Otis Birdsong vs. Dolph Schayes Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dolph Schayes and Otis Birdsong, 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.

Otis Birdsong played 12 years in the NBA, 3 less than Dolph Schayes, who played 15. Otis Birdsong had the first of his seasons in 1977-78, while Dolph Schayes had his rookie season in 1949-50. 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
Otis Birdsong 12 7 1977-78 to 1988-89
Dolph Schayes 15 14 1949-50 to 1963-64

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15

Rookie Season

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1977-781949-50
Team Kansas City KingsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayNationals Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 73 25.7 15.8 1.0 1.4 2.4 2.4 1.0 0.2 2.0 2.5 6.4 13.1 .492 - - - 3.0 4.2 .697
Dolph Schayes 64 - 16.8 - - - 4.0 - - - 3.5 5.4 14.1 .385 - - - 5.9 7.6 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 11 - 17.1 - - - 2.5 - - - 3.9 5.2 13.5 .385 - - - 6.7 9.2 .733

Season 2

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1978-791950-51
Team Kansas City KingsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf SemisNationals Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 82 34.6 21.7 2.1 2.2 4.3 3.4 1.5 0.2 2.4 3.1 9.0 17.8 .509 - - - 3.6 5.0 .725
Dolph Schayes 66 - 17.0 - - 16.4 3.8 - - - 4.1 5.0 14.1 .357 - - - 6.9 9.2 .752
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 5 33.6 21.0 1.6 2.0 3.6 1.8 2.0 0.0 2.0 2.6 7.8 15.2 .513 - - - 5.4 7.6 .711
Dolph Schayes 7 - 20.4 - - 14.6 2.9 - - - 4.0 6.7 15.0 .448 - - - 7.0 9.1 .766

Season 3

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1979-801951-52
Team Kansas City KingsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf 1st RdNationals Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 82 35.2 22.7 2.1 2.0 4.0 2.5 1.7 0.3 2.2 2.8 9.5 18.9 .505 0.1 0.4 .278 3.5 5.0 .694
Dolph Schayes 63 31.8 13.8 - - 12.3 2.9 - - - 3.4 4.2 11.7 .355 - - - 5.4 6.7 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 3 37.3 22.0 3.7 4.0 7.7 2.3 1.3 0.0 2.0 1.7 10.0 20.7 .484 0.0 1.0 .000 2.0 4.7 .429
Dolph Schayes 7 35.4 20.3 - - 12.9 2.1 - - - 4.9 5.9 13.0 .451 - - - 8.6 11.1 .769

Season 4

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1980-811952-53
Team Kansas City KingsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf FinalsNationals Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 71 36.5 24.6 1.7 2.0 3.6 3.3 1.3 0.3 2.4 2.4 10.0 18.4 .544 0.1 0.5 .286 4.5 6.4 .697
Dolph Schayes 71 37.6 17.8 - - 13.0 3.2 - - - 3.8 5.3 14.4 .367 - - - 7.2 8.7 .827
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 8 29.3 15.5 1.0 1.6 2.6 3.4 1.5 0.0 2.5 1.6 7.0 12.3 .571 0.1 0.1 1.000 1.4 2.3 .611
Dolph Schayes 2 29.0 9.0 - - 8.5 0.5 - - - 3.5 2.0 8.0 .250 - - - 5.0 6.5 .769

Season 5

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1981-821953-54
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNationals Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 37 27.7 14.2 0.8 1.8 2.6 3.4 0.8 0.1 1.7 2.0 6.1 13.0 .469 0.0 0.3 .000 2.0 3.4 .583
Dolph Schayes 72 36.9 17.1 - - 12.1 3.0 - - - 3.2 5.1 13.5 .380 - - - 6.8 8.2 .827
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 13 28.8 16.0 - - 10.5 1.8 - - - 3.1 4.9 10.8 .457 - - - 6.2 8.3 .741

Season 6

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1982-831954-55
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 62 30.4 15.1 0.9 1.6 2.4 3.9 1.4 0.3 1.8 2.5 6.9 13.5 .511 0.0 0.1 .333 1.3 2.3 .566
Dolph Schayes 72 35.1 18.5 - - 12.3 3.0 - - - 3.4 5.9 15.3 .383 - - - 6.8 8.2 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 2 18.5 6.5 0.5 0.5 1.0 4.5 1.5 0.0 0.5 1.5 3.0 8.0 .375 0.0 0.5 .000 0.5 1.0 .500
Dolph Schayes 11 33.0 19.0 - - 12.8 3.6 - - - 4.4 5.5 15.2 .359 - - - 8.1 9.6 .840

Season 7

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1983-841955-56
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf SemisNationals Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 69 31.4 19.8 1.1 1.4 2.5 3.9 1.2 0.2 2.5 2.6 8.4 16.6 .508 0.1 0.3 .250 2.8 4.6 .608
Dolph Schayes 72 35.0 20.4 - - 12.4 2.8 - - - 3.5 6.5 16.7 .387 - - - 7.5 8.8 .858
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 11 35.2 15.2 0.6 1.7 2.4 3.7 1.8 0.1 2.0 3.5 6.5 15.5 .415 0.0 0.1 .000 2.3 4.4 .521
Dolph Schayes 8 38.8 22.1 - - 13.9 3.4 - - - 3.4 6.5 17.8 .366 - - - 9.1 10.4 .880

Season 8

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1984-851956-57
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNationals Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 56 32.9 20.6 1.1 1.6 2.6 4.1 1.5 0.1 2.1 2.6 8.8 17.3 .511 0.1 0.4 .190 2.9 4.6 .622
Dolph Schayes 72 39.6 22.5 - - 14.0 3.2 - - - 3.0 6.9 18.2 .379 - - - 8.7 9.6 .904
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 5 43.0 21.4 - - 18.0 2.8 - - - 3.6 5.8 19.0 .305 - - - 9.8 11.0 .891

Season 9

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1985-861957-58
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdNationals Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 77 31.1 15.8 1.1 1.5 2.6 3.4 1.1 0.2 2.3 3.0 7.0 13.7 .513 0.1 0.3 .364 1.6 2.7 .581
Dolph Schayes 72 40.5 24.9 - - 14.2 3.1 - - - 3.4 8.1 20.3 .398 - - - 8.7 9.7 .904
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 3 44.0 23.0 1.7 2.3 4.0 3.3 2.0 1.0 3.0 4.7 9.7 18.3 .527 0.0 1.0 .000 3.7 6.3 .579
Dolph Schayes 3 43.7 26.7 - - 15.0 2.0 - - - 3.3 8.3 21.3 .391 - - - 10.0 12.0 .833

Season 10

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1986-871958-59
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNationals Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 7 18.1 6.3 0.4 0.6 1.0 2.4 0.4 0.0 1.3 2.3 2.7 6.0 .452 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.3 .667
Dolph Schayes 72 36.7 21.3 - - 13.4 2.5 - - - 3.9 7.0 18.1 .387 - - - 7.3 8.5 .864
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 9 39.0 28.2 - - 13.0 4.6 - - - 4.0 8.7 21.7 .400 - - - 10.9 11.9 .916

Season 11

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1987-881959-60
Team New Jersey NetsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNationals Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 67 28.1 10.9 1.1 1.4 2.5 3.3 0.8 0.2 1.9 2.1 5.0 11.0 .458 0.1 0.4 .360 0.7 1.4 .511
Dolph Schayes 75 36.5 22.5 - - 12.8 3.4 - - - 3.5 7.7 19.2 .401 - - - 7.1 8.0 .893
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 3 42.0 29.3 - - 16.0 2.7 - - - 3.3 10.0 22.0 .455 - - - 9.3 10.0 .933

Season 12

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season 1988-891960-61
Team Boston CelticsSyracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf 1st RdNationals Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 13 8.3 2.8 0.3 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.9 0.8 1.4 2.8 .500 0.1 0.2 .333 0.0 0.2 .000
Dolph Schayes 79 38.1 23.6 - - 12.2 3.7 - - - 3.7 7.5 20.2 .372 - - - 8.6 9.9 .868
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong 3 6.7 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.3 1.7 .200 0.0 0.7 .000 0.0 0.0 -
Dolph Schayes 8 38.5 20.6 - - 11.4 2.6 - - - 4.0 6.4 19.0 .336 - - - 7.9 8.8 .900

Season 13

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season -1961-62
Team -Syracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Nationals Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 56 26.4 14.7 - - 7.8 2.1 - - - 3.0 4.8 13.4 .357 - - - 5.1 5.7 .897
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 5 19.0 11.4 - - 7.0 1.0 - - - 4.2 4.8 13.2 .364 - - - 1.8 2.6 .692

Season 14

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season -1962-63
Team -Syracuse Nationals
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Nationals Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 66 21.8 9.5 - - 5.7 2.7 - - - 2.7 3.4 8.7 .388 - - - 2.7 3.1 .879
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 5 21.6 10.2 - - 5.6 1.4 - - - 3.4 4.0 8.8 .455 - - - 2.2 2.4 .917

Season 15

Otis Birdsong Dolph Schayes
Season -1963-64
Team -Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes 24 14.6 5.6 - - 4.6 2.0 - - - 3.2 1.8 6.0 .308 - - - 1.9 2.4 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Otis Birdsong ------- --- ----------
Dolph Schayes ------- --- ----------