Rudy Gay vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Rudy Gay, 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.

Rudy Gay played 17 years in the NBA, 7 more than Bill Walton, who played 10. Rudy Gay had the first of his seasons in 2006-07, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
Rudy Gay	17	3	2006-07 to 2022-23
Bill Walton	10	4	1974-75 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10


Rookie Season
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2006-07	1974-75
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	-
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	78	27.0	10.8	1.2	3.3	4.5	1.3	0.9	0.9	1.8	2.5	4.1	9.7	.422	0.7	1.8	.364	1.9	2.7	.727
difference:	+43	+5.9	+2.0	+1.4	+6.7	+8.1	+3.5	+0.1	+1.8		-0.8	+1.0	+0.2	+.091				+0.8	+1.2	+.041
Bill Walton	35	32.9	12.8	2.6	10.0	12.6	4.8	0.8	2.7	-	3.3	5.1	9.9	.513	-	-	-	2.7	3.9	.686

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Rudy Gay nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 1


Season 2
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2007-08	1975-76
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	81	37.0	20.1	1.7	4.4	6.2	2.0	1.4	1.0	2.3	2.8	7.7	16.7	.461	1.7	4.8	.346	3.1	3.9	.785
difference:	+30	+3.9	+4.0	+0.9	+6.4	+7.2	+2.3	+0.4	+0.6			+0.9	+2.3	+.010				+0.5	+0.6	+.202
Bill Walton	51	33.1	16.1	2.6	10.8	13.4	4.3	1.0	1.6	-	2.8	6.8	14.4	.471	-	-	-	2.6	4.5	.583

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Rudy Gay nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 2


Season 3
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2008-09	1976-77
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	-	Blocks Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	79	37.3	18.9	1.4	4.2	5.5	1.7	1.2	0.7	2.6	2.8	7.2	16.0	.453	1.1	3.1	.351	3.3	4.4	.767
difference:	+14	+2.5	+0.3	+1.8	+6.9	+8.9	+2.1	+0.2	+2.5		-0.1	+0.4	+1.7	+.075				+0.2	+0.6	+.070
Bill Walton	65	34.8	18.6	3.2	11.1	14.4	3.8	1.0	3.2	-	2.7	7.6	14.3	.528	-	-	-	3.5	5.0	.697

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bill Walton	19	39.7	18.2	2.9	12.2	15.2	5.5	1.1	3.4	-	4.2	8.1	15.9	.507	-	-	-	2.1	3.0	.684


Season 4
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2009-10	1977-78
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	80	39.7	19.6	1.4	4.5	5.9	1.9	1.5	0.8	2.1	2.5	7.5	16.1	.466	0.8	2.5	.327	3.8	5.0	.753
difference:	+22	+6.4	+0.7	+0.6	+6.7	+7.3	+3.1	+0.5	+1.7	-1.5		+0.4	+0.9	+.056				+0.7	+0.8	+.033
Bill Walton	58	33.3	18.9	2.0	11.2	13.2	5.0	1.0	2.5	3.6	2.5	7.9	15.2	.522	-	-	-	3.1	4.2	.720

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bill Walton	2	24.5	13.5	2.5	8.5	11.0	2.0	1.5	1.5	3.0	0.5	5.5	9.0	.611	-	-	-	2.5	3.5	.714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.


Season 5
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2010-11	1979-80
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	54	39.9	19.8	1.5	4.7	6.2	2.8	1.7	1.1	2.5	2.4	7.6	16.1	.471	1.1	2.7	.396	3.6	4.5	.805
difference:	+40	+15.8	+5.9	+0.5	+2.3	+2.8	+0.4	+1.1	+1.6	-0.1	-0.2	+1.8	+4.6	+.032	+1.1	+2.7		+1.3	+0.6	+.212
Bill Walton	14	24.1	13.9	2.0	7.0	9.0	2.4	0.6	2.7	2.6	2.6	5.8	11.5	.503	0.0	0.0	-	2.3	3.9	.593

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Rudy Gay nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 5

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.


Season 6
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2011-12	1982-83
Team	Memphis Grizzlies	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Did Not Play

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	65	37.3	19.0	2.0	4.4	6.4	2.3	1.5	0.8	2.5	2.1	7.5	16.4	.455	0.8	2.7	.312	3.2	4.0	.791
difference:	+32	+4.0	+4.9	+0.3	+3.1	+3.4	+1.3	+0.5	+2.8	-0.7	-1.3	+1.4	+4.9	+.073	+0.8	+2.7		+1.2	+0.5	+.235
Bill Walton	33	33.3	14.1	2.3	7.5	9.8	3.6	1.0	3.6	3.2	3.4	6.1	11.5	.528	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	3.5	.556

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	7	39.9	19.0	1.4	5.1	6.6	1.4	1.3	0.3	3.0	2.1	6.9	16.3	.421	0.6	2.7	.211	4.7	5.7	.825
Bill Walton	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 7
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2012-13	1983-84
Team	Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors	San Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	75	35.8	18.2	1.3	4.8	6.1	2.7	1.5	0.7	2.6	2.4	6.9	16.7	.416	1.1	3.5	.323	3.2	3.9	.814
difference:	+20	+9.0	+6.1	+1.1	+1.5	+2.6	+0.6	+0.7	+0.9	-0.6	-0.4	+1.7	+7.3	+.140	+1.1	+3.5		+1.5	+1.1	+.217
Bill Walton	55	26.8	12.1	2.4	6.3	8.7	3.3	0.8	1.6	3.2	2.8	5.2	9.4	.556	0.0	0.0	-	1.7	2.8	.597

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Rudy Gay nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 7


Season 8
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2013-14	1984-85
Team	Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings	Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Did Not Play

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	73	34.7	20.0	1.5	4.4	6.0	2.9	1.3	0.8	3.1	2.3	7.4	16.2	.455	0.9	2.7	.330	4.4	5.3	.822
difference:	+6	+10.1	+9.9	+1.0	+2.0	+3.0	+0.6	+0.6	+1.3	-0.5	-0.4	+3.4	+8.5	+.066	+0.9	+2.7		+2.3	+2.3	+.142
Bill Walton	67	24.6	10.1	2.5	6.4	9.0	2.3	0.7	2.1	2.6	2.7	4.0	7.7	.521	0.0	0.0	-	2.1	3.0	.680

Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Rudy Gay nor Bill Walton played in the postseason in their season 8


Season 9
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2014-15	1985-86
Team	Sacramento Kings	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards	-	Sixth Man of the Year
Playoffs	Did Not Play	NBA Champion

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	68	35.4	21.1	1.4	4.4	5.9	3.7	1.0	0.6	2.7	2.3	7.5	16.4	.455	1.2	3.2	.359	5.0	5.8	.858
difference:	+12	+16.1	+13.5	+0.3	+0.7	+0.9	+1.6	+0.5	+0.7	-0.8	-0.3	+4.6	+11.3	+.107	+1.2	+3.2		+3.2	+3.3	+.145
Bill Walton	80	19.3	7.6	1.7	5.1	6.8	2.1	0.5	1.3	1.9	2.6	2.9	5.1	.562	0.0	0.0	-	1.8	2.5	.713

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bill Walton	16	18.2	7.9	1.6	4.9	6.4	1.7	0.4	0.8	1.4	2.8	3.4	5.8	.581	0.0	0.1	.000	1.2	1.4	.826


Season 10
	Rudy Gay	Bill Walton
Season	2015-16	1986-87
Team	Sacramento Kings	Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Celtics Lost NBA Finals

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10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	70	34.0	17.2	1.5	5.0	6.5	1.7	1.4	0.7	2.0	2.6	6.7	14.4	.463	1.1	3.1	.344	2.8	3.6	.780
difference:	+60	+22.8	+14.4	+0.4	+3.0	+3.4	+0.8	+1.3	+0.3	-0.5	-0.3	+5.7	+11.8	+.078	+1.1	+3.1		+2.0	+2.1	+.247
Bill Walton	10	11.2	2.8	1.1	2.0	3.1	0.9	0.1	1.0	1.5	2.3	1.0	2.6	.385	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.5	.533

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Rudy Gay	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bill Walton	12	8.5	2.4	0.8	1.8	2.6	0.8	0.3	0.3	0.7	1.9	1.0	2.1	.480	0.0	0.0	-	0.4	1.2	.357

Additional Years

* Rudy Gay played 7 seasons more than Bill Walton in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 11 to 17, from 2017 to 2023—Rudy Gay played in two Playoffs.

Rudy Gay vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Rudy Gay, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Season 8

8th Season Stats Comparison

Season 9

9th Season Stats Comparison

Season 10

10th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years