Rick Brunson vs. Joel Embiid Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Joel Embiid and Rick Brunson, 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.

Rick Brunson played 9 years in the NBA, 1 more than Joel Embiid, who played 8. Rick Brunson had the first of his seasons in 1997-98, while Joel Embiid had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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
Rick Brunson 9 4 1997-98 to 2005-06
Joel Embiid 8 7 2016-17 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 1997-982016-17
Team Portland Trail BlazersPhiladelphia 76ers
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 %
Rick Brunson 38 16.4 4.3 0.4 1.1 1.5 2.6 0.7 0.1 1.4 1.4 1.3 3.7 .348 0.6 1.6 .361 1.1 1.6 .677
Joel Embiid 31 25.4 20.2 2.0 5.9 7.8 2.1 0.9 2.5 3.8 3.6 6.5 13.8 .466 1.2 3.2 .367 6.2 7.9 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson ------- --- ----------
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 1998-992017-18
Team New York KnicksPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost NBA Finals76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 17 5.6 1.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 1.1 0.5 0.0 0.7 0.5 0.4 1.2 .286 0.0 0.3 .000 0.3 1.1 .278
Joel Embiid 63 30.3 22.9 2.3 8.7 11.0 3.2 0.6 1.8 3.7 3.3 8.1 16.8 .483 1.0 3.4 .308 5.7 7.4 .769
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 9 1.9 0.7 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.6 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.2 0.2 1.000
Joel Embiid 8 34.8 21.4 2.9 9.8 12.6 3.0 0.9 1.8 3.6 3.9 7.5 17.3 .435 1.0 3.6 .276 5.4 7.6 .705

Season 3

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 1999-002018-19
Team New York KnicksPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf Finals76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 37 7.8 1.9 0.1 0.6 0.7 1.3 0.2 0.0 0.8 0.9 0.8 1.9 .414 0.1 0.4 .154 0.3 0.5 .611
Joel Embiid 64 33.7 27.5 2.5 11.1 13.6 3.7 0.7 1.9 3.5 3.3 9.1 18.7 .484 1.2 4.1 .300 8.2 10.1 .804
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 3 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.3 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Joel Embiid 11 30.4 20.2 1.9 8.5 10.5 3.4 0.7 2.3 3.6 3.1 6.2 14.5 .428 1.1 3.5 .308 6.7 8.2 .822

Season 4

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 2000-012019-20
Team Boston Celtics, New York KnicksPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf 1st Rd76ers 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 %
Rick Brunson 22 9.5 2.1 0.2 0.7 1.0 1.4 0.4 0.0 0.8 1.0 0.8 2.5 .333 0.1 0.6 .143 0.4 0.7 .533
Joel Embiid 51 29.5 23.0 2.8 8.9 11.6 3.0 0.9 1.3 3.1 3.4 7.5 15.7 .477 1.1 3.4 .331 6.9 8.5 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 2 1.5 1.5 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.0 .750
Joel Embiid 4 36.3 30.0 2.8 9.5 12.3 1.3 1.5 1.3 3.8 4.5 8.5 18.5 .459 1.0 4.0 .250 12.0 14.8 .814

Season 5

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 2001-022020-21
Team Portland Trail BlazersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 59 8.8 2.1 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.9 0.4 0.0 0.8 0.9 0.8 1.9 .398 0.1 0.2 .545 0.5 0.7 .707
Joel Embiid 51 31.1 28.5 2.2 8.4 10.6 2.8 1.0 1.4 3.1 2.4 9.0 17.6 .513 1.1 3.0 .377 9.2 10.7 .859
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 2 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Joel Embiid 11 32.5 28.1 1.5 9.1 10.5 3.4 1.0 1.5 3.8 3.0 9.2 17.9 .513 1.5 3.7 .390 8.3 9.9 .835

Season 6

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 2002-032021-22
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 17 11.5 3.5 0.2 0.9 1.1 2.1 0.6 0.2 1.0 1.2 1.4 2.9 .460 0.2 0.4 .667 0.6 0.7 .833
Joel Embiid 68 33.8 30.6 2.1 9.6 11.7 4.2 1.1 1.5 3.1 2.7 9.8 19.6 .499 1.4 3.7 .371 9.6 11.8 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson ------- --- ----------
Joel Embiid 10 38.5 23.6 2.1 8.6 10.7 2.1 0.4 0.8 3.2 3.4 7.8 16.1 .484 0.7 3.3 .212 7.3 8.9 .820

Season 7

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 2003-042022-23
Team Toronto Raptors, Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson 40 10.3 3.0 0.2 0.7 0.9 2.1 0.6 0.1 0.8 1.1 1.0 2.6 .381 0.3 0.6 .478 0.7 0.8 .871
Joel Embiid 66 34.6 33.1 1.7 8.4 10.2 4.2 1.0 1.7 3.4 3.1 11.0 20.1 .548 1.0 3.0 .330 10.0 11.7 .857
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson ------- --- ----------
Joel Embiid 9 37.3 23.7 1.8 8.0 9.8 2.7 0.7 2.8 3.9 3.0 7.3 17.0 .431 0.6 3.1 .179 8.4 9.3 .905

Season 8

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 2004-052023-24
Team Los Angeles ClippersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers 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 %
Rick Brunson 80 24.3 5.5 0.3 2.1 2.3 5.1 1.0 0.1 1.6 1.3 2.1 5.5 .376 0.6 1.6 .369 0.7 0.9 .770
Joel Embiid 39 33.6 34.7 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.6 1.2 1.7 3.8 2.9 11.5 21.8 .529 1.4 3.6 .388 10.2 11.6 .883
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson ------- --- ----------
Joel Embiid 6 41.3 33.0 3.2 7.7 10.8 5.7 1.2 1.5 4.2 3.3 9.8 22.2 .444 2.2 6.5 .333 11.2 13.0 .859

Season 9

Rick Brunson Joel Embiid
Season 2005-06-
Team Seattle Supersonics, Houston Rockets-
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 %
Rick Brunson 27 9.1 2.0 0.0 0.8 0.8 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.8 0.8 0.8 2.0 .389 0.2 0.5 .385 0.3 0.4 .583
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Rick Brunson ------- --- ----------
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------