Marcus Thornton vs. Karl-Anthony Towns Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Karl-Anthony Towns and Marcus Thornton, 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.

Marcus Thornton played 8 years in the NBA, 1 less than Karl-Anthony Towns, who played 9. Marcus Thornton had the first of his seasons in 2009-10, while Karl-Anthony Towns had his rookie season in 2015-16. 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
Marcus Thornton 8 1 2009-10 to 2016-17
Karl-Anthony Towns 9 4 2015-16 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2009-102015-16
Team New Orleans HornetsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 73 25.6 14.5 1.0 1.9 2.9 1.6 0.8 0.2 1.0 1.7 5.5 12.1 .451 1.6 4.3 .374 2.0 2.4 .814
Karl-Anthony Towns 82 32.0 18.3 2.8 7.7 10.5 2.0 0.7 1.7 2.2 3.0 7.6 14.1 .542 0.4 1.1 .341 2.7 3.4 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2010-112016-17
Team New Orleans Hornets, Sacramento KingsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 73 24.3 12.8 0.8 2.7 3.5 1.8 0.9 0.1 1.3 1.5 4.8 11.1 .434 1.2 3.3 .367 2.0 2.5 .788
Karl-Anthony Towns 82 37.0 25.1 3.6 8.7 12.3 2.7 0.7 1.3 2.6 2.9 9.8 18.0 .542 1.2 3.4 .367 4.3 5.2 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2011-122017-18
Team Sacramento KingsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 51 34.9 18.7 1.6 2.0 3.7 1.9 1.4 0.2 1.6 2.2 6.9 15.7 .438 2.1 6.1 .345 2.8 3.2 .865
Karl-Anthony Towns 82 35.6 21.3 2.9 9.4 12.3 2.4 0.8 1.4 1.9 3.5 7.8 14.3 .545 1.5 3.5 .421 4.2 4.9 .858
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns 5 34.0 15.2 3.0 10.4 13.4 2.2 0.4 1.0 2.4 2.8 5.6 12.0 .467 0.6 2.2 .273 3.4 4.6 .739

Season 4
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2012-132018-19
Team Sacramento KingsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 72 24.0 12.7 0.7 1.8 2.5 1.3 0.8 0.1 0.9 1.5 4.6 10.8 .429 2.0 5.3 .372 1.5 1.8 .881
Karl-Anthony Towns 77 33.1 24.4 3.4 9.0 12.4 3.4 0.9 1.6 3.1 3.8 8.8 17.1 .518 1.8 4.6 .400 4.9 5.8 .836
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2013-142019-20
Team Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn NetsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 72 24.2 9.8 0.8 2.0 2.8 1.1 0.8 0.2 0.9 1.5 3.5 8.9 .394 1.5 4.4 .345 1.3 1.6 .804
Karl-Anthony Towns 35 33.9 26.5 2.7 8.1 10.8 4.4 0.9 1.2 3.1 3.3 9.0 17.8 .508 3.3 7.9 .412 5.1 6.5 .796
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 10 12.4 5.9 0.7 1.2 1.9 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.4 2.1 5.4 .389 0.5 2.1 .238 1.2 1.8 .667
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2014-152020-21
Team Boston Celtics, Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 48 15.0 7.9 0.5 1.3 1.8 0.8 0.6 0.1 0.6 0.8 2.9 7.2 .406 1.1 3.0 .378 1.0 1.2 .821
Karl-Anthony Towns 50 33.8 24.8 2.7 7.9 10.6 4.5 0.8 1.1 3.2 3.7 8.5 17.5 .486 2.4 6.3 .387 5.3 6.2 .859
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2015-162021-22
Team Houston Rockets, Washington WizardsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 61 18.2 9.7 0.6 1.8 2.5 1.4 0.8 0.1 0.8 1.5 3.5 8.9 .399 1.5 4.4 .337 1.1 1.3 .848
Karl-Anthony Towns 74 33.5 24.6 2.6 7.2 9.8 3.6 1.0 1.1 3.1 3.6 8.7 16.4 .529 2.0 4.9 .410 5.2 6.3 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns 6 37.0 21.8 1.8 9.0 10.8 2.2 0.7 2.0 4.5 4.2 6.5 13.3 .488 1.7 3.7 .455 7.2 8.3 .860

Season 8
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season 2016-172022-23
Team Washington WizardsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton 33 17.4 6.6 0.7 1.6 2.3 1.2 0.6 0.1 0.8 1.5 2.5 6.4 .400 0.8 2.4 .350 0.7 0.8 .852
Karl-Anthony Towns 29 33.0 20.8 1.7 6.5 8.1 4.8 0.7 0.6 3.0 3.8 7.3 14.8 .495 2.1 5.7 .366 4.1 4.7 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns 5 36.0 18.2 1.2 9.0 10.2 2.0 0.6 0.8 3.6 4.2 6.4 14.0 .457 1.2 4.8 .250 4.2 5.6 .750

Season 9
Marcus Thornton Karl-Anthony Towns
Season -2023-24
Team -Minnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Timberwolves TBD
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns 62 32.7 21.8 1.5 6.8 8.3 3.0 0.7 0.7 2.9 3.3 7.7 15.3 .504 2.2 5.3 .416 4.1 4.7 .873
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Marcus Thornton ------- --- ----------
Karl-Anthony Towns 6 29.8 20.7 1.7 7.3 9.0 2.3 0.5 0.3 1.7 4.3 7.3 12.8 .571 2.3 4.3 .538 3.7 4.3 .846
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