Nickeil Alexander-Walker vs. J.R. Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of J.R. Smith and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 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.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker played 7 years in the NBA, 9 less than J.R. Smith, who played 16. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had the first of his seasons in 2019-20, 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
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 7 4 2019-20 to 2025-26
J.R. Smith 16 12 2004-05 to 2019-20

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2019-202004-05
Team New Orleans PelicansNew Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 47 12.6 5.7 0.2 1.6 1.8 1.9 0.4 0.2 1.1 1.2 2.1 5.7 .368 1.0 2.8 .346 0.5 0.8 .676
difference:+29+11.9+4.6+0.3+0.1+0.2+0.3+0.1-0.3-0.6+1.8+4.1+.026+0.1+0.9+.058+1.0+1.3+.013
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
* Neiher Nickeil Alexander-Walker nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2020-212005-06
Team New Orleans PelicansNew Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Honors & Awards
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%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 46 21.9 11.0 0.3 2.8 3.1 2.2 1.0 0.5 1.5 1.9 4.2 10.0 .419 1.7 4.8 .347 1.0 1.4 .727
difference:+9+3.9+3.3+1.1+1.1+1.1+0.3+0.4-0.5-0.3+1.6+3.3+.026+0.8+2.3+.024+0.5+0.4+.095
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 Nickeil Alexander-Walker nor J.R. Smith played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2021-222006-07
Team New Orleans Pelicans, Utah JazzDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdNuggets Lost West 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%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 65 22.6 10.6 0.6 2.3 2.9 2.4 0.7 0.4 1.4 1.6 3.9 10.5 .372 1.6 5.2 .311 1.2 1.7 .743
difference:+2+0.7+2.4+0.1+0.5+0.6+1.0+0.1+0.3-0.1-0.7+0.6+0.3+.069+0.8+0.9+.079+0.4+0.3+.067
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 1 5.0 5.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 1.000 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.000
difference:+3+6.8+0.5+0.3+1.0+1.3+0.5+0.3-0.8-1.5+0.5+3.5+.727+3.0+0.5+0.5
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
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2022-232007-08
Team Utah Jazz, Minnesota TimberwolvesDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Timberwolves Lost West Conf 1st RdNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 59 15.0 6.2 0.3 1.5 1.7 1.8 0.5 0.4 0.9 1.5 2.2 5.0 .444 1.0 2.7 .384 0.7 1.0 .667
difference:+15+4.2+6.1+0.3+0.4+0.1+0.3+0.2-0.6-0.4+2.0+4.1+.017+1.1+2.6+.019+1.0+1.4+.052
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 5 29.6 8.4 0.2 1.8 2.0 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.8 1.8 3.0 7.0 .429 2.0 5.0 .400 0.4 0.6 .667
difference:+1+2.6+9.9+0.1+0.3+0.2+0.4+0.4+0.2-0.5-1.2+2.8+3.8+.106+0.2+0.5+.082+4.6+5.4+.166
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
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2023-242008-09
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Timberwolves Lost West Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 82 23.4 8.0 0.4 1.6 2.0 2.5 0.8 0.5 0.9 1.7 2.9 6.6 .439 1.6 4.1 .391 0.6 0.8 .800
difference:+1+4.3+7.2+0.1+1.5+1.7+0.3+0.2+0.3-1.0-0.6+2.3+5.1+.007+0.6+1.5+.006+1.9+2.6+.046
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 16 23.6 7.3 0.3 1.4 1.8 2.3 0.6 0.4 0.9 1.5 2.6 7.0 .366 1.5 5.1 .296 0.6 0.6 1.000
difference:+3.6+7.6+0.4+1.2+1.5+0.5+0.5+0.1-0.7-1.7+2.9+5.1+.088+0.9+1.5+.062+1.0+2.3+.457
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
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2024-252009-10
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Timberwolves Lost West Conf FinalsNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 82 25.3 9.4 0.7 2.6 3.2 2.7 0.6 0.4 1.2 1.7 3.3 7.5 .438 1.7 4.5 .381 1.1 1.4 .780
difference:+7+2.5+6.0+0.3+0.1+0.1+0.3+0.7+0.1-0.7-0.6+2.4+6.3+.024+0.4+1.7+.043+0.8+1.3+.074
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 15 20.7 8.3 0.5 1.3 1.8 2.3 0.4 0.3 1.5 1.6 2.9 7.5 .389 1.5 4.2 .349 1.0 1.1 .882
difference:+9+5.8+2.9+0.3+1.7+2.0+0.6+0.3-0.5-1.2+0.6+2.0+.021+0.3+1.0+.006+1.3+1.6+.007
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
Nickeil Alexander-Walker J.R. Smith
Season 2025-262010-11
Team Atlanta HawksDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 27 32.7 20.7 0.9 2.9 3.7 3.4 0.9 0.6 2.2 2.2 7.0 15.4 .457 2.9 7.5 .384 3.8 4.4 .864
difference:+52+7.8+8.4+0.3+0.6+0.4+1.2+0.3+0.4-0.9+2.7+5.5+.022+1.3+3.5+.006+1.7+1.6+.126
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker DNP------ --- ----------
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

Additional Years

* J.R. Smith played 9 seasons more than Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 16, from 2012 to 2020—J.R. Smith played in 7 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 9 extra years over Nickeil Alexander-Walker, J.R. Smith got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Sixth Man of the Year
Share: