Paul Millsap vs. Yao Ming Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Yao Ming and Paul Millsap, 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.

Paul Millsap played 16 years in the NBA, 8 more than Yao Ming, who played 8. Paul Millsap had the first of his seasons in 2006-07, while Yao Ming had his rookie season in 2002-03. 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
Paul Millsap 16 13 2006-07 to 2021-22
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2006-072002-03
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf FinalsDid 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%
Paul Millsap 82 18.0 6.8 2.2 2.9 5.2 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.1 2.9 2.5 4.9 .525 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 2.5 .673
difference:+11.0+6.7+0.2+2.9+3.0+0.9+0.4+0.9-1.0-0.1+2.4+4.9+.027+2.0+2.0+.138
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.5 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 17 15.5 5.9 2.2 2.2 4.4 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.8 2.3 2.5 4.7 .525 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.4 .667
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2007-082003-04
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 82 20.8 8.1 2.0 3.6 5.6 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.1 3.3 3.1 6.1 .504 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 2.8 .677
difference:+12.0+9.4+0.4+3.0+3.4+0.5+0.6+1.0-1.4+3.4+6.4+.018+2.5+2.6+.132
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 - 4.4 5.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 12 17.5 6.4 1.9 2.0 3.9 0.3 0.6 1.3 0.8 3.1 2.7 5.2 .516 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 2.1 .520
difference:+7+20.1+8.6+0.3+3.2+3.5+1.5+0.2+0.1-1.8-0.9+3.5+8.4+.060+0.1+1.5+1.3+.245
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765

Season 3

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2008-092004-05
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdRockets 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%
Paul Millsap 76 30.1 13.5 3.3 5.3 8.6 1.8 1.0 1.0 1.7 3.8 5.3 9.9 .534 0.0 0.1 .000 3.0 4.3 .699
difference:+4+0.5+4.8+0.7+0.5+0.2+1.0+0.6+1.0-0.8-0.1+1.4+2.3+.018+0.1+1.9+1.9+.084
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 5 31.0 11.8 4.0 4.0 8.0 1.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 3.4 5.0 9.8 .510 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.6 .500
difference:+2+0.9+9.6+0.7+0.4+0.3+0.9+0.5+1.7-1.5-1.0+2.9+2.2+.145+3.9+4.3+.227
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727

Season 4

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2009-102005-06
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 82 27.8 11.6 2.3 4.5 6.8 1.6 0.8 1.2 1.4 3.5 4.7 8.7 .538 0.0 0.1 .111 2.2 3.2 .693
difference:+25+6.4+10.7+0.3+3.1+3.4+0.1+0.3+0.4-1.2-0.1+3.5+7.1+.019+0.1+3.7+3.7+.160
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 - 5.9 6.9 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 10 32.3 18.0 3.4 5.4 8.8 2.2 1.1 1.4 1.3 3.6 7.0 12.2 .574 0.0 0.2 .000 4.0 5.8 .690
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2010-112006-07
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 76 34.3 17.3 2.2 5.5 7.6 2.5 1.4 0.9 1.9 3.6 6.9 13.0 .531 0.1 0.3 .391 3.4 4.4 .757
difference:+28+0.5+7.7+0.1+1.8+1.8+0.5+1.0+1.1-1.6-0.3+1.9+4.1+.015+0.1+0.3+4.0+4.2+.105
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 - 7.4 8.6 .862
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap DNP------ --- ----------
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880

Season 6

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2011-122007-08
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 64 32.8 16.6 2.8 6.0 8.8 2.3 1.8 0.8 1.8 3.5 6.7 13.5 .495 0.1 0.5 .226 3.2 4.0 .792
difference:+9+4.4+5.4+0.3+1.7+2.0+1.3+1.2-1.5-0.4+1.2+2.0+.012+0.1+0.5+3.1+3.4+.058
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 - 6.3 7.4 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 4 34.8 12.0 4.3 6.8 11.0 0.5 0.3 2.5 2.3 2.8 5.0 13.5 .370 0.0 0.8 .000 2.0 4.0 .500
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2012-132008-09
Team Utah JazzHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 78 30.4 14.6 2.3 4.8 7.1 2.6 1.3 1.0 1.8 3.0 5.5 11.2 .490 0.2 0.5 .333 3.4 4.6 .742
difference:+1+3.2+5.1+0.3+2.4+2.8+0.8+0.9+0.9-1.2-0.3+1.9+2.2+.058+0.2+0.5+1.5+1.1+.124
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 5.7 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap DNP------ --- ----------
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Paul Millsap Yao Ming
Season 2013-142010-11
Team Atlanta HawksHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Hawks Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 74 33.5 17.9 2.1 6.4 8.5 3.1 1.7 1.1 2.5 2.8 6.5 14.1 .461 1.0 2.9 .358 3.9 5.3 .731
difference:+69+15.3+7.7+0.7+2.4+3.1+2.3+1.7+0.5-1.1-0.2+2.9+6.7+.025+1.0+2.9+0.9+2.1+.207
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Paul Millsap 7 38.1 19.4 3.0 7.9 10.9 2.9 1.4 1.9 2.9 3.6 5.9 14.7 .398 1.3 3.9 .333 6.4 8.0 .804
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Paul Millsap played 8 seasons more than Yao Ming in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 16, from 2015 to 2022—Paul Millsap played in 7 Playoffs.

In those 8 extra years over Yao Ming, Paul Millsap got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 3 All-Star Game