Nikola Jokic vs. Don Nelson Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Don Nelson 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.
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 played 9 years in the NBA, 5 less than Don Nelson, who played 14. Nikola Jokic had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Don Nelson had his rookie season in 1962-63. 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 |
Don Nelson |
14 |
11 |
1962-63 to 1975-76 |
Comparison Season by Season |
|
|
|
Rookie Season |
|
Nikola Jokic |
Don Nelson |
Season |
2015-16 | 1962-63 |
Team |
Denver Nuggets | Chicago Zephyrs |
Honors & Awards |
All-Rookie First Team | - |
Playoffs |
Did Not Play | Did 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 |
Don Nelson |
62 |
17.3 |
6.8 |
- |
- |
4.5 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
- |
2.2 |
2.1 |
4.7 |
.440 |
- |
- |
- |
2.6 |
3.6 |
.729 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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 |
Don Nelson |
80 |
17.6 |
5.2 |
- |
- |
4.0 |
1.0 |
- |
- |
- |
2.3 |
1.7 |
4.0 |
.418 |
- |
- |
- |
1.9 |
2.5 |
.741 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
5 |
11.2 |
3.4 |
- |
- |
2.6 |
0.4 |
- |
- |
- |
2.2 |
1.4 |
2.6 |
.538 |
- |
- |
- |
0.6 |
0.6 |
1.000 |
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 |
Don Nelson |
39 |
6.1 |
2.4 |
- |
- |
1.9 |
0.6 |
- |
- |
- |
1.0 |
0.9 |
2.2 |
.424 |
- |
- |
- |
0.5 |
0.7 |
.769 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
11 |
19.3 |
6.1 |
- |
- |
5.4 |
1.7 |
- |
- |
- |
2.8 |
2.2 |
4.8 |
.453 |
- |
- |
- |
1.7 |
2.3 |
.760 |
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 |
Don Nelson |
75 |
23.5 |
10.2 |
- |
- |
5.4 |
1.1 |
- |
- |
- |
2.5 |
3.6 |
8.2 |
.439 |
- |
- |
- |
3.0 |
4.3 |
.684 |
|
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 |
Don Nelson |
17 |
18.6 |
8.4 |
- |
- |
5.0 |
0.8 |
- |
- |
- |
2.9 |
2.9 |
6.9 |
.424 |
- |
- |
- |
2.5 |
3.1 |
.808 |
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 |
Don Nelson |
79 |
15.2 |
7.5 |
- |
- |
3.7 |
0.8 |
- |
- |
- |
1.8 |
2.9 |
6.4 |
.446 |
- |
- |
- |
1.8 |
2.4 |
.742 |
|
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 |
Don Nelson |
9 |
15.8 |
7.1 |
- |
- |
4.7 |
1.0 |
- |
- |
- |
1.3 |
3.0 |
6.6 |
.458 |
- |
- |
- |
1.1 |
1.9 |
.588 |
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 |
Don Nelson |
82 |
18.3 |
10.0 |
- |
- |
5.3 |
1.3 |
- |
- |
- |
2.2 |
3.8 |
7.7 |
.494 |
- |
- |
- |
2.4 |
3.3 |
.728 |
|
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 |
Don Nelson |
19 |
24.6 |
12.5 |
- |
- |
7.5 |
1.7 |
- |
- |
- |
2.6 |
4.8 |
9.2 |
.520 |
- |
- |
- |
2.9 |
3.9 |
.743 |
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 |
Don Nelson |
82 |
21.6 |
11.6 |
- |
- |
5.6 |
1.1 |
- |
- |
- |
2.4 |
4.6 |
9.4 |
.485 |
- |
- |
- |
2.5 |
3.2 |
.776 |
|
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 |
Don Nelson |
18 |
19.3 |
12.4 |
- |
- |
4.6 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
- |
2.8 |
4.8 |
9.3 |
.518 |
- |
- |
- |
2.8 |
3.3 |
.833 |
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 |
Don Nelson |
82 |
27.1 |
15.4 |
- |
- |
7.3 |
1.8 |
- |
- |
- |
2.9 |
5.6 |
11.2 |
.501 |
- |
- |
- |
4.1 |
5.3 |
.775 |
|
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 |
Don Nelson |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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 |
Don Nelson |
82 |
27.5 |
13.9 |
- |
- |
6.9 |
1.9 |
- |
- |
- |
2.8 |
5.0 |
10.7 |
.468 |
- |
- |
- |
3.9 |
5.2 |
.744 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
9 |
39.9 |
27.6 |
3.6 |
10.4 |
14.0 |
9.1 |
1.7 |
0.7 |
3.8 |
3.0 |
10.7 |
19.4 |
.549 |
1.1 |
4.0 |
.278 |
5.1 |
5.7 |
.902 |
Don Nelson |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
82 |
25.4 |
13.8 |
- |
- |
5.5 |
2.3 |
- |
- |
- |
2.7 |
4.7 |
9.9 |
.480 |
- |
- |
- |
4.3 |
5.5 |
.788 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
11 |
28.0 |
13.2 |
- |
- |
5.5 |
1.9 |
- |
- |
- |
2.7 |
4.7 |
9.0 |
.525 |
- |
- |
- |
3.7 |
4.4 |
.854 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
72 |
19.8 |
10.8 |
- |
- |
4.4 |
1.4 |
- |
- |
- |
2.2 |
4.3 |
9.0 |
.476 |
- |
- |
- |
2.2 |
2.6 |
.846 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
13 |
23.3 |
11.0 |
- |
- |
2.9 |
1.2 |
- |
- |
- |
2.2 |
3.6 |
7.8 |
.465 |
- |
- |
- |
3.8 |
4.3 |
.875 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
82 |
21.3 |
11.5 |
1.1 |
3.1 |
4.2 |
2.0 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
- |
2.3 |
4.4 |
8.7 |
.508 |
- |
- |
- |
2.6 |
3.3 |
.788 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
18 |
25.9 |
11.4 |
1.4 |
4.0 |
5.4 |
1.9 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
- |
3.0 |
4.6 |
9.1 |
.500 |
- |
- |
- |
2.3 |
2.9 |
.774 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
79 |
26.0 |
14.0 |
1.6 |
4.3 |
5.9 |
2.3 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
- |
3.0 |
5.4 |
9.9 |
.539 |
- |
- |
- |
3.3 |
4.0 |
.827 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
11 |
24.9 |
15.4 |
1.6 |
2.5 |
4.1 |
2.4 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
- |
3.3 |
6.0 |
10.6 |
.564 |
- |
- |
- |
3.4 |
3.7 |
.902 |
more >>
Regular Season Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
75 |
12.6 |
6.4 |
0.7 |
1.7 |
2.4 |
1.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
- |
1.5 |
2.3 |
5.1 |
.462 |
- |
- |
- |
1.7 |
2.1 |
.789 |
|
Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO |
PF |
FGM / A |
% |
3PM / A |
% |
FTM / A |
% |
Nikola Jokic |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Don Nelson |
18 |
17.5 |
9.1 |
0.9 |
2.0 |
2.9 |
0.9 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
- |
2.6 |
2.9 |
6.0 |
.481 |
- |
- |
- |
3.3 |
3.8 |
.870 |