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 82 | 35.8 | 16.6 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 6.2 | 14.7 | .422 | 2.6 | 6.4 | .401 | 1.6 | 1.9 | .841 |
| difference: | +21 | +2.6 | +10.4 | +2.3 | +1.2 | +3.5 | +1.5 | +0.1 | +0.1 | -0.8 | -0.7 | +4.2 | +2.3 | +.189 | +2.4 | +5.8 | +.107 | +4.4 | +6.8 | +.143 |
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 12 | 41.3 | 15.2 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 6.3 | 14.5 | .437 | 2.1 | 4.9 | .424 | 0.4 | 0.5 | .833 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Note: Zion Williamson didn't play in 2021-22.
Season 3 |
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| Klay Thompson | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2013-14 | 2022-23 |
| Team | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Warriors 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 81 | 35.4 | 18.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 15.5 | .444 | 2.8 | 6.6 | .417 | 1.8 | 2.3 | .795 |
| difference: | +52 | +2.4 | +7.6 | +1.5 | +2.4 | +3.9 | +2.4 | +0.2 | +0.1 | -1.7 | -0.7 | +2.9 | +0.7 | +.164 | +2.6 | +5.9 | +.049 | +4.3 | +6.3 | +.081 |
| 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 7 | 36.7 | 16.4 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 14.0 | .408 | 2.3 | 6.3 | .364 | 2.7 | 3.4 | .792 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 4 |
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| Klay Thompson | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2014-15 | 2023-24 |
| Team | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | All-NBA Third Team | - |
| All-Star Game | - | |
| Playoffs |  NBA Champion | 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 77 | 31.9 | 21.7 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 7.8 | 16.9 | .463 | 3.1 | 7.1 | .439 | 2.9 | 3.3 | .879 |
| difference: | +7 | +0.4 | +1.2 | +1.3 | +1.2 | +2.6 | +2.1 | +0.1 | -0.9 | -0.7 | +1.1 | +1.3 | +.107 | +3.0 | +6.8 | +.106 | +2.1 | +3.8 | +.177 | |
| 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 21 | 36.2 | 18.6 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 7.1 | 15.9 | .446 | 2.7 | 7.0 | .390 | 1.7 | 2.1 | .800 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 5 |
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| Klay Thompson | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2015-16 | 2024-25 |
| Team | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | All-NBA Third Team | - |
| All-Star Game | - | |
| Playoffs | Warriors Lost NBA 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 80 | 33.3 | 22.1 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 8.1 | 17.3 | .470 | 3.5 | 8.1 | .425 | 2.4 | 2.8 | .873 |
| difference: | +50 | +4.7 | +2.5 | +2.1 | +1.3 | +3.4 | +3.2 | +0.4 | +0.3 | -1.3 | -0.8 | +1.5 | +0.4 | +.097 | +3.4 | +7.7 | +.194 | +2.9 | +5.2 | +.217 |
| 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 | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 24 | 35.4 | 24.3 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 8.4 | 18.9 | .444 | 4.1 | 9.6 | .424 | 3.4 | 4.0 | .854 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 6 |
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| Klay Thompson | Zion Williamson | |
| Season | 2016-17 | 2025-26 |
| Team | Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Honors & Awards | All-Star Game | - |
| Playoffs | NBA Champion | Did Not Play |
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 78 | 34.0 | 22.3 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 8.3 | 17.6 | .468 | 3.4 | 8.3 | .414 | 2.4 | 2.8 | .853 |
| difference: | +68 | +3.1 | +0.2 | +1.7 | +0.3 | +1.9 | +1.9 | +0.8 | -1.5 | -0.5 | +0.9 | +3.1 | +.042 | +3.4 | +8.0 | +.414 | +4.9 | +7.3 | +.130 | |
| Zion Williamson | 10 | 30.9 | 22.1 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 5.6 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 7.4 | 14.5 | .510 | 0.0 | 0.3 | .000 | 7.3 | 10.1 | .723 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Klay Thompson | 17 | 35.1 | 15.0 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 5.5 | 13.9 | .397 | 2.4 | 6.2 | .387 | 1.5 | 1.9 | .788 |
| Zion Williamson | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Additional Years |
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* Klay Thompson played 7 seasons more than Zion Williamson in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 7 to 13, from 2018 to 2026—Klay Thompson played in 4 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 7 extra years over Zion Williamson, Klay Thompson got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 All-Defensive Second Team 2 All-Star Game |