Nikola Jokic vs. Darnell Valentine Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Darnell Valentine and Nikola Jokic, 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.

Nikola Jokic and Darnell Valentine both played 9 years in the NBA. Nikola Jokic had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Darnell Valentine 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 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
Nikola Jokic 9 6 2015-16 to 2023-24
Darnell Valentine 9 4 1981-82 to 1990-91

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2015-161981-82
Team Denver NuggetsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 80 21.7 10.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 2.4 1.0 0.6 1.3 2.6 3.8 7.5 .512 0.4 1.1 .333 1.9 2.4 .811
Darnell Valentine 82 16.9 6.4 0.6 1.2 1.8 3.3 1.1 0.0 1.5 2.3 2.3 5.5 .413 0.0 0.1 .000 1.9 2.4 .760
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Darnell Valentine ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2016-171982-83
Team Denver NuggetsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 73 27.9 16.7 2.9 6.9 9.8 4.9 0.8 0.8 2.3 2.9 6.8 11.7 .578 0.6 1.9 .324 2.6 3.1 .825
Darnell Valentine 47 27.6 12.5 0.7 1.8 2.5 6.2 2.1 0.1 2.8 3.0 4.4 9.8 .454 0.0 0.0 .000 3.6 4.5 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Darnell Valentine 7 29.3 12.1 0.7 1.4 2.1 8.7 1.4 0.4 2.7 3.0 4.9 11.4 .425 0.1 0.3 .500 2.3 3.0 .762

Season 3
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2017-181983-84
Team Denver NuggetsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 75 32.6 18.5 2.6 8.1 10.7 6.1 1.2 0.8 2.8 2.8 6.7 13.5 .499 1.5 3.7 .396 3.5 4.2 .850
Darnell Valentine 68 27.8 10.2 0.7 1.1 1.9 5.8 1.6 0.1 2.2 2.6 3.7 8.3 .447 0.0 0.0 .000 2.9 3.6 .789
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Darnell Valentine 5 35.6 18.4 0.6 1.6 2.2 8.4 1.8 0.2 2.2 4.6 6.0 12.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 6.4 7.0 .914

Season 4
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2018-191984-85
Team Denver NuggetsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 80 31.3 20.1 2.9 8.0 10.8 7.3 1.4 0.7 3.1 2.9 7.7 15.1 .511 1.0 3.4 .307 3.6 4.4 .821
Darnell Valentine 75 30.4 11.6 0.7 2.2 2.9 7.0 1.9 0.1 2.6 2.5 4.3 9.1 .473 0.0 0.0 .000 3.1 3.9 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 14 39.8 25.1 3.9 9.1 13.0 8.4 1.1 0.9 2.6 3.9 9.4 18.6 .506 1.6 4.0 .393 4.7 5.6 .846
Darnell Valentine 9 27.1 12.8 0.7 1.2 1.9 6.4 1.8 0.0 2.3 3.1 4.8 9.8 .489 0.0 0.0 - 3.2 3.4 .935

Season 5
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2019-201985-86
Team Denver NuggetsPortland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 73 32.0 19.9 2.3 7.5 9.7 7.0 1.2 0.6 3.1 3.0 7.7 14.7 .528 1.1 3.5 .314 3.4 4.1 .817
Darnell Valentine 62 19.6 7.4 0.5 1.5 2.0 4.0 1.2 0.0 1.9 2.0 2.6 6.3 .415 0.1 0.2 .286 2.1 2.8 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 19 36.5 24.4 1.9 7.9 9.8 5.7 1.1 0.8 3.3 3.6 9.4 18.1 .519 2.2 5.2 .429 3.5 4.2 .835
Darnell Valentine ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2020-211986-87
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 72 34.6 26.4 2.8 8.0 10.8 8.3 1.3 0.7 3.1 2.7 10.2 18.0 .566 1.3 3.3 .388 4.8 5.5 .868
Darnell Valentine 65 27.1 11.2 0.6 1.7 2.3 6.9 1.8 0.2 2.6 2.3 4.2 10.3 .410 0.2 0.9 .232 2.5 3.1 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 10 34.5 29.8 3.7 7.9 11.6 5.0 0.6 0.9 2.4 2.3 11.6 22.8 .509 2.0 5.3 .377 4.6 5.5 .836
Darnell Valentine ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2021-221987-88
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 74 33.5 27.1 2.8 11.0 13.8 7.9 1.5 0.9 3.8 2.6 10.3 17.7 .583 1.3 3.9 .337 5.1 6.3 .810
Darnell Valentine 79 20.7 7.1 0.5 1.5 2.0 4.8 1.5 0.1 1.9 1.7 2.8 6.7 .418 0.2 0.4 .455 1.3 1.7 .743
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 5 34.2 31.0 3.4 9.8 13.2 5.8 1.6 1.0 4.8 4.0 12.2 21.2 .575 1.0 3.6 .278 5.6 6.6 .848
Darnell Valentine ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2022-231988-89
Team Denver NuggetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 69 33.7 24.5 2.4 9.4 11.8 9.8 1.3 0.7 3.6 2.5 9.4 14.8 .632 0.8 2.2 .383 4.9 6.0 .822
Darnell Valentine 77 14.1 4.8 0.3 1.1 1.3 2.3 0.7 0.1 1.1 1.1 1.8 4.1 .426 0.0 0.2 .214 1.2 1.5 .813
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 20 39.5 30.0 3.5 10.0 13.5 9.5 1.1 1.0 3.5 3.5 11.4 20.7 .548 1.8 3.8 .461 5.6 7.0 .799
Darnell Valentine 5 16.0 4.2 0.6 0.8 1.4 3.2 1.0 0.0 1.0 1.4 1.4 4.0 .350 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 1.6 .875

Note: Darnell Valentine didn't play in 1989-90.

Season 9
Nikola Jokic Darnell Valentine
Season 2023-241990-91
Team Denver NuggetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets TBDDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 79 34.6 26.4 2.8 9.5 12.4 9.0 1.4 0.9 3.0 2.5 10.4 17.9 .583 1.1 2.9 .359 4.5 5.5 .817
Darnell Valentine 65 28.3 9.4 0.6 2.1 2.6 5.4 1.5 0.2 1.9 2.6 3.5 7.6 .464 0.1 0.4 .240 2.2 2.6 .831
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 11 39.5 28.2 3.4 9.5 12.9 8.8 1.5 0.6 3.4 2.7 10.9 19.6 .556 1.1 3.9 .279 5.3 5.8 .906
Darnell Valentine ------- --- ----------
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