Larry Johnson vs. Nate Thurmond Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nate Thurmond and Larry Johnson, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

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 Johnson played 10 years in the NBA, 4 less than Nate Thurmond, who played 14. Larry Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1991-92, while Nate Thurmond had his rookie season in 1963-64. 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.

Rookie Season
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1991-92	1963-64
Team	Charlotte Hornets	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	Rookie of the Year	-
	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Warriors Lost NBA Finals

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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		%
Larry Johnson	82	37.2	19.2	3.9	7.0	11.0	3.6	1.0	0.6	2.0	2.7	7.5	15.3	.490	0.1	0.3	.227	4.1	5.0	.829
difference:	+6	+11.3	+12.2			+0.6	+2.5				-0.3	+4.6	+8.0	+.095				+2.8	+2.7	+.280
Nate Thurmond	76	25.9	7.0	-	-	10.4	1.1	-	-	-	2.4	2.9	7.3	.395	-	-	-	1.3	2.3	.549
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	12	34.2	10.0	-	-	12.3	0.8	-	-	-	3.8	3.5	8.0	.438	-	-	-	3.0	4.4	.679

Season 2
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1992-93	1964-65
Team	Charlotte Hornets	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Hornets Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	82	40.5	22.1	3.4	7.1	10.5	4.3	0.6	0.3	2.8	2.3	8.9	16.9	.526	0.2	0.9	.254	4.1	5.3	.767
difference:	+5	+0.7	+5.6			+7.6	+2.3				-0.7	+2.2	+0.8	+.107				+1.0	+0.7	+.109
Nate Thurmond	77	41.2	16.5	-	-	18.1	2.0	-	-	-	3.0	6.7	16.1	.419	-	-	-	3.1	4.6	.658
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	9	38.7	19.8	2.1	4.8	6.9	3.3	0.6	0.2	2.1	3.0	7.6	13.6	.557	0.1	0.4	.250	4.6	5.8	.788
Nate Thurmond	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 3
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1993-94	1965-66
Team	Charlotte Hornets	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	51	34.5	16.4	2.8	6.0	8.8	3.6	0.6	0.3	2.3	2.6	6.8	13.2	.515	0.1	0.4	.238	2.7	3.9	.695
difference:	+22	+5.1	+0.1			+9.2	+2.1				-0.5	+0.6	+2.1	+.109				+1.1	+2.0	+.041
Nate Thurmond	73	39.6	16.3	-	-	18.0	1.5	-	-	-	3.1	6.2	15.3	.406	-	-	-	3.8	5.9	.654
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Larry Johnson nor Nate Thurmond played in the postseason in their season 3

Season 4
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1994-95	1966-67
Team	Charlotte Hornets	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Hornets Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Warriors Lost NBA Finals

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	81	39.9	18.8	2.3	4.9	7.2	4.6	1.0	0.3	2.6	2.1	7.2	15.0	.480	1.0	2.6	.386	3.4	4.4	.774
difference:	+16	+2.6	+0.1			+14.1	+2.0				-0.7		+1.4	+.043				+0.9	+2.4	+.145
Nate Thurmond	65	42.5	18.7	-	-	21.3	2.6	-	-	-	2.8	7.2	16.4	.437	-	-	-	4.3	6.8	.629
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	4	43.0	20.8	2.5	3.3	5.8	2.8	1.0	0.5	1.5	1.8	7.8	16.3	.477	0.3	2.3	.111	5.0	6.3	.800
difference:	+11	+3.0	+4.9			+17.3	+0.3				-1.7	+1.6	+2.0	+.044				+1.5	+0.2	+.229
Nate Thurmond	15	46.0	15.9	-	-	23.1	3.1	-	-	-	3.5	6.2	14.3	.433	-	-	-	3.5	6.1	.571

Season 5
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1995-96	1967-68
Team	Charlotte Hornets	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	81	40.4	20.5	3.1	5.4	8.4	4.4	0.7	0.5	2.2	2.1	7.2	15.1	.476	0.8	2.3	.366	5.3	7.0	.757
difference:	+30	+3.2				+13.6	+0.2				-0.6	+0.3	+3.1	+.065				+0.2	+1.6	+.113
Nate Thurmond	51	43.6	20.5	-	-	22.0	4.2	-	-	-	2.7	7.5	18.2	.411	-	-	-	5.5	8.6	.644
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Larry Johnson nor Nate Thurmond played in the postseason in their season 5

Season 6
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1996-97	1968-69
Team	New York Knicks	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	Knicks Lost East Conf Semis	Warriors Lost West Div Semis

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	76	34.4	12.8	2.2	3.0	5.2	2.3	0.8	0.5	1.8	3.3	4.9	9.7	.512	0.4	1.4	.324	2.5	3.6	.693
difference:	+5	+10.8	+8.7			+14.5	+1.3				-0.9	+3.1	+9.9	+.102				+2.9	+5.1	+.078
Nate Thurmond	71	45.2	21.5	-	-	19.7	3.6	-	-	-	2.4	8.0	19.6	.410	-	-	-	5.4	8.7	.615
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	9	32.6	13.8	1.2	2.8	4.0	2.6	0.8	0.1	1.7	3.0	4.8	8.6	.558	0.7	1.9	.353	3.6	4.2	.842
difference:	+3	+11.2	+2.9			+15.5	+2.1					+1.9	+8.4	+.166				+0.3	+1.5	+.254
Nate Thurmond	6	43.8	16.7	-	-	19.5	4.7	-	-	-	3.0	6.7	17.0	.392	-	-	-	3.3	5.7	.588

Season 7
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1997-98	1969-70
Team	New York Knicks	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Knicks Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	70	34.5	15.5	2.5	3.2	5.7	2.1	0.6	0.2	1.8	2.8	6.1	12.6	.485	0.2	0.9	.238	3.1	4.0	.756
difference:	+27	+10.1	+6.4			+12.0	+1.4				-0.2	+1.8	+6.6	+.071				+3.0	+4.0	+.002
Nate Thurmond	43	44.6	21.9	-	-	17.7	3.5	-	-	-	2.6	7.9	19.2	.414	-	-	-	6.1	8.0	.754
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	8	38.8	17.9	3.1	3.5	6.6	1.6	1.3	0.4	3.1	3.8	6.5	13.4	.486	0.3	1.3	.200	4.6	6.3	.740
Nate Thurmond	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 8
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1998-99	1970-71
Team	New York Knicks	San Francisco Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs	Knicks Lost NBA Finals	Warriors Lost West Conf Semis

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	49	33.4	12.0	1.9	3.9	5.8	2.4	0.7	0.2	1.8	3.0	4.3	9.3	.459	0.7	1.9	.359	2.7	3.3	.817
difference:	+33	+7.5	+8.0			+8.0	+0.7				-0.7	+3.3	+7.8	+.014				+2.1	+3.3	+.087
Nate Thurmond	82	40.9	20.0	-	-	13.8	3.1	-	-	-	2.3	7.6	17.1	.445	-	-	-	4.8	6.6	.730
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	20	34.1	11.5	1.1	3.8	4.9	1.6	1.1	0.1	1.7	3.2	4.4	10.2	.426	1.2	4.1	.293	1.6	2.3	.674
difference:	+15	+4.3	+6.1			+5.3	+1.4				-0.8	+2.8	+9.2	+.055				+1.6	+1.7	+.126
Nate Thurmond	5	38.4	17.6	-	-	10.2	3.0	-	-	-	4.0	7.2	19.4	.371	-	-	-	3.2	4.0	.800

Season 9
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	1999-00	1971-72
Team	New York Knicks	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs	Knicks Lost East Conf Finals	Warriors Lost West Conf Semis

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	70	32.6	10.7	1.2	4.2	5.4	2.5	0.6	0.1	1.3	2.9	4.0	9.3	.433	0.8	2.5	.333	1.8	2.4	.766
difference:	+8	+10.5	+10.7			+10.7	+0.4				-0.2	+4.1	+9.3	+.001				+3.5	+4.8	+.023
Nate Thurmond	78	43.1	21.4	-	-	16.1	2.9	-	-	-	2.7	8.1	18.6	.432	-	-	-	5.3	7.2	.743
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	16	36.8	11.3	0.9	4.1	5.0	1.6	0.5	0.1	1.4	2.9	4.4	9.5	.461	0.8	2.1	.394	1.7	2.1	.794
difference:	+11	+9.2	+14.1			+12.8	+3.6				-0.5	+6.2	+14.9	+.027				+2.5	+3.5	+.044
Nate Thurmond	5	46.0	25.4	-	-	17.8	5.2	-	-	-	2.4	10.6	24.4	.434	-	-	-	4.2	5.6	.750

Season 10
	Larry Johnson	Nate Thurmond
Season	2000-01	1972-73
Team	New York Knicks	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Warriors Lost West Conf Finals

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10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	65	32.4	9.9	1.4	4.2	5.6	2.0	0.6	0.4	1.5	3.2	3.8	9.2	.411	0.8	2.5	.313	1.6	2.0	.797
difference:	+14	+10.9	+7.2			+11.5	+1.5				-0.2	+2.7	+5.5	+.035				+2.4	+3.6	+.079
Nate Thurmond	79	43.3	17.1	-	-	17.1	3.5	-	-	-	3.0	6.5	14.7	.446	-	-	-	4.0	5.6	.718
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Larry Johnson	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nate Thurmond	11	41.8	14.5	-	-	13.2	3.6	-	-	-	2.7	5.8	14.6	.398	-	-	-	2.9	3.6	.800

Additional Years
* Nate Thurmond played 4 seasons more than Larry Johnson in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 11 to 14, from 1974 to 1977—Nate Thurmond played in 3 Playoffs. In those 4 extra years over Larry Johnson, Nate Thurmond got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 All-Defensive Second Team 1 All-Star Game