Mitch Richmond vs. Isiah Thomas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Isiah Thomas and Mitch Richmond, 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 / Stats / Stats Rankings / 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.

Mitch Richmond played 14 years in the NBA, 1 more than Isiah Thomas, who played 13. Mitch Richmond had the first of his seasons in 1988-89, while Isiah Thomas had his rookie season in 1981-82. 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
Mitch Richmond 14 4 1988-89 to 2001-02
Isiah Thomas 13 9 1981-82 to 1993-94

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13

Rookie Season

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1988-891981-82
Team Golden State WarriorsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Warriors Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 79 34.4 22.0 2.0 3.9 5.9 4.2 1.0 0.2 3.4 2.8 8.2 17.5 .468 0.4 1.1 .367 5.2 6.4 .810
difference:+7+0.6+5.0+1.2+1.8+3.0+3.6+1.1-0.8-0.7+1.9+2.7+.044+0.2+0.3+.079+1.0+0.4+.106
Isiah Thomas 72 33.8 17.0 0.8 2.1 2.9 7.8 2.1 0.2 4.2 3.5 6.3 14.8 .424 0.2 0.8 .288 4.2 6.0 .704
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 8 39.3 20.1 1.3 6.0 7.3 4.4 1.8 0.1 3.0 3.1 7.8 16.9 .459 0.4 2.0 .188 4.3 4.8 .895
Isiah Thomas DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1989-901982-83
Team Golden State WarriorsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-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%
Mitch Richmond 78 35.9 22.1 1.3 3.4 4.6 2.9 1.3 0.3 2.6 2.7 8.2 16.5 .497 0.4 1.2 .358 5.2 6.0 .866
difference:+3+2.3+0.8+0.6+0.6+4.9+1.2+0.1-1.4-1.2+0.8+2.5+.025+0.3+.070+0.7+0.4+.156
Isiah Thomas 81 38.2 22.9 1.3 2.8 4.0 7.8 2.5 0.4 4.0 3.9 9.0 19.0 .472 0.4 1.5 .288 4.5 6.4 .710
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Mitch Richmond nor Isiah Thomas played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1990-911983-84
Team Golden State WarriorsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Warriors Lost West Conf SemisPistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 77 39.3 23.9 1.9 4.0 5.9 3.1 1.6 0.4 3.0 2.7 9.1 18.5 .494 0.5 1.5 .348 5.1 6.0 .847
difference:+5+2.6+2.6+0.6+1.3+1.9+8.0+0.9-0.7-1.3+0.9+0.8+.032+0.2+0.7+.010+0.4+0.5+.114
Isiah Thomas 82 36.7 21.3 1.3 2.7 4.0 11.1 2.5 0.4 3.7 4.0 8.2 17.7 .462 0.3 0.8 .338 4.7 6.5 .733
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 9 41.3 22.3 1.1 4.1 5.2 2.4 0.6 0.7 1.9 3.1 9.4 18.8 .503 0.9 2.7 .333 2.6 2.7 .958
difference:+4+1.7+0.9+0.3+1.7+1.4+8.6+2.0+0.5-2.7-1.3+1.6+2.2+.033+0.5+1.5+2.8+4.3+.187
Isiah Thomas 5 39.6 21.4 1.4 2.4 3.8 11.0 2.6 1.2 4.6 4.4 7.8 16.6 .470 0.4 1.2 .333 5.4 7.0 .771

Season 4

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1991-921984-85
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Assists Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 80 38.7 22.5 0.8 3.2 4.0 5.1 1.2 0.4 3.1 2.9 8.6 18.3 .468 1.3 3.4 .384 4.1 5.1 .813
difference:+1+0.6+1.3+0.6+0.2+0.5+8.8+1.1+0.1-0.6-0.7+0.6+0.9+.010+0.9+2.0+.127+0.8+1.0+.004
Isiah Thomas 81 38.1 21.2 1.4 3.0 4.5 13.9 2.3 0.3 3.7 3.6 8.0 17.4 .458 0.4 1.4 .257 4.9 6.1 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 9 39.4 24.3 1.2 4.0 5.2 11.2 2.1 0.4 3.3 4.3 9.2 18.4 .500 0.7 1.7 .400 5.2 6.9 .758

Season 5

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1992-931985-86
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 45 38.4 21.9 0.4 3.0 3.4 4.9 1.2 0.2 2.9 3.0 8.2 17.4 .474 1.1 2.9 .369 4.4 5.2 .845
difference:+32+2.2+1.0+0.7+0.5+0.2+5.9+1.0+0.1-0.9-0.2+0.3+1.2+.014+0.8+1.8+.059+0.3+0.8+.055
Isiah Thomas 77 36.2 20.9 1.1 2.5 3.6 10.8 2.2 0.3 3.8 3.2 7.9 16.2 .488 0.3 1.1 .310 4.7 6.0 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 4 40.8 26.5 2.0 3.5 5.5 12.0 2.3 0.8 4.3 4.3 10.3 22.8 .451 0.0 1.3 .000 6.0 9.0 .667

Season 6

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1993-941986-87
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 78 37.1 23.4 0.9 2.8 3.7 4.0 1.3 0.2 2.8 2.7 8.1 18.3 .445 1.6 4.0 .407 5.5 6.6 .834
difference:+3+0.1+2.8+0.1+0.1+0.2+6.0+0.6-1.4-0.4+0.4+1.6+.018+1.4+2.8+.213+0.6+0.2+.066
Isiah Thomas 81 37.2 20.6 1.0 2.9 3.9 10.0 1.9 0.2 4.2 3.1 7.7 16.7 .463 0.2 1.2 .194 4.9 6.4 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 15 37.5 24.1 1.4 3.1 4.5 8.7 2.6 0.3 2.8 3.4 8.9 19.8 .451 0.7 2.2 .303 5.5 7.3 .755

Season 7

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1994-951987-88
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Achievement All-Star Game MVP-
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons 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%
Mitch Richmond 82 38.7 22.8 0.8 3.5 4.4 3.8 1.1 0.4 2.9 2.8 8.1 18.3 .446 1.9 5.2 .368 4.6 5.4 .843
difference:+1+2.6+3.3+0.9+1.0+4.6+0.6+0.2-0.5-0.1+0.4+1.7+.017+1.5+4.0+.059+0.8+0.5+.069
Isiah Thomas 81 36.1 19.5 0.8 2.6 3.4 8.4 1.7 0.2 3.4 2.7 7.7 16.6 .463 0.4 1.2 .309 3.8 4.9 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 23 39.6 21.9 1.1 3.5 4.7 8.7 2.9 0.3 3.7 3.1 8.0 18.2 .437 0.6 1.9 .295 5.4 6.6 .828

Season 8

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1995-961988-89
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 81 36.4 23.1 0.7 2.7 3.3 3.1 1.5 0.2 2.7 2.9 7.5 16.9 .447 2.8 6.4 .437 5.2 6.1 .866
difference:+1+0.2+4.9+0.1+0.1+0.1+5.2+0.2+0.1-1.0-0.3+0.4+1.6+.017+2.4+4.9+.164+1.6+1.7+.048
Isiah Thomas 80 36.6 18.2 0.6 2.8 3.4 8.3 1.7 0.3 3.7 2.6 7.1 15.3 .464 0.4 1.5 .273 3.6 4.4 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 4 36.5 21.0 0.8 3.5 4.3 3.0 0.8 0.0 3.8 2.8 6.0 13.5 .444 2.0 5.8 .348 7.0 8.8 .800
difference:+13+0.7+2.8+0.6+0.6+5.3+0.8+0.2-1.3-0.5+0.8+2.9+.032+1.5+4.0+.081+2.8+3.2+.060
Isiah Thomas 17 37.2 18.2 1.4 2.9 4.3 8.3 1.6 0.2 2.5 2.3 6.8 16.4 .412 0.5 1.8 .267 4.2 5.6 .740

Season 9

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1996-971989-90
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 81 38.6 25.9 0.7 3.2 3.9 4.2 1.5 0.3 2.9 2.6 8.9 19.5 .454 2.5 5.9 .428 5.6 6.6 .861
difference:+1.6+7.5+0.2+0.3+0.1+5.2+0.2+0.1-1.1-0.1+1.8+3.2+.016+2.0+4.2+.119+2.0+1.9+.086
Isiah Thomas 81 37.0 18.4 0.9 2.9 3.8 9.4 1.7 0.2 4.0 2.5 7.1 16.3 .438 0.5 1.7 .309 3.6 4.7 .775
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 20 37.9 20.5 1.1 4.4 5.5 8.2 2.2 0.4 3.6 3.3 7.4 16.0 .463 1.6 3.4 .471 4.1 5.1 .794

Season 10

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1997-981990-91
Team Sacramento KingsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 70 36.7 23.2 0.7 2.6 3.3 4.0 1.3 0.2 2.6 2.2 7.8 17.4 .445 1.9 4.8 .389 5.8 6.7 .864
difference:+22+2.2+7.0+5.3+0.3-1.3-0.3+1.8+3.5+.010+1.5+3.4+.097+2.1+1.9+.082
Isiah Thomas 48 34.5 16.2 0.7 2.6 3.3 9.3 1.6 0.2 3.9 2.5 6.0 13.9 .435 0.4 1.4 .292 3.7 4.8 .782
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 13 33.5 13.5 1.0 3.2 4.2 8.5 1.0 0.2 3.2 3.2 4.6 11.5 .403 0.5 1.7 .273 3.8 5.3 .725

Season 11

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1998-991991-92
Team Washington WizardsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 50 38.2 19.7 0.6 2.8 3.4 2.4 1.3 0.2 2.7 2.4 6.6 16.1 .412 1.4 4.4 .317 5.0 5.9 .857
difference:+28+0.8+1.2+0.3+0.5+0.2+4.8+0.2-0.5-0.1+0.6+0.1+.034+1.1+3.3+.026+1.3+1.1+.085
Isiah Thomas 78 37.4 18.5 0.9 2.3 3.2 7.2 1.5 0.2 3.2 2.5 7.2 16.2 .446 0.3 1.1 .291 3.7 4.8 .772
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond DNP------ --- ----------
Isiah Thomas 5 40.0 14.0 0.6 4.6 5.2 7.4 1.0 0.0 3.2 3.6 4.4 13.0 .338 0.8 2.2 .364 4.4 5.6 .786

Season 12

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 1999-001992-93
Team Washington WizardsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
12th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 74 32.4 17.4 0.5 2.4 2.9 2.5 1.5 0.2 2.1 2.6 6.0 14.2 .426 1.3 3.3 .386 4.0 4.6 .876
difference:+5+4.6+0.2+0.4+0.4+6.0+0.1-1.5-0.2+0.7+1.7+.008+0.5+0.8+.078+0.5+0.2+.139
Isiah Thomas 79 37.0 17.6 0.9 2.0 2.9 8.5 1.6 0.2 3.6 2.8 6.7 15.9 .418 0.8 2.5 .308 3.5 4.8 .737
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Mitch Richmond nor Isiah Thomas played in the postseason in their season 12

Season 13

Mitch Richmond Isiah Thomas
Season 2000-011993-94
Team Washington WizardsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
13th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Mitch Richmond 37 32.9 16.2 0.4 2.5 2.9 3.0 1.2 0.2 2.3 2.3 5.5 13.6 .407 1.2 3.6 .338 3.9 4.3 .894
difference:+21+2.7+1.4+0.4+0.6+0.2+3.9+0.1-1.2-0.1+0.4+.010+0.5+1.4+.028+0.8+0.1+.192
Isiah Thomas 58 30.2 14.8 0.8 1.9 2.7 6.9 1.2 0.1 3.5 2.2 5.5 13.2 .417 0.7 2.2 .310 3.1 4.4 .702
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Mitch Richmond nor Isiah Thomas played in the postseason in their season 13

Additional Years

* Mitch Richmond played 1 season more than Isiah Thomas in the NBA.

In that period—his season 14 in 2002—Mitch Richmond played in the Playoffs and won the NBA Championship.