Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 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.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played 7 years in the NBA, 3 less than Bill Walton, who played 10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7 4 2018-19 to 2024-25
Bill Walton 10 4 1974-75 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2018-191974-75
Team Los Angeles ClippersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid 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%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 82 26.5 10.8 0.7 2.1 2.8 3.3 1.2 0.5 1.7 2.1 4.2 8.7 .476 0.6 1.7 .367 1.9 2.4 .800
difference:+47+6.4+2.0+1.9+7.9+9.8+1.5+0.4+2.2-1.2+0.9+1.2+.037+0.8+1.5+.114
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
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 6 28.8 13.7 0.7 2.0 2.7 3.2 1.0 0.8 0.8 2.8 4.7 10.0 .467 1.5 3.0 .500 2.8 3.3 .850
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2019-201975-76
Team Oklahoma City ThunderPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Thunder Lost West 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%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 70 34.7 19.0 0.7 5.2 5.9 3.3 1.1 0.7 1.9 1.7 6.8 14.5 .471 1.2 3.6 .347 4.1 5.1 .807
difference:+19+1.6+2.9+1.9+5.6+7.5+1.0+0.1+0.9-1.1+0.1+1.5+0.6+.224
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
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7 39.9 16.3 0.4 4.9 5.3 4.1 1.0 0.4 2.1 2.4 5.6 12.9 .433 2.0 5.0 .400 3.1 3.3 .957
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2020-211976-77
Team Oklahoma City ThunderPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 35 33.7 23.7 0.5 4.2 4.7 5.9 0.8 0.7 3.0 2.0 8.2 16.1 .508 2.0 4.9 .418 5.3 6.5 .808
difference:+30+1.1+5.1+2.7+6.9+9.7+2.1+0.2+2.5-0.7+0.6+1.8+.020+1.8+1.5+.111
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2021-221977-78
Team Oklahoma City ThunderPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 56 34.7 24.5 0.7 4.3 5.0 5.9 1.3 0.8 2.8 2.5 8.5 18.8 .453 1.6 5.3 .300 5.9 7.2 .810
difference:+2+1.4+5.6+1.3+6.9+8.2+0.9+0.3+1.7-0.8+0.6+3.6+.069+2.8+3.0+.090
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2022-231979-80
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 68 35.5 31.4 0.9 4.0 4.8 5.5 1.6 1.0 2.8 2.8 10.4 20.3 .510 0.9 2.5 .345 9.8 10.9 .905
difference:+54+11.4+17.5+1.1+3.0+4.2+3.1+1.0+1.7-0.2-0.2+4.6+8.8+.007+0.9+2.5+7.5+7.0+.312
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 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2023-241982-83
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Steals Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf SemisDid 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%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 75 34.0 30.1 0.9 4.7 5.5 6.2 2.0 0.9 2.2 2.5 10.6 19.8 .535 1.3 3.6 .353 7.6 8.7 .874
difference:+42+0.7+16.0+1.4+2.8+4.3+2.6+1.0+2.7-1.0-0.9+4.5+8.3+.007+1.3+3.6+5.6+5.2+.318
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 TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 10 39.9 30.2 0.8 6.4 7.2 6.4 1.3 1.7 2.2 3.1 11.1 22.4 .496 1.6 3.7 .432 6.4 8.1 .790
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Bill Walton
Season 2024-251983-84
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement Cup All-Tournament Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 76 34.2 32.7 0.9 4.1 5.0 6.4 1.7 1.0 2.4 2.2 11.3 21.8 .519 2.1 5.7 .375 7.9 8.8 .898
difference:+21+7.4+20.6+1.5+2.2+3.7+3.1+0.9+0.6-0.8-0.6+6.1+12.4+.037+2.1+5.7+6.2+6.0+.301
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
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 23 37.0 29.9 1.0 4.3 5.3 6.5 1.7 0.9 2.6 2.8 10.1 21.9 .462 1.4 4.9 .283 8.3 9.4 .876
Bill Walton DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Bill Walton played 3 seasons more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 10, from 1985 to 1987—Bill Walton played in two Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

In those 3 extra years over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bill Walton got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Sixth Man of the Year
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