Pat Riley vs. Bill Sharman Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Sharman and Pat Riley, 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.

Pat Riley played 9 years in the NBA, 2 less than Bill Sharman, who played 11. Pat Riley had the first of his seasons in 1967-68, while Bill Sharman had his rookie season in 1950-51. 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
Pat Riley 9 6 1967-68 to 1975-76
Bill Sharman 11 10 1950-51 to 1960-61

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1967-681950-51
Team San Diego RocketsWashington Capitols
Honors & Awards
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 %
Pat Riley 80 15.8 7.9 - - 2.2 1.7 - - - 2.6 3.1 8.3 .379 - - - 1.6 2.5 .634
Bill Sharman 31 - 12.2 - - 3.5 1.3 - - - 2.8 4.5 12.3 .370 - - - 3.1 3.5 .889
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1968-691951-52
Team San Diego RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Div SemisCeltics 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 %
Pat Riley 56 18.3 8.8 - - 2.0 2.4 - - - 2.6 3.6 8.9 .406 - - - 1.6 2.4 .672
Bill Sharman 63 22.0 10.7 - - 3.5 2.4 - - - 2.9 3.9 10.0 .389 - - - 2.9 3.4 .859
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 5 15.2 7.4 - - 2.2 0.4 - - - 2.6 3.2 7.4 .432 - - - 1.0 1.2 .833
Bill Sharman 1 27.0 15.0 - - 3.0 7.0 - - - 4.0 7.0 12.0 .583 - - - 1.0 1.0 1.000

Season 3

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1969-701952-53
Team San Diego RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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 %
Pat Riley 36 13.2 5.3 - - 1.6 2.4 - - - 1.9 2.1 5.0 .417 - - - 1.1 1.5 .727
Bill Sharman 71 32.9 16.2 - - 4.1 2.7 - - - 3.4 5.7 13.0 .436 - - - 4.8 5.6 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman 6 33.5 11.7 - - 2.5 2.5 - - - 4.3 3.3 10.0 .333 - - - 5.0 5.3 .938

Season 4

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1970-711953-54
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsCeltics 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 %
Pat Riley 54 9.4 4.9 - - 1.0 1.3 - - - 1.6 1.9 4.7 .413 - - - 1.0 1.6 .644
Bill Sharman 72 34.3 16.0 - - 3.5 3.2 - - - 2.9 5.7 12.7 .450 - - - 4.6 5.4 .844
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 7 19.3 9.4 - - 2.1 2.0 - - - 1.7 4.1 9.9 .420 - - - 1.1 1.6 .727
Bill Sharman 6 34.3 18.8 - - 4.2 1.7 - - - 4.8 5.8 13.5 .432 - - - 7.2 8.3 .860

Season 5

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1971-721954-55
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics 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 %
Pat Riley 67 13.8 6.7 - - 1.9 1.1 - - - 1.6 2.9 6.6 .447 - - - 0.8 1.1 .743
Bill Sharman 68 36.1 18.4 - - 4.4 4.1 - - - 3.1 6.7 15.6 .427 - - - 5.1 5.7 .897
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 15 16.3 5.2 - - 1.9 0.9 - - - 2.5 2.2 6.6 .333 - - - 0.8 1.1 .750
Bill Sharman 7 41.4 20.7 - - 5.4 5.4 - - - 3.4 7.9 15.7 .500 - - - 5.0 5.4 .921

Season 6

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1972-731955-56
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsCeltics 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 %
Pat Riley 55 14.6 7.3 - - 1.2 1.5 - - - 2.3 3.0 7.1 .428 - - - 1.2 1.5 .793
Bill Sharman 72 37.5 19.9 - - 3.6 4.7 - - - 2.7 7.5 17.1 .438 - - - 5.0 5.7 .867
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 7 7.6 2.6 - - 0.7 1.0 - - - 1.4 1.3 3.9 .333 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Bill Sharman 3 39.7 17.3 - - 2.3 4.0 - - - 2.3 6.0 15.3 .391 - - - 5.3 5.7 .941

Season 7

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1973-741956-57
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 72 18.9 9.5 0.5 1.3 1.8 2.1 0.8 0.0 - 2.4 4.0 9.3 .430 - - - 1.5 2.0 .764
Bill Sharman 67 35.9 21.1 - - 4.3 3.5 - - - 2.8 7.7 18.5 .416 - - - 5.7 6.3 .905
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 5 21.2 7.8 0.6 0.6 1.2 2.0 0.8 0.0 - 2.2 3.6 10.0 .360 - - - 0.6 0.8 .750
Bill Sharman 10 37.7 21.1 - - 3.5 2.9 - - - 2.3 7.5 19.7 .381 - - - 6.1 6.4 .953

Season 8

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1974-751957-58
Team Los Angeles LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 46 22.1 11.0 0.5 1.3 1.8 2.6 0.8 0.1 - 2.8 4.8 11.4 .419 - - - 1.5 2.0 .742
Bill Sharman 63 35.1 22.3 - - 4.7 2.7 - - - 2.5 8.7 20.6 .424 - - - 4.8 5.4 .893
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman 11 36.9 21.1 - - 4.9 2.3 - - - 2.5 8.2 20.1 .407 - - - 4.7 5.1 .929

Season 9

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season 1975-761958-59
Team Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix SunsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost NBA FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 62 13.1 4.7 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.9 0.4 0.1 - 1.8 1.9 4.9 .389 - - - 0.9 1.2 .714
Bill Sharman 72 33.1 20.4 - - 4.1 2.5 - - - 2.4 7.8 19.1 .408 - - - 4.8 5.1 .932
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley 5 5.4 2.6 0.0 0.0 0 1.0 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.2 3.0 .400 - - - 0.2 0.2 1.000
Bill Sharman 11 29.3 20.1 - - 3.3 2.5 - - - 3.2 7.5 17.5 .425 - - - 5.2 5.4 .966

Season 10

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season -1959-60
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman 71 27.0 19.3 - - 3.7 2.0 - - - 2.2 7.9 17.3 .456 - - - 3.5 4.1 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman 13 28.0 16.8 - - 3.5 1.5 - - - 1.7 6.8 16.1 .421 - - - 3.3 4.1 .811

Season 11

Pat Riley Bill Sharman
Season -1960-61
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman 61 25.2 16.0 - - 3.7 2.4 - - - 2.1 6.3 14.9 .422 - - - 3.4 3.7 .921
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Pat Riley ------- --- ----------
Bill Sharman 10 26.1 16.8 - - 2.7 1.7 - - - 2.2 6.8 13.3 .511 - - - 3.2 3.6 .889