Ron Harper vs. Buddy Hield Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Buddy Hield and Ron Harper, 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 / Stats / Stats Rankings

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.

Ron Harper played 15 years in the NBA, 6 more than Buddy Hield, who played 9. Ron Harper had the first of his seasons in 1986-87, while Buddy Hield 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 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
Ron Harper 15 10 1986-87 to 2000-01
Buddy Hield 9 2 2016-17 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1986-872016-17
Team Cleveland CavaliersNew Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Ron Harper 82 37.4 22.9 2.1 2.7 4.8 4.8 2.5 1.0 4.2 3.0 9.0 19.7 .455 0.2 1.1 .213 4.7 6.9 .684
difference:+14.4+12.3+1.7+0.2+1.5+3.3+2.0+0.9-3.0-1.6+5.0+10.3+.029+1.6+3.5+.178+3.9+6.0+.158
Buddy Hield 82 23.0 10.6 0.4 2.9 3.3 1.5 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.4 4.0 9.4 .426 1.8 4.6 .391 0.8 0.9 .842
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Ron Harper nor Buddy Hield played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1987-882017-18
Team Cleveland CavaliersSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 57 32.1 15.4 1.1 2.8 3.9 4.9 2.1 0.9 2.8 2.8 6.0 12.8 .464 0.1 0.4 .150 3.4 4.9 .705
difference:+23+6.8+1.9+0.4+0.4+0.1+3.0+1.0+0.6-1.2-0.9+0.8+1.1+.018+2.1+4.7+.281+2.5+3.9+.172
Buddy Hield 80 25.3 13.5 0.7 3.2 3.8 1.9 1.1 0.3 1.6 1.9 5.2 11.7 .446 2.2 5.1 .431 0.9 1.0 .877
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 4 33.5 17.8 1.0 4.0 5.0 3.8 2.8 1.0 2.8 2.3 7.5 15.8 .476 0.0 0.5 .000 2.8 4.0 .688
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1988-892018-19
Team Cleveland CavaliersSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 82 34.8 18.6 1.5 3.5 5.0 5.3 2.3 0.9 2.8 2.7 7.2 14.0 .511 0.4 1.4 .250 3.9 5.2 .751
difference:+2.9+2.1+0.2+0.2+2.8+1.6+0.5-1.0-0.2+0.4+2.6+.053+3.0+6.5+.177+1.8+2.8+.135
Buddy Hield 82 31.9 20.7 1.3 3.7 5.0 2.5 0.7 0.4 1.8 2.5 7.6 16.6 .458 3.4 7.9 .427 2.1 2.4 .886
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 5 37.8 19.6 1.4 2.8 4.2 4.0 2.2 0.8 1.4 4.0 7.8 13.8 .565 0.0 0.4 .000 4.0 5.2 .769
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1989-902019-20
Team Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles ClippersSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Ron Harper 35 39.1 22.8 2.1 3.8 5.9 5.2 2.3 1.2 2.9 3.0 8.6 18.2 .473 0.4 1.5 .275 5.2 6.6 .788
difference:+37+8.3+3.6+1.3+1.3+2.2+1.4+1.0-0.6-0.7+1.7+2.1+.044+3.4+8.1+.119+3.6+4.7+.058
Buddy Hield 72 30.8 19.2 0.8 3.8 4.6 3.0 0.9 0.2 2.3 2.3 6.9 16.1 .429 3.8 9.6 .394 1.6 1.9 .846
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Ron Harper nor Buddy Hield played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1990-912020-21
Team Los Angeles ClippersSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 39 35.5 19.6 1.5 3.3 4.8 5.4 1.7 0.9 3.3 2.8 7.3 18.7 .391 1.2 3.8 .324 3.7 5.6 .668
difference:+32+1.2+3.0+1.1+1.0+0.1+1.8+0.8+0.5-1.5-0.3+1.6+4.7+.015+2.8+6.4+.067+2.5+4.1+.178
Buddy Hield 71 34.3 16.6 0.4 4.3 4.7 3.6 0.9 0.4 1.8 2.5 5.7 14.0 .406 4.0 10.2 .391 1.2 1.5 .846
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Ron Harper nor Buddy Hield played in the postseason in their season 5

Season 6

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1991-922021-22
Team Los Angeles ClippersSacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Clippers 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%
Ron Harper 82 38.3 18.2 1.5 4.0 5.5 5.1 1.9 0.9 3.1 2.4 6.9 15.8 .440 0.8 2.6 .303 3.6 4.9 .736
difference:+1+7.4+2.6+0.7+0.5+1.1+2.3+1.0+0.6-1.2-0.1+1.4+2.2+.034+2.4+6.2+.063+2.2+3.3+.138
Buddy Hield 81 30.9 15.6 0.8 3.5 4.4 2.8 0.9 0.3 1.9 2.3 5.5 13.6 .406 3.2 8.8 .366 1.4 1.6 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 5 41.2 18.0 2.0 4.4 6.4 4.6 1.0 0.8 3.0 2.6 7.8 17.4 .448 0.2 1.8 .111 2.2 2.8 .786
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1992-932022-23
Team Los Angeles ClippersIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 80 37.1 18.0 1.5 3.9 5.3 4.5 2.2 0.9 2.8 2.7 6.8 15.0 .451 0.7 2.3 .280 3.8 5.0 .769
difference:+6.1+1.2+0.7+0.3+0.3+1.7+1.0+0.6-1.1-0.7+0.9+2.0+.007+2.9+6.2+.145+2.5+3.4+.053
Buddy Hield 80 31.0 16.8 0.8 4.2 5.0 2.8 1.2 0.3 1.7 2.0 5.9 13.0 .458 3.6 8.5 .425 1.3 1.6 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 5 34.8 18.0 0.8 3.2 4.0 3.2 3.0 2.0 2.2 1.4 7.4 15.6 .474 1.0 2.0 .500 2.2 3.4 .647
Buddy Hield DNP------ --- ----------

Season 8

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1993-942023-24
Team Los Angeles ClippersIndiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 75 38.1 20.1 1.7 4.4 6.1 4.6 1.9 0.7 3.2 2.2 7.6 17.8 .426 0.9 3.1 .301 4.0 5.6 .715
difference:+9+12.4+8.0+1.0+1.9+2.9+1.8+1.1+0.2-2.0-0.2+3.2+7.7+.010+1.7+3.7+.085+3.4+4.9+.166
Buddy Hield 84 25.7 12.1 0.7 2.5 3.2 2.8 0.8 0.5 1.2 2.0 4.4 10.1 .436 2.6 6.8 .386 0.6 0.7 .881
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper DNP------ --- ----------
Buddy Hield 4 12.8 5.5 0.5 0.8 1.3 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.5 1.0 1.8 4.3 .412 1.5 3.3 .462 0.5 0.5 1.000

Season 9

Ron Harper Buddy Hield
Season 1994-952024-25
Team Chicago BullsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf SemisWarriors Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 77 19.9 6.9 0.7 1.7 2.3 2.0 1.3 0.4 1.3 1.7 2.7 6.4 .426 0.4 1.4 .282 1.1 1.7 .618
difference:+5+2.8+4.2+0.1+0.9+0.9+0.4+0.5+0.1-0.2-0.1+1.3+3.2+.009+2.1+5.3+.088+0.5+0.9+.210
Buddy Hield 82 22.7 11.1 0.6 2.6 3.2 1.6 0.8 0.3 1.1 1.6 4.0 9.6 .417 2.5 6.7 .370 0.6 0.8 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Ron Harper 6 6.7 2.0 0.3 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.2 0.2 1.0 1.0 2.3 .429 0.0 0.3 .000 0.0 0.0 -
difference:+6+20.6+10.5+1.2+1.3+2.5+1.1+0.7+0.2-0.9-1.0+3.3+8.1+.013+2.8+6.1+.429+1.1+1.2
Buddy Hield 12 27.3 12.5 1.5 2.0 3.5 1.8 1.2 0.4 1.1 2.0 4.3 10.4 .416 2.8 6.4 .429 1.1 1.2 .929

Additional Years

* Ron Harper played 6 seasons more than Buddy Hield in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 15, from 1996 to 2001—Ron Harper played in 5 Playoffs and won 5 NBA Championships.