Magic Johnson vs. Jo Jo White Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jo Jo White and Magic 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.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / 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.

Magic Johnson played 13 years in the NBA, 1 more than Jo Jo White, who played 12. Magic Johnson had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Jo Jo White had his rookie season in 1969-70. 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
Magic Johnson	13	13	1979-80 to 1995-96
Jo Jo White	12	6	1969-70 to 1980-81

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


Rookie Season
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1979-80	1969-70
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	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		%
Magic Johnson	77	36.3	18.0	2.2	5.6	7.7	7.3	2.4	0.5	4.0	2.8	6.5	12.3	.530	0.1	0.4	.226	4.9	6.0	.810
difference:	+17	+14.2	+5.8			+4.9	+4.9				-0.6	+1.3	+0.9	+.078				+3.0	+3.7	+.012
Jo Jo White	60	22.1	12.2	-	-	2.8	2.4	-	-	-	2.2	5.2	11.4	.452	-	-	-	1.9	2.3	.822

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	16	41.1	18.3	3.3	7.3	10.5	9.4	3.1	0.4	4.1	2.9	6.4	12.4	.518	0.1	0.5	.250	5.3	6.6	.802
Jo Jo White	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 2
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1980-81	1970-71
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	Steals Leader	-
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	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		%
Magic Johnson	37	37.1	21.6	2.7	5.9	8.6	8.6	3.4	0.7	3.9	2.7	8.4	15.9	.532	0.1	0.5	.176	4.6	6.1	.760
difference:	+38	+0.1	+0.3			+3.6	+3.8				-0.7	+0.8	+4.0	+.068				+1.7	+2.5	+.039
Jo Jo White	75	37.2	21.3	-	-	5.0	4.8	-	-	-	3.4	9.2	19.9	.464	-	-	-	2.9	3.6	.799

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	3	42.3	17.0	2.7	11.0	13.7	7.0	2.7	1.0	3.7	4.7	6.3	16.3	.388	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	6.7	.650
Jo Jo White	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 3
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1981-82	1971-72
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	Steals Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals

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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		%
Magic Johnson	78	38.3	18.6	3.2	6.4	9.6	9.5	2.7	0.4	3.7	2.9	7.1	13.3	.537	0.1	0.4	.207	4.2	5.6	.760
difference:	+1	+3.0	+4.5			+4.0	+4.2					+2.6	+9.3	+.106				+0.6	+1.3	+.071
Jo Jo White	79	41.3	23.1	-	-	5.6	5.3	-	-	-	2.9	9.7	22.6	.431	-	-	-	3.6	4.3	.831

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	14	40.1	17.4	3.9	7.4	11.3	9.3	2.9	0.2	3.1	3.6	5.9	11.2	.529	0.0	0.3	.000	5.5	6.6	.828
difference:	+3	+0.8	+6.1			+5.9	+4.0				-0.8	+4.0	+8.8	+.034				+1.9	+2.2	+.005
Jo Jo White	11	39.3	23.5	-	-	5.4	5.3	-	-	-	2.8	9.9	20.0	.495	-	-	-	3.6	4.4	.833


Season 4
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1982-83	1972-73
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Lakers Lost NBA Finals	Celtics Lost East Conf 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		%
Magic Johnson	79	36.8	16.8	2.7	5.9	8.6	10.5	2.2	0.6	3.8	2.5	6.5	11.8	.548	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800
difference:	+3	+2.8	+2.9			+3.6	+4.4				-0.2	+2.2	+8.5	+.117				+1.6	+2.0	+.019
Jo Jo White	82	39.6	19.7	-	-	5.0	6.1	-	-	-	2.3	8.7	20.3	.431	-	-	-	2.2	2.8	.781

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	15	42.9	17.9	3.4	5.1	8.5	12.8	2.3	0.8	4.3	3.3	6.7	13.7	.485	0.0	0.7	.000	4.5	5.4	.840
difference:	+2	+1.9	+6.6			+4.3	+6.4				-0.1	+3.7	+9.4	+.035				+0.7	+1.2	+.067
Jo Jo White	13	44.8	24.5	-	-	4.2	6.4	-	-	-	3.4	10.4	23.1	.450	-	-	-	3.8	4.2	.907


Season 5
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1983-84	1973-74
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Lakers Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champion

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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		%
Magic Johnson	67	38.3	17.6	1.5	5.9	7.3	13.1	2.2	0.7	4.6	2.5	6.6	11.6	.565	0.1	0.4	.207	4.3	5.3	.810
difference:	+15	+1.2	+0.5	+0.3	+2.8	+3.0	+7.6	+0.9	+0.4		-0.2	+1.3	+6.0	+.116				+2.0	+2.5	+.027
Jo Jo White	82	39.5	18.1	1.2	3.1	4.3	5.5	1.3	0.3	-	2.3	7.9	17.6	.449	-	-	-	2.3	2.8	.837

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	21	39.9	18.2	1.2	5.4	6.6	13.5	2.0	1.0	3.8	3.4	7.2	13.0	.551	0.0	0.3	.000	3.8	4.8	.800
difference:	+3	+2.6	+1.6	+0.3	+2.2	+2.4	+8.1	+1.2	+0.9		-0.3	+0.1	+4.2	+.125				+1.9	+2.2	+.061
Jo Jo White	18	42.5	16.6	0.9	3.2	4.2	5.4	0.8	0.1	-	3.1	7.3	17.2	.426	-	-	-	1.9	2.6	.739


Season 6
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1984-85	1974-75
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Celtics Lost East Conf Finals

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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		%
Magic Johnson	77	36.1	18.3	1.2	5.0	6.2	12.6	1.5	0.3	4.0	2.0	6.5	11.7	.561	0.1	0.5	.189	5.1	6.0	.843
difference:	+5	+3.2		+0.2	+2.2	+2.4	+7.0	+0.1	+0.1		-0.5	+1.5	+5.9	+.104				+2.8	+3.3	+.009
Jo Jo White	82	39.3	18.3	1.0	2.8	3.8	5.6	1.6	0.2	-	2.5	8.0	17.6	.457	-	-	-	2.3	2.7	.834

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	19	36.2	17.5	1.0	6.1	7.1	15.2	1.7	0.2	4.0	2.5	6.1	11.9	.513	0.1	0.4	.143	5.3	6.2	.847
difference:	+8	+5.8	+3.1	+0.6	+3.2	+2.6	+9.5	+0.7	+0.2		-0.4	+3.0	+8.7	+.072				+2.8	+3.2	+.029
Jo Jo White	11	42.0	20.6	1.6	2.9	4.5	5.7	1.0	0.4	-	2.9	9.1	20.6	.441	-	-	-	2.5	3.0	.818


Season 7
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1985-86	1975-76
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	All-NBA First Team	-
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Lakers Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

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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		%
Magic Johnson	72	35.8	18.8	1.2	4.7	5.9	12.6	1.6	0.2	3.8	1.8	6.7	12.8	.526	0.1	0.6	.233	5.3	6.0	.871
difference:	+10	+3.9	+0.1	+0.5	+1.6	+2.1	+7.2	+0.3			-0.4	+1.5	+5.4	+.077				+2.7	+2.9	+.033
Jo Jo White	82	39.7	18.9	0.7	3.1	3.8	5.4	1.3	0.2	-	2.2	8.2	18.2	.449	-	-	-	2.6	3.1	.838

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	14	38.6	21.6	1.5	5.6	7.1	15.1	1.9	0.1	3.2	3.1	7.9	14.6	.537	0.0	0.8	.000	5.9	7.6	.766
difference:	+4	+5.3	+1.1	+0.8	+2.3	+3.2	+9.7	+0.6			-0.3	+1.3	+6.0	+.092				+1.6	+2.3	+.055
Jo Jo White	18	43.9	22.7	0.7	3.3	3.9	5.4	1.3	0.1	-	2.8	9.2	20.6	.445	-	-	-	4.3	5.3	.821


Season 8
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1986-87	1976-77
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	Assists Leader	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Celtics Lost East 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		%
Magic Johnson	80	36.3	23.9	1.5	4.8	6.3	12.2	1.7	0.5	3.8	2.1	8.5	16.4	.522	0.1	0.5	.205	6.7	7.9	.848
difference:	+2	+4.3	+4.3	+0.4	+1.2	+1.6	+6.2	+0.3	+0.2		-0.3	+0.7	+1.7	+.093				+2.6	+3.2	+.021
Jo Jo White	82	40.6	19.6	1.1	3.6	4.7	6.0	1.4	0.3	-	2.4	7.8	18.1	.429	-	-	-	4.1	4.7	.869

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	18	37.0	21.8	1.6	6.2	7.7	12.2	1.7	0.4	2.8	2.1	8.1	15.1	.539	0.1	0.6	.200	5.4	6.6	.831
difference:	+9	+6.9	+1.5	+0.5	+3.0	+3.4	+6.4	+0.1	+0.4		-0.9	+2.0	+7.2	+.086				+2.3	+2.9	+.017
Jo Jo White	9	43.9	23.3	1.1	3.2	4.3	5.8	1.6	0.0	-	3.0	10.1	22.3	.453	-	-	-	3.1	3.7	.848


Season 9
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1987-88	1977-78
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Did Not Play

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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		%
Magic Johnson	72	36.6	19.6	1.2	5.0	6.2	11.9	1.6	0.2	3.7	2.0	6.8	13.8	.492	0.2	0.8	.196	5.8	6.8	.853
difference:	+26	+0.9	+4.8		+2.2	+2.3	+7.4	+0.5		-1.2	-0.4	+0.5	+1.2	+.073				+3.6	+4.2	+.005
Jo Jo White	46	35.7	14.8	1.2	2.8	3.9	4.5	1.1	0.2	2.5	2.4	6.3	15.0	.419	-	-	-	2.2	2.6	.858

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	24	40.2	19.9	1.3	4.1	5.4	12.6	1.4	0.2	3.5	2.5	7.0	13.7	.514	0.3	0.6	.500	5.5	6.5	.852
Jo Jo White	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 10
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1988-89	1978-79
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost NBA Finals	Did Not Play

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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		%
Magic Johnson	77	37.5	22.5	1.4	6.4	7.9	12.8	1.8	0.3	4.1	2.2	7.5	14.8	.509	0.8	2.4	.314	6.7	7.3	.911
difference:	+1	+6.7	+10.0	+0.8	+4.3	+5.3	+8.2	+0.7	+0.2	-1.3	-0.1	+2.2	+2.8	+.065				+4.9	+5.2	+.031
Jo Jo White	76	30.8	12.5	0.6	2.1	2.6	4.6	1.1	0.1	2.8	2.3	5.3	12.0	.444	-	-	-	1.8	2.1	.880

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	14	37.0	18.4	1.1	4.9	5.9	11.8	1.9	0.2	3.8	2.1	6.1	12.4	.489	0.7	2.5	.286	5.6	6.1	.907
Jo Jo White	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 11
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1989-90	1979-80
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost West Conf Semis	Did Not Play

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11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	79	37.2	22.3	1.6	5.0	6.6	11.5	1.7	0.4	3.7	2.1	6.9	14.4	.480	1.3	3.5	.384	7.2	8.1	.890
difference:	+1	+10.9	+12.4	+1.1	+3.2	+4.3	+8.4	+0.6	+0.2	-1.7	-0.3	+2.6	+5.3	+.004	+1.3	+3.4	+.217	+6.0	+6.6	+.039
Jo Jo White	78	26.3	9.9	0.5	1.8	2.3	3.1	1.1	0.2	2.0	2.4	4.3	9.1	.476	0.0	0.1	.167	1.2	1.5	.851

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	9	41.8	25.2	1.3	5.0	6.3	12.8	1.2	0.1	4.0	3.1	8.4	17.2	.490	0.6	2.8	.200	7.8	8.8	.886
Jo Jo White	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 12
	Magic Johnson	Jo Jo White
Season	1990-91	1980-81
Team	Los Angeles Lakers	Kansas City Kings
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Lakers Lost NBA Finals	Did Not Play

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12th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	79	37.1	19.4	1.3	5.6	7.0	12.5	1.3	0.2	4.0	1.9	5.9	12.4	.477	1.0	3.2	.320	6.6	7.3	.906
difference:	+66	+18.9	+13.0	+1.1	+4.2	+5.4	+9.7	+0.5	+0.1	-2.6	-0.3	+3.1	+6.1	+.038	+1.0	+3.2		+5.8	+5.9	+.295
Jo Jo White	13	18.2	6.4	0.2	1.4	1.6	2.8	0.8	0.1	1.4	1.6	2.8	6.3	.439	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.4	.611

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Magic Johnson	19	43.3	21.8	1.2	6.9	8.1	12.6	1.2	0.0	4.1	2.3	6.2	14.1	.440	1.1	3.7	.296	8.3	9.4	.882
Jo Jo White	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Additional Years

* Magic Johnson played 1 season more than Jo Jo White in the NBA.

In that period—his season 13 in 1996—Magic Johnson played in the Playoffs.

Magic Johnson vs. Jo Jo White Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jo Jo White and Magic 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.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Season 8

8th Season Stats Comparison

Season 9

9th Season Stats Comparison

Season 10

10th Season Stats Comparison

Season 11

11th Season Stats Comparison

Season 12

12th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years