Melvin Ely vs. Tom Heinsohn Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Tom Heinsohn and Melvin Ely, 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.

Melvin Ely and Tom Heinsohn both played 9 years in the NBA. Melvin Ely had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Tom Heinsohn had his rookie season in 1956-57. 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
Melvin Ely 9 1 2002-03 to 2013-14
Tom Heinsohn 9 9 1956-57 to 1964-65

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2002-031956-57
Team Los Angeles ClippersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 52 15.4 4.5 1.2 2.1 3.3 0.3 0.2 0.6 1.0 1.8 1.8 3.6 .495 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.4 .703
Tom Heinsohn 72 29.9 16.2 - - 9.8 1.6 - - - 4.2 6.2 15.6 .397 - - - 3.8 4.8 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 10 37.0 22.9 - - 11.7 2.0 - - - 4.0 9.0 23.1 .390 - - - 4.9 6.9 .710

Season 2

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2003-041957-58
Team Los Angeles ClippersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 42 12.1 3.7 1.1 1.3 2.4 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.5 1.6 1.6 3.6 .431 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 1.0 .595
Tom Heinsohn 69 32.0 17.8 - - 10.2 1.8 - - - 4.0 6.8 17.8 .382 - - - 4.3 5.7 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 11 31.7 17.5 - - 10.8 1.6 - - - 4.7 6.2 17.6 .351 - - - 5.1 6.5 .778

Season 3

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2004-051958-59
Team Charlotte BobcatsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 79 20.9 7.3 1.8 2.3 4.1 1.0 0.4 0.9 1.5 2.5 2.9 6.7 .432 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.7 .575
Tom Heinsohn 66 31.7 18.8 - - 9.7 2.5 - - - 4.1 7.0 18.1 .390 - - - 4.7 5.9 .798
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 11 31.6 19.9 - - 8.9 2.9 - - - 3.7 8.3 20.0 .414 - - - 3.4 5.1 .661

Season 4

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2005-061959-60
Team Charlotte BobcatsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 57 23.6 9.8 1.6 3.2 4.9 1.3 0.5 0.8 1.8 2.8 3.8 7.5 .508 0.0 0.0 .000 2.2 3.4 .667
Tom Heinsohn 75 32.3 21.7 - - 10.6 2.3 - - - 3.7 9.0 21.2 .423 - - - 3.8 5.1 .733
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 13 32.5 21.8 - - 9.7 2.1 - - - 4.1 8.6 20.5 .419 - - - 4.6 6.2 .750

Season 5

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2006-071960-61
Team Charlotte Bobcats, San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 30 10.3 3.0 0.5 1.3 1.8 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.9 1.7 1.0 2.7 .363 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.6 .660
Tom Heinsohn 74 30.5 21.3 - - 9.9 1.9 - - - 3.5 8.5 21.2 .400 - - - 4.4 5.7 .767
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 10 29.1 19.7 - - 9.9 2.0 - - - 3.6 8.2 20.1 .408 - - - 3.3 4.3 .767

Season 6

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2007-081961-62
Team New Orleans HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hornets Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 52 11.9 3.9 0.5 2.3 2.8 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.8 1.5 1.6 3.5 .472 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.1 .552
Tom Heinsohn 79 30.2 22.1 - - 9.5 2.1 - - - 3.5 8.8 20.4 .429 - - - 4.5 5.5 .819
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 7 8.4 2.1 0.7 0.9 1.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.6 1.9 0.6 2.1 .267 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.4 .700
Tom Heinsohn 14 31.8 20.7 - - 8.2 2.4 - - - 4.1 8.3 20.8 .399 - - - 4.1 5.4 .763

Season 7

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2008-091962-63
Team New Orleans HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 31 12.0 3.1 1.0 1.1 2.1 0.6 0.1 0.3 0.7 1.9 1.2 3.1 .389 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.2 .639
Tom Heinsohn 76 26.4 18.9 - - 7.5 1.3 - - - 3.6 7.2 17.1 .423 - - - 4.5 5.4 .835
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 13 31.8 24.7 - - 8.9 1.2 - - - 4.2 9.5 20.8 .456 - - - 5.8 7.5 .765

Note: Melvin Ely didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2010-111963-64
Team Denver NuggetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 30 12.2 2.3 0.9 1.6 2.5 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.5 1.7 0.9 1.7 .549 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.7 .619
Tom Heinsohn 76 26.8 16.5 - - 6.1 2.4 - - - 3.5 6.4 16.1 .398 - - - 3.7 4.5 .827
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 10 30.8 17.4 - - 8.0 2.6 - - - 3.6 7.0 18.0 .389 - - - 3.4 4.2 .810

Note: Melvin Ely didn't play in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Season 9

Melvin Ely Tom Heinsohn
Season 2013-141964-65
Team New Orleans PelicansBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely 2 13.5 3.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 2.5 1.5 3.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Tom Heinsohn 67 25.5 13.6 - - 6.0 2.3 - - - 3.8 5.4 14.2 .383 - - - 2.7 3.4 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Melvin Ely ------- --- ----------
Tom Heinsohn 12 23.0 12.7 - - 7.0 1.9 - - - 3.8 5.5 15.1 .365 - - - 1.7 2.7 .625