Larry Bird vs. Wali Jones Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Wali Jones and Larry Bird, 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.

Larry Bird played 13 years in the NBA, 3 more than Wali Jones, who played 10. Larry Bird had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Wali Jones had his rookie season in 1964-65. 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
Larry Bird 13 12 1979-80 to 1991-92
Wali Jones 10 9 1964-65 to 1975-76

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13

Rookie Season

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1979-801964-65
Team Boston CelticsBaltimore Bullets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsBullets Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 36.0 21.3 2.6 7.8 10.4 4.5 1.7 0.6 3.2 3.4 8.5 17.8 .474 0.7 1.7 .406 3.7 4.4 .836
Wali Jones 77 16.2 5.3 - - 1.8 2.6 - - - 2.5 2.0 5.3 .375 - - - 1.3 1.8 .728
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 9 41.3 21.3 2.4 8.8 11.2 4.7 1.6 0.9 3.7 3.3 9.2 19.7 .469 0.4 1.7 .267 2.4 2.8 .880
Wali Jones 10 16.2 7.3 - - 2.0 1.8 - - - 2.8 2.9 6.3 .460 - - - 1.5 2.0 .750

Season 2

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1980-811965-66
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion76ers Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 82 39.5 21.2 2.3 8.6 10.9 5.5 2.0 0.8 3.5 2.9 8.8 18.3 .478 0.2 0.9 .270 3.5 4.0 .863
Wali Jones 80 27.5 9.0 - - 2.1 3.4 - - - 3.1 3.7 10.0 .370 - - - 1.6 2.2 .744
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.1 21.9 2.9 11.1 14.0 6.1 2.3 1.0 3.6 3.1 8.6 18.4 .470 0.2 0.5 .375 4.5 5.0 .894
Wali Jones 5 31.2 13.0 - - 3.0 3.6 - - - 3.6 5.0 15.4 .325 - - - 3.0 4.4 .682

Season 3

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1981-821966-67
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 77 38.0 22.9 2.6 8.3 10.9 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.3 3.2 9.2 18.4 .503 0.1 0.7 .212 4.3 4.9 .863
Wali Jones 81 27.8 13.2 - - 3.3 3.7 - - - 3.0 5.2 12.1 .431 - - - 2.8 3.3 .838
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 12 40.8 17.8 2.8 9.8 12.5 5.6 1.9 1.4 3.2 3.6 7.3 17.2 .427 0.1 0.5 .167 3.1 3.8 .822
Wali Jones 15 31.7 17.5 - - 2.8 4.1 - - - 3.9 7.3 16.3 .447 - - - 3.0 3.9 .776

Season 4

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1982-831967-68
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf Semis76ers Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 79 37.7 23.6 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.8 1.9 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.5 18.7 .504 0.3 1.0 .286 4.4 5.3 .840
Wali Jones 77 26.7 12.8 - - 2.8 3.2 - - - 2.9 5.4 13.5 .397 - - - 2.1 2.6 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 6 40.0 20.5 3.3 9.2 12.5 6.8 2.2 0.5 3.2 2.5 8.2 19.3 .422 0.2 0.7 .250 4.0 4.8 .828
Wali Jones 13 29.8 14.1 - - 2.4 3.0 - - - 3.7 5.3 14.8 .358 - - - 3.5 4.4 .789

Season 5

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1983-841968-69
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion76ers Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 79 38.3 24.2 2.3 7.8 10.1 6.6 1.8 0.9 3.0 2.5 9.6 19.5 .492 0.2 0.9 .247 4.7 5.3 .888
Wali Jones 81 28.9 13.2 - - 3.1 3.6 - - - 3.5 5.3 12.4 .430 - - - 2.6 3.2 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 23 41.8 27.5 2.7 8.3 11.0 5.9 2.3 1.2 3.8 3.1 10.0 19.0 .524 0.3 0.7 .412 7.3 8.3 .879
Wali Jones 5 20.6 6.4 - - 3.2 1.8 - - - 3.4 2.4 9.0 .267 - - - 1.6 2.0 .800

Season 6

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1984-851969-70
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA Finals76ers Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 80 39.5 28.7 2.1 8.5 10.5 6.6 1.6 1.2 3.1 2.6 11.5 22.0 .522 0.7 1.6 .427 5.0 5.7 .882
Wali Jones 78 22.3 11.8 - - 2.2 3.5 - - - 2.7 4.7 10.9 .430 - - - 2.4 2.9 .841
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 20 40.8 26.0 2.7 6.5 9.1 5.8 1.7 1.0 2.9 2.7 9.8 21.3 .461 0.4 1.3 .280 6.1 6.8 .890
Wali Jones 5 32.0 15.8 - - 2.2 4.8 - - - 3.2 6.8 13.0 .523 - - - 2.2 2.8 .786

Season 7

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1985-861970-71
Team Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion76ers 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 %
Larry Bird 82 38.0 25.8 2.3 7.5 9.8 6.8 2.0 0.6 3.2 2.2 9.7 19.6 .496 1.0 2.4 .423 5.4 6.0 .896
Wali Jones 41 23.5 10.1 - - 1.6 3.1 - - - 2.7 4.1 10.2 .402 - - - 1.9 2.5 .782
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 18 42.8 25.9 1.9 7.4 9.3 8.2 2.1 0.6 2.6 3.1 9.5 18.4 .517 1.3 3.1 .411 5.6 6.1 .927
Wali Jones 7 16.4 6.9 - - 1.7 1.6 - - - 3.1 2.7 7.4 .365 - - - 1.4 1.9 .769

Season 8

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1986-871971-72
Team Boston CelticsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsBucks 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 %
Larry Bird 74 40.6 28.1 1.7 7.5 9.2 7.6 1.8 0.9 3.2 2.5 10.6 20.2 .525 1.2 3.0 .400 5.6 6.1 .910
Wali Jones 48 21.5 7.5 - - 1.6 2.9 - - - 2.3 3.0 7.4 .407 - - - 1.5 1.9 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 23 44.1 27.0 1.8 8.3 10.0 7.2 1.2 0.8 3.1 2.4 9.4 19.7 .476 0.6 1.8 .341 7.7 8.4 .912
Wali Jones 9 22.2 10.0 - - 2.0 2.2 - - - 3.0 4.0 9.1 .439 - - - 2.0 2.3 .857

Season 9

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1987-881972-73
Team Boston CelticsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 76 39.0 29.9 1.4 7.8 9.3 6.1 1.6 0.8 2.8 2.1 11.6 22.0 .527 1.3 3.1 .414 5.5 6.0 .916
Wali Jones 27 15.5 5.0 - - 1.1 2.1 - - - 1.4 2.2 5.4 .407 - - - 0.6 0.7 .889
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 17 44.9 24.5 1.7 7.1 8.8 6.8 2.1 0.8 2.9 2.6 8.9 19.9 .450 0.7 1.9 .375 5.9 6.6 .894
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------

Note: Wali Jones didn't play in 1973-74 and 1974-75.

Season 10

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1988-891975-76
Team Boston CelticsDetroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 6 31.5 19.3 0.2 6.0 6.2 4.8 1.0 0.8 1.8 3.0 8.2 17.3 .471 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .947
Wali Jones 17 10.4 3.2 0.0 0.5 0.5 1.9 0.4 0.0 - 1.6 1.4 2.9 .469 - - - 0.5 0.8 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird ------- --- ----------
Wali Jones 1 2.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 - - - - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 11

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1989-90-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 75 39.3 24.3 1.2 8.3 9.5 7.5 1.4 0.8 3.2 2.3 9.6 20.2 .473 0.9 2.6 .333 4.3 4.6 .930
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 5 41.4 24.4 1.4 7.8 9.2 8.8 1.0 1.0 3.6 2.0 8.8 19.8 .444 1.0 3.8 .263 5.8 6.4 .906
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1990-91-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Larry Bird 60 38.0 19.4 0.9 7.6 8.5 7.2 1.8 1.0 3.1 2.0 7.7 17.0 .454 1.3 3.3 .389 2.7 3.1 .891
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 10 39.6 17.1 0.8 6.4 7.2 6.5 1.3 0.3 1.9 2.8 6.2 15.2 .408 0.3 2.1 .143 4.4 5.1 .863
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Larry Bird Wali Jones
Season 1991-92-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Larry Bird 45 36.9 20.2 1.0 8.6 9.6 6.8 0.9 0.7 2.8 1.8 7.8 16.8 .466 1.2 2.8 .406 3.3 3.6 .926
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Larry Bird 4 26.8 11.3 0.5 4.0 4.5 5.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 1.8 5.3 10.5 .500 0.0 1.3 .000 0.8 1.0 .750
Wali Jones ------- --- ----------