Mikal Bridges vs. Elvin Hayes Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elvin Hayes and Mikal Bridges, 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.

Mikal Bridges played 7 years in the NBA, 9 less than Elvin Hayes, who played 16. Mikal Bridges had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Elvin Hayes had his rookie season in 1968-69. 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
Mikal Bridges 7 4 2018-19 to 2024-25
Elvin Hayes 16 10 1968-69 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2018-191968-69
Team Phoenix SunsSan Diego Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Div Semis
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 29.5 8.3 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.1 1.6 0.5 0.9 2.5 3.0 6.9 .430 1.3 3.8 .335 1.2 1.4 .805
difference:+15.6+20.1+13.9+0.7-0.7+8.3+18.5+.017+4.5+7.7+.179
Elvin Hayes 82 45.1 28.4 - - 17.1 1.4 - - - 3.2 11.3 25.4 .447 - - - 5.7 9.1 .626
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges DNP------ --- ----------
Elvin Hayes 6 46.3 25.8 - - 13.8 0.8 - - - 3.5 10.0 19.0 .526 - - - 5.8 8.8 .660

Season 2
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2019-201969-70
Team Phoenix SunsSan Diego Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 73 28.0 9.1 0.9 3.1 4.0 1.8 1.4 0.6 1.0 2.2 3.4 6.6 .510 1.0 2.7 .361 1.4 1.7 .844
difference:+9+16.7+18.4+12.9+0.2-1.1+7.7+18.0+.058+3.8+5.9+.156
Elvin Hayes 82 44.7 27.5 - - 16.9 2.0 - - - 3.3 11.1 24.6 .452 - - - 5.2 7.6 .688
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Mikal Bridges nor Elvin Hayes played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2020-211970-71
Team Phoenix SunsSan Diego Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 72 32.6 13.5 1.1 3.2 4.3 2.1 1.1 0.9 0.8 1.6 5.0 9.3 .543 1.9 4.4 .425 1.5 1.8 .840
difference:+10+11.7+15.2+12.3+0.2-1.1+6.6+17.7+.115+4.0+6.4+.168
Elvin Hayes 82 44.3 28.7 - - 16.6 2.3 - - - 2.7 11.6 27.0 .428 - - - 5.5 8.2 .672
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 22 32.1 11.1 0.9 3.4 4.3 1.6 1.0 0.7 0.7 1.9 4.2 8.6 .484 1.6 4.3 .368 1.1 1.3 .893
Elvin Hayes DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2021-221971-72
Team Phoenix SunsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 34.8 14.2 0.9 3.3 4.2 2.3 1.2 0.4 0.8 1.8 5.6 10.5 .534 1.4 3.8 .369 1.6 1.9 .834
difference:+7.4+11.0+10.4+1.0-1.0+4.5+12.9+.100+3.3+5.6+.185
Elvin Hayes 82 42.2 25.2 - - 14.6 3.3 - - - 2.8 10.1 23.4 .434 - - - 4.9 7.5 .649
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 13 38.5 13.3 0.9 3.8 4.7 2.8 1.1 1.0 0.8 2.4 5.1 10.6 .478 1.0 2.5 .394 2.2 2.3 .933
Elvin Hayes DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2022-231972-73
Team Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn NetsBaltimore Bullets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdBullets Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 83 35.7 20.1 1.0 3.4 4.4 3.3 1.1 0.7 1.5 1.9 7.1 15.3 .468 2.0 5.3 .382 3.8 4.3 .895
difference:+2+5.6+1.1+10.1+1.7-1.0+1.7+4.5+.024+0.2+1.1+.224
Elvin Hayes 81 41.3 21.2 - - 14.5 1.6 - - - 2.9 8.8 19.8 .444 - - - 3.6 5.4 .671
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 4 39.3 23.5 0.5 4.8 5.3 4.0 0.5 0.5 2.0 1.3 8.3 19.3 .429 2.5 6.3 .400 4.5 5.8 .783
difference:+1+6.3+2.3+6.1+3.0-1.9+2.3+1.7+.076+0.1+0.8+.086
Elvin Hayes 5 45.6 25.8 - - 11.4 1.0 - - - 3.2 10.6 21.0 .505 - - - 4.6 6.6 .697

Season 6
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2023-241973-74
Team Brooklyn NetsCapital Bullets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBullets Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 34.8 19.6 0.8 3.7 4.5 3.6 1.0 0.4 2.0 1.4 6.9 15.8 .436 2.7 7.2 .372 3.1 3.9 .814
difference:+1+9.7+1.8+3.6+10.0+13.6+1.6+0.1+2.6-1.7+1.6+4.3+.013+1.3+2.2+.093
Elvin Hayes 81 44.5 21.4 4.4 13.7 18.1 2.0 1.1 3.0 - 3.1 8.5 20.1 .423 - - - 4.4 6.1 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges DNP------ --- ----------
Elvin Hayes 7 46.1 25.9 4.4 11.4 15.9 3.0 0.7 2.1 - 3.3 10.9 20.4 .531 - - - 4.1 5.9 .707

Season 7
Mikal Bridges Elvin Hayes
Season 2024-251974-75
Team New York KnicksWashington Bullets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsBullets Lost NBA Finals
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 82 37.0 17.6 0.9 2.3 3.2 3.7 0.9 0.5 1.6 1.5 7.2 14.4 .500 2.0 5.6 .354 1.2 1.4 .814
difference:+5.3+5.4+1.8+7.2+9.0+1.2+1.0+1.8-1.4+1.8+5.9+.057+3.8+5.1+.048
Elvin Hayes 82 42.3 23.0 2.7 9.5 12.2 2.5 1.9 2.3 - 2.9 9.0 20.3 .443 - - - 5.0 6.5 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mikal Bridges 18 39.2 15.6 1.1 3.4 4.5 2.9 1.7 0.9 2.1 2.2 6.7 14.6 .456 1.6 4.7 .333 0.7 0.9 .750
difference:+1+5.0+9.9+1.6+4.8+6.4+0.7+0.2+1.4-1.9+3.5+7.3+.012+4.4+6.6+.073
Elvin Hayes 17 44.2 25.5 2.7 8.2 10.9 2.2 1.5 2.3 - 4.1 10.2 21.9 .468 - - - 5.1 7.5 .677

Additional Years

* Elvin Hayes played 9 seasons more than Mikal Bridges in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 16, from 1976 to 1984—Elvin Hayes played in 6 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

In those 9 extra years over Mikal Bridges, Elvin Hayes got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 2 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 1 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 5 All-Star Game
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