Markelle Fultz vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith and Markelle Fultz, 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.

Markelle Fultz played 8 years in the NBA, 8 less than J.R. Smith, who played 16. Markelle Fultz had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while J.R. Smith had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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
Markelle Fultz	8	3	2017-18 to 2024-25
J.R. Smith	16	12	2004-05 to 2019-20

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


Rookie Season
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2017-18	2004-05
Team	Philadelphia 76ers	New Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	76ers Lost East Conf Semis	Did Not Play

more >>

Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	14	18.1	7.1	0.8	2.3	3.1	3.8	0.9	0.3	1.2	1.6	3.2	7.9	.405	0.0	0.1	.000	0.7	1.5	.476
difference:	+62	+6.4	+3.2	+0.3	+0.8	+1.1	+1.9	+0.2	+0.2	-0.2	-0.2	+0.7	+1.9	+.011	+1.1	+3.6	+.288	+0.8	+0.6	+.213
J.R. Smith	76	24.5	10.3	0.5	1.5	2.0	1.9	0.7	0.1	1.4	1.8	3.9	9.8	.394	1.1	3.7	.288	1.5	2.1	.689

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	3	7.7	1.7	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.7	0.7	0.0	0.3	1.3	0.3	2.3	.143	0.0	0.0	-	1.0	1.3	.750
J.R. Smith	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 2
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2018-19	2005-06
Team	Philadelphia 76ers	New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	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		%
Markelle Fultz	19	22.5	8.2	1.4	2.3	3.7	3.1	0.9	0.3	1.3	2.7	3.4	8.2	.419	0.2	0.7	.286	1.1	1.9	.568
difference:	+36	+4.5	+0.5	+1.1	+0.6	+1.7	+2.0	+0.2	+0.2	-0.3	-1.1	+0.8	+1.5	+.026	+0.7	+1.8	+.085	+0.4	+0.1	+.254
J.R. Smith	55	18.0	7.7	0.3	1.7	2.0	1.1	0.7	0.1	1.0	1.6	2.6	6.7	.393	0.9	2.5	.371	1.5	1.8	.822

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Markelle Fultz nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 2


Season 3
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2019-20	2006-07
Team	Orlando Magic	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Magic Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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		%
Markelle Fultz	72	27.7	12.1	0.6	2.7	3.3	5.1	1.3	0.2	2.0	2.0	5.0	10.7	.465	0.5	1.9	.267	1.6	2.2	.730
difference:	+9	+4.4	+0.9	+0.1	+0.9	+1.0	+3.7	+0.5	+0.1	-0.7	-0.3	+0.5	+0.5	+.024	+1.9	+4.2	+.123		+0.2	+.080
J.R. Smith	63	23.3	13.0	0.5	1.8	2.3	1.4	0.8	0.1	1.3	2.3	4.5	10.2	.441	2.4	6.1	.390	1.6	2.0	.810

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	5	29.4	12.0	0.0	2.2	2.2	5.2	1.0	0.6	2.6	4.0	4.8	12.0	.400	1.2	3.2	.375	1.2	1.4	.857
difference:	+1	+17.6	+7.5	+0.3	+0.2	+0.1	+4.7		+0.3	-1.8	-2.5	+3.3	+6.5	+.127	+1.2	+0.2	+.375	+0.3	+0.1	+.143
J.R. Smith	4	11.8	4.5	0.3	2.0	2.3	0.5	1.0	0.3	0.8	1.5	1.5	5.5	.273	0.0	3.0	.000	1.5	1.5	1.000


Season 4
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2020-21	2007-08
Team	Orlando Magic	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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		%
Markelle Fultz	8	26.9	12.9	0.6	2.5	3.1	5.4	1.0	0.3	2.3	2.3	5.1	13.0	.394	0.5	2.0	.250	2.1	2.4	.895
difference:	+66	+7.7	+0.6		+1.0	+1.0	+3.7	+0.2	+0.1	-0.8	-0.4	+0.9	+3.9	+.067	+1.6	+3.3	+.153	+0.4		+.176
J.R. Smith	74	19.2	12.3	0.6	1.5	2.1	1.7	0.8	0.2	1.5	1.9	4.2	9.1	.461	2.1	5.3	.403	1.7	2.4	.719

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
J.R. Smith	4	27.0	18.3	0.3	1.5	1.8	1.8	1.0	0.0	1.3	3.0	5.8	10.8	.535	1.8	5.5	.318	5.0	6.0	.833


Season 5
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2021-22	2008-09
Team	Orlando Magic	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Nuggets Lost West Conf Finals

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		%
Markelle Fultz	18	20.0	10.8	0.2	2.5	2.7	5.5	1.1	0.3	2.2	1.2	4.6	9.7	.474	0.2	0.9	.235	1.4	1.7	.806
difference:	+63	+7.7	+4.4	+0.3	+0.6	+1.0	+2.7	+0.1	+0.1	-0.3	-1.1	+0.6	+2.0	+.028	+2.0	+4.7	+.162	+1.1	+1.7	+.052
J.R. Smith	81	27.7	15.2	0.5	3.1	3.7	2.8	1.0	0.2	1.9	2.3	5.2	11.7	.446	2.2	5.6	.397	2.5	3.4	.754

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
J.R. Smith	16	27.2	14.9	0.7	2.6	3.3	2.8	1.1	0.3	1.6	3.2	5.5	12.1	.454	2.4	6.6	.358	1.6	2.9	.543


Season 6
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2022-23	2009-10
Team	Orlando Magic	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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		%
Markelle Fultz	60	29.6	14.0	1.2	2.8	3.9	5.7	1.5	0.4	2.3	2.2	5.8	11.3	.514	0.5	1.5	.310	1.9	2.4	.783
difference:	+15	+1.8	+1.4	+0.8	+0.1	+0.8	+3.3	+0.2	+0.1	-0.4	-0.1	+0.1	+2.5	+.100	+1.6	+4.7	+.028		+0.3	+.077
J.R. Smith	75	27.8	15.4	0.4	2.7	3.1	2.4	1.3	0.3	1.9	2.3	5.7	13.8	.414	2.1	6.2	.338	1.9	2.7	.706

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
J.R. Smith	6	26.5	11.2	0.8	3.0	3.8	1.7	0.7	0.3	1.0	2.8	3.5	9.5	.368	1.8	5.2	.355	2.3	2.7	.875


Season 7
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2023-24	2010-11
Team	Orlando Magic	Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Magic Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

more >>

7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	43	21.2	7.8	1.3	1.9	3.2	2.8	1.0	0.3	1.2	1.5	3.6	7.6	.472	0.1	0.4	.222	0.5	0.8	.697
difference:	+36	+3.7	+4.5	+0.7	+1.6	+0.9	+0.6	+0.2	+0.1	-0.1	-0.7	+0.7	+2.3	+.037	+1.5	+3.6	+.168	+1.6	+2.0	+.041
J.R. Smith	79	24.9	12.3	0.6	3.5	4.1	2.2	1.2	0.2	1.3	2.2	4.3	9.9	.435	1.6	4.0	.390	2.1	2.8	.738

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	7	15.1	6.4	1.0	1.0	2.0	1.1	0.4	0.0	1.1	1.7	2.9	4.9	.588	0.0	0.1	.000	0.7	1.3	.556
difference:	+2	+0.1	+3.4	+0.8	+0.8		+0.1			-0.5	-0.1	+0.3	+4.1	+.232	+1.8	+4.1	+.429	+0.9	+0.9	+.171
J.R. Smith	5	15.2	9.8	0.2	1.8	2.0	1.0	0.4	0.0	1.6	1.6	3.2	9.0	.356	1.8	4.2	.429	1.6	2.2	.727


Season 8
	Markelle Fultz	J.R. Smith
Season	2024-25	2011-12
Team	Sacramento Kings	New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Knicks Lost East Conf 1st Rd

more >>

8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	21	8.8	2.9	0.3	0.7	1.0	1.3	0.5	0.1	0.7	0.6	1.3	3.2	.418	0.2	0.4	.500	0.0	0.0	-
difference:	+14	+18.8	+9.6	+0.5	+2.4	+2.9	+1.1	+1.0	+0.1	-0.6	-1.9	+3.4	+8.4	+.011	+1.7	+5.1	+.153	+1.1	+1.6
J.R. Smith	35	27.6	12.5	0.8	3.1	3.9	2.4	1.5	0.2	1.3	2.5	4.7	11.6	.407	1.9	5.5	.347	1.1	1.6	.709

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Markelle Fultz	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
J.R. Smith	5	35.0	12.2	0.4	2.2	2.6	2.2	1.2	0.2	2.2	3.8	4.8	15.2	.316	1.0	5.6	.179	1.6	1.6	1.000


Additional Years
* J.R. Smith played 8 seasons more than Markelle Fultz in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 9 to 16, from 2013 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 8 extra years over Markelle Fultz, J.R. Smith got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Sixth Man of the Year

Markelle Fultz vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith and Markelle Fultz, 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

Additional Years