Sam Jones vs. Michael Jordan Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Jordan and Sam Jones, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

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.

Sam Jones played 12 years in the NBA, 3 less than Michael Jordan, who played 15. Sam Jones had the first of his seasons in 1957-58, while Michael Jordan had his rookie season in 1984-85. 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.

Rookie Season
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1957-58	1984-85
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Rookie of the Year
	-	All-Rookie First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Celtics Lost NBA Finals	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
Sam Jones	56	10.6	4.6	-	-	2.9	0.7	-	-	-	0.8	1.8	4.2	.429	-	-	-	1.1	1.5	.714
difference:	+26	+27.7	+23.6			+3.6	+5.2				-2.7	+8.4	+15.6	+.086				+6.6	+7.6	+.131
Michael Jordan	82	38.3	28.2	2.0	4.5	6.5	5.9	2.4	0.8	3.5	3.5	10.2	19.8	.515	0.1	0.6	.173	7.7	9.1	.845
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	8	9.4	3.9	-	-	3.0	0.5	-	-	-	0.9	1.3	2.8	.455	-	-	-	1.4	2.0	.688
difference:	+4	+33.4	+25.4			+2.8	+8.0				-2.9	+7.2	+16.7	+.019				+10.6	+12.5	+.140
Michael Jordan	4	42.8	29.3	1.8	4.0	5.8	8.5	2.8	1.0	3.8	3.8	8.5	19.5	.436	0.3	2.0	.125	12.0	14.5	.828

Season 2
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1958-59	1985-86
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
Sam Jones	71	20.6	10.7	-	-	6.0	1.4	-	-	-	1.4	4.3	9.9	.434	-	-	-	2.1	2.8	.770
difference:	+53	+4.5	+12.0			+2.4	+1.5				-1.2	+4.0	+8.3	+.023				+3.7	+4.1	+.070
Michael Jordan	18	25.1	22.7	1.3	2.3	3.6	2.9	2.1	1.2	2.5	2.6	8.3	18.2	.457	0.2	1.0	.167	5.8	6.9	.840
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	11	17.5	10.3	-	-	5.7	1.5	-	-	-	1.3	3.6	9.8	.370	-	-	-	3.0	3.5	.846
difference:	+8	+27.5	+33.4			+0.6	+4.2				-3.0	+12.4	+21.9	+.135				+8.3	+9.5	+.026
Michael Jordan	3	45.0	43.7	1.7	4.7	6.3	5.7	2.3	1.3	4.7	4.3	16.0	31.7	.505	0.3	0.3	1.000	11.3	13.0	.872

Season 3
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1959-60	1986-87
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
Sam Jones	74	20.4	11.9	-	-	5.1	1.7	-	-	-	1.4	4.8	10.6	.454	-	-	-	2.3	3.0	.764
difference:	+8	+19.6	+25.2			+0.1	+2.9				-1.5	+8.6	+17.2	+.028				+7.9	+8.9	+.093
Michael Jordan	82	40.0	37.1	2.0	3.2	5.2	4.6	2.9	1.5	3.3	2.9	13.4	27.8	.482	0.1	0.8	.182	10.2	11.9	.857
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	13	15.2	8.2	-	-	3.2	1.4	-	-	-	1.2	3.5	9.0	.385	-	-	-	1.3	1.6	.810
difference:	+10	+27.5	+27.5			+3.8	+4.6				-2.5	+8.2	+19.0	+.032				+10.4	+11.4	+.087
Michael Jordan	3	42.7	35.7	2.3	4.7	7.0	6.0	2.0	2.3	2.7	3.7	11.7	28.0	.417	0.7	1.7	.400	11.7	13.0	.897

Season 4
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1960-61	1987-88
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Defensive Player of the Year
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bulls Lost East 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		%
Sam Jones	78	26.0	15.0	-	-	5.4	2.8	-	-	-	1.9	6.2	13.7	.449	-	-	-	2.7	3.4	.787
difference:	+4	+14.4	+20.0			+0.1	+3.1				-1.4	+6.8	+10.7	+.086				+6.1	+7.1	+.054
Michael Jordan	82	40.4	35.0	1.7	3.8	5.5	5.9	3.2	1.6	3.1	3.3	13.0	24.4	.535	0.1	0.6	.132	8.8	10.5	.841
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	10	25.8	13.1	-	-	5.4	2.2	-	-	-	2.2	5.0	11.2	.446	-	-	-	3.1	3.5	.886
difference:		+16.9	+23.2			+1.7	+2.5				-1.6	+8.8	+14.8	+.085				+5.5	+6.4	+.017
Michael Jordan	10	42.7	36.3	2.3	4.8	7.1	4.7	2.4	1.1	3.9	3.8	13.8	26.0	.531	0.1	0.3	.333	8.6	9.9	.869

Season 5
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1961-62	1988-89
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bulls Lost East Conf Finals

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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		%
Sam Jones	78	30.6	18.4	-	-	5.9	3.0	-	-	-	1.9	7.6	16.5	.464	-	-	-	3.1	3.8	.818
difference:	+3	+9.6	+14.1			+2.1	+5.0				-1.1	+4.3	+5.7	+.074				+5.2	+6.0	+.032
Michael Jordan	81	40.2	32.5	1.8	6.2	8.0	8.0	2.9	0.8	3.6	3.0	11.9	22.2	.538	0.3	1.2	.276	8.3	9.8	.850
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	14	36.0	20.6	-	-	7.1	3.1	-	-	-	2.1	8.8	19.8	.444	-	-	-	3.0	4.3	.700
difference:	+3	+6.2	+14.2			+0.1	+4.5				-1.7	+2.9	+3.1	+.066				+7.8	+9.2	+.099
Michael Jordan	17	42.2	34.8	1.5	5.5	7.0	7.6	2.5	0.8	4.0	3.8	11.7	22.9	.510	0.6	2.1	.286	10.8	13.5	.799

Season 6
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1962-63	1989-90
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bulls Lost East Conf Finals

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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		%
Sam Jones	76	30.6	19.7	-	-	5.2	3.2	-	-	-	2.1	8.2	17.2	.476	-	-	-	3.4	4.3	.793
difference:	+6	+8.4	+13.9			+1.7	+3.1				-0.8	+4.4	+6.8	+.050				+3.8	+4.2	+.055
Michael Jordan	82	39.0	33.6	1.7	5.1	6.9	6.3	2.8	0.7	3.0	2.9	12.6	24.0	.526	1.1	3.0	.376	7.2	8.5	.848
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	13	34.6	23.8	-	-	6.2	2.5	-	-	-	3.2	9.2	19.1	.484	-	-	-	5.3	6.4	.831
difference:	+3	+7.5	+12.9			+1.0	+4.3				-0.2	+4.5	+7.5	+.030				+3.0	+3.5	+.005
Michael Jordan	16	42.1	36.7	1.5	5.7	7.2	6.8	2.8	0.9	3.5	3.4	13.7	26.6	.514	1.0	3.1	.320	8.3	9.9	.836

Season 7
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1963-64	1990-91
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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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		%
Sam Jones	76	31.3	19.4	-	-	4.6	2.7	-	-	-	2.5	8.1	17.9	.450	-	-	-	3.3	4.2	.783
difference:	+6	+5.7	+12.1			+1.4	+2.8				-0.3	+4.0	+4.5	+.089				+3.7	+4.0	+.068
Michael Jordan	82	37.0	31.5	1.4	4.6	6.0	5.5	2.7	1.0	2.5	2.8	12.1	22.4	.539	0.4	1.1	.312	7.0	8.2	.851
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	10	35.6	23.2	-	-	4.7	2.3	-	-	-	2.4	9.1	18.0	.506	-	-	-	5.0	6.8	.735
difference:	+7	+4.9	+7.9			+1.7	+6.1				-0.7	+2.5	+4.1	+.018				+2.4	+1.9	+.110
Michael Jordan	17	40.5	31.1	1.1	5.3	6.4	8.4	2.4	1.4	2.5	3.1	11.6	22.1	.524	0.6	1.5	.385	7.4	8.7	.845

Season 8
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1964-65	1991-92
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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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		%
Sam Jones	80	36.1	25.9	-	-	5.1	2.8	-	-	-	2.2	10.3	22.7	.452	-	-	-	5.4	6.5	.820
difference:		+2.7	+4.2			+1.3	+3.3				-0.3	+1.5		+.067				+0.7	+0.9	+.012
Michael Jordan	80	38.8	30.1	1.1	5.3	6.4	6.1	2.3	0.9	2.5	2.5	11.8	22.7	.519	0.3	1.3	.270	6.1	7.4	.832
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	12	41.3	28.6	-	-	4.6	2.5	-	-	-	3.3	11.3	24.5	.459	-	-	-	6.1	7.0	.869
difference:	+10	+0.5	+5.9			+1.6	+3.3				-0.5	+1.9	+1.9	+.040				+1.3	+1.6	+.012
Michael Jordan	22	41.8	34.5	1.7	4.5	6.2	5.8	2.0	0.7	3.7	2.8	13.2	26.4	.499	0.8	2.0	.386	7.4	8.6	.857

Season 9
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1965-66	1992-93
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	Steals Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	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		%
Sam Jones	67	32.2	23.5	-	-	5.2	3.2	-	-	-	2.5	9.3	19.9	.469	-	-	-	4.9	6.1	.799
difference:	+11	+7.1	+9.1			+1.5	+2.3				-0.1	+3.4	+5.8	+.026				+1.2	+1.2	+.038
Michael Jordan	78	39.3	32.6	1.7	5.0	6.7	5.5	2.8	0.8	2.7	2.4	12.7	25.7	.495	1.0	2.9	.352	6.1	7.3	.837
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	17	35.4	24.8	-	-	5.1	3.1	-	-	-	3.8	9.1	20.2	.449	-	-	-	6.7	8.0	.838
difference:	+2	+5.8	+10.3			+1.6	+2.9				-0.7	+4.1	+7.6	+.026				+0.5	+0.9	+.033
Michael Jordan	19	41.2	35.1	1.7	5.1	6.7	6.0	2.1	0.9	2.4	3.1	13.2	27.8	.475	1.5	3.8	.389	7.2	8.9	.805

Note: Michael Jordan didn't play in 1993-94.

Season 10
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1966-67	1994-95
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Div Finals	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis

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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		%
Sam Jones	72	32.3	22.1	-	-	4.7	3.0	-	-	-	2.7	8.9	19.5	.454	-	-	-	4.4	5.2	.857
difference:	+55	+7.0	+4.8			+2.2	+2.3				-0.1	+0.9	+4.3	+.043				+2.0	+2.8	+.056
Michael Jordan	17	39.3	26.9	1.5	5.4	6.9	5.3	1.8	0.8	2.1	2.8	9.8	23.8	.411	0.9	1.9	.500	6.4	8.0	.801
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	9	36.2	26.7	-	-	5.1	3.1	-	-	-	3.3	10.6	23.0	.459	-	-	-	5.6	6.4	.862
difference:	+1	+5.8	+4.8			+1.4	+1.4				-0.3	+1.4	+1.8	+.025				+0.8	+1.5	+.052
Michael Jordan	10	42.0	31.5	2.0	4.5	6.5	4.5	2.3	1.4	4.1	3.0	12.0	24.8	.484	1.1	3.0	.367	6.4	7.9	.810

Season 11
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1967-68	1995-96
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	73	33.0	21.3	-	-	4.9	3.0	-	-	-	2.5	8.5	18.5	.461	-	-	-	4.3	5.2	.827
difference:	+9	+4.7	+9.1			+1.7	+1.3				-0.1	+2.7	+4.1	+.034				+2.4	+2.8	+.007
Michael Jordan	82	37.7	30.4	1.8	4.8	6.6	4.3	2.2	0.5	2.4	2.4	11.2	22.6	.495	1.4	3.2	.427	6.7	8.0	.834
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	19	36.1	20.5	-	-	3.4	2.6	-	-	-	3.1	8.5	19.3	.441	-	-	-	3.5	4.4	.786
difference:	+1	+4.6	+10.2			+1.5	+1.5				-0.4	+1.9	+3.3	+.018				+5.0	+6.0	+.032
Michael Jordan	18	40.7	30.7	1.7	3.2	4.9	4.1	1.8	0.3	2.3	2.7	10.4	22.6	.459	1.4	3.4	.403	8.5	10.4	.818

Season 12
	Sam Jones	Michael Jordan
Season	1968-69	1996-97
Team	Boston Celtics	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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12th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	70	26.0	16.3	-	-	3.8	2.6	-	-	-	1.7	7.1	15.8	.450	-	-	-	2.1	2.7	.783
difference:	+12	+11.9	+13.3			+2.1	+1.7				-0.2	+4.1	+7.3	+.036				+3.8	+4.3	+.050
Michael Jordan	82	37.9	29.6	1.4	4.5	5.9	4.3	1.7	0.5	2.0	1.9	11.2	23.1	.486	1.4	3.6	.374	5.9	7.0	.833
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Sam Jones	18	28.6	16.8	-	-	3.2	2.1	-	-	-	2.5	6.9	16.4	.419	-	-	-	3.1	3.8	.797
difference:	+1	+13.7	+14.3			+4.7	+2.7				-0.1	+5.0	+9.8	+.037				+3.4	+4.0	+.034
Michael Jordan	19	42.3	31.1	2.2	5.7	7.9	4.8	1.6	0.9	2.6	2.4	11.9	26.2	.456	0.7	3.5	.194	6.5	7.8	.831

Additional Years
* Michael Jordan played 3 seasons more than Sam Jones in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 13 to 15, from 1998 to 2003—Michael Jordan played in one postseason and won the NBA Championship. In those 3 extra years over Sam Jones, Michael Jordan got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Finals MVP 1 Season MVP 1 All-NBA First Team 1 All-Defensive First Team 1 Scoring Leader 3 All-Star Game 1 All-Star Game MVP