Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Hakeem Olajuwon Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Hakeem Olajuwon 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, 11 less than Hakeem Olajuwon, who played 18. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Hakeem Olajuwon 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.

Their Careers
Player	Total Seasons	Playoffs Played	NBA Years
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	7	4	2018-19 to 2024-25
Hakeem Olajuwon	18	15	1984-85 to 2001-02

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


Rookie Season
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2018-19	1984-85
Team	Los Angeles Clippers	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	-	All-Defensive Second Team
	-	All-Rookie First Team
	All-Rookie Second Team	-
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Clippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Rockets Lost West 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		%
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:		+9.0	+9.8	+4.7	+4.4	+9.1	+1.9		+2.2	-1.2	-2.1	+4.1	+6.6	+.062	+0.6	+1.7		+2.2	+4.3	+.187
Hakeem Olajuwon	82	35.5	20.6	5.4	6.5	11.9	1.4	1.2	2.7	2.9	4.2	8.3	15.3	.538	0.0	0.0	-	4.1	6.7	.613

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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
difference:	+1	+8.6	+7.5	+5.9	+4.4	+10.3	+1.8	+0.4	+1.8	-1.4	-1.6	+3.7	+7.6	+.010	+1.5	+3.0		+1.6	+5.9	+.372
Hakeem Olajuwon	5	37.4	21.2	6.6	6.4	13.0	1.4	1.4	2.6	2.2	4.4	8.4	17.6	.477	0.0	0.0	-	4.4	9.2	.478


Season 2
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2019-20	1985-86
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Rockets Lost NBA Finals

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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		%
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:	+2	+1.6	+4.5	+4.2	+1.4	+5.6	+1.3	+0.9	+2.7	-1.0	-2.3	+2.4	+3.0	+.055	+1.2	+3.6		+1.0	+2.8	+.162
Hakeem Olajuwon	68	36.3	23.5	4.9	6.6	11.5	2.0	2.0	3.4	2.9	4.0	9.2	17.5	.526	0.0	0.0	-	5.1	7.9	.645

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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
difference:	+13	+1.6	+10.6	+4.7	+1.9	+6.5	+2.1	+1.0	+3.1	-0.1	-2.0	+4.7	+6.5	+.097	+2.0	+4.9	+.400	+3.3	+6.7	+.319
Hakeem Olajuwon	20	38.3	26.9	5.1	6.8	11.8	2.0	2.0	3.5	2.2	4.4	10.3	19.4	.530	0.0	0.1	.000	6.4	10.0	.638


Season 3
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2020-21	1986-87
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Rockets Lost West Conf Semis

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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		%
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:	+40	+3.1	+0.3	+3.7	+3.0	+6.7	+3.0	+1.1	+2.7		-1.9	+0.8	+1.7		+2.0	+4.8	+.218		+1.1	+.106
Hakeem Olajuwon	75	36.8	23.4	4.2	7.2	11.4	2.9	1.9	3.4	3.0	3.9	9.0	17.8	.508	0.0	0.1	.200	5.3	7.6	.702

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hakeem Olajuwon	10	38.9	29.2	3.9	7.4	11.3	2.5	1.3	4.3	3.6	4.4	11.0	17.9	.615	0.0	0.1	.000	7.2	9.7	.742


Season 4
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2021-22	1987-88
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
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:	+23	+1.1	+1.7	+3.1	+4.0	+7.1	+3.8	+0.8	+1.9	-0.3	-1.6	+0.5	+1.3	+.061	+1.6	+5.2	+.300	+1.1	+0.3	+.115
Hakeem Olajuwon	79	35.8	22.8	3.8	8.3	12.1	2.1	2.1	2.7	3.1	4.1	9.0	17.5	.514	0.0	0.1	.000	4.8	6.9	.695

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hakeem Olajuwon	4	40.5	37.5	5.0	11.8	16.8	1.8	2.3	2.8	2.3	3.5	14.0	24.5	.571	0.0	0.3	.000	9.5	10.8	.884


Season 5
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2022-23	1988-89
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	All-NBA First Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
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:	+14	+1.4	+6.6	+3.2	+5.4	+8.7	+3.7	+1.0	+2.4	-0.6	-1.2	+0.8	+1.3	+.002	+0.9	+2.4	+.345	+4.3	+2.9	+.209
Hakeem Olajuwon	82	36.9	24.8	4.1	9.4	13.5	1.8	2.6	3.4	3.4	4.0	9.6	19.0	.508	0.0	0.1	.000	5.5	8.0	.696

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hakeem Olajuwon	4	40.5	25.3	3.5	9.5	13.0	3.0	2.5	2.8	2.5	4.3	10.5	20.3	.519	0.0	0.0	-	4.3	6.3	.680


Season 6
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2023-24	1989-90
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Rebounds Leader
	Steals Leader	-
	-	Blocks Leader
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Thunder Lost West Conf Semis	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
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:	+7	+4.1	+5.8	+2.7	+5.7	+8.5	+3.3	+0.1	+3.7	-1.7	-1.3	+0.8	+0.2	+.034	+1.3	+3.5	+.186	+2.9	+2.2	+.161
Hakeem Olajuwon	82	38.1	24.3	3.6	10.4	14.0	2.9	2.1	4.6	3.9	3.8	9.8	19.6	.501	0.0	0.1	.167	4.7	6.5	.713

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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
difference:	+6	+0.4	+11.7	+3.0	+1.4	+4.3	+4.4	+1.2	+4.1	-0.6	-1.7	+3.3	+4.9	+.053	+1.6	+3.7		+3.4	+3.8	+.084
Hakeem Olajuwon	4	40.3	18.5	3.8	7.8	11.5	2.0	2.5	5.8	2.8	4.8	7.8	17.5	.443	0.0	0.0	-	3.0	4.3	.706


Season 7
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Hakeem Olajuwon
Season	2024-25	1990-91
Team	Oklahoma City Thunder	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	Finals MVP	-
	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Third Team
	-	All-Defensive Second Team
	Scoring Leader	-
	-	Blocks Leader
	Cup All-Tournament Team	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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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		%
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:	+20	+2.6	+11.5	+3.0	+5.7	+8.8	+4.1	+0.5	+2.9	-0.7	-1.7	+2.6	+4.7	+.011	+2.1	+5.6	+.375	+4.1	+3.9	+.129
Hakeem Olajuwon	56	36.8	21.2	3.9	9.8	13.8	2.3	2.2	3.9	3.1	3.9	8.7	17.1	.508	0.0	0.1	.000	3.8	4.9	.769

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	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
difference:	+20	+6.0	+7.9	+3.0	+6.4	+9.4	+4.5	+0.4	+1.8	-0.1	-0.9	+1.4	+6.9	+.116	+1.4	+4.6	+.283	+3.6	+3.7	+.052
Hakeem Olajuwon	3	43.0	22.0	4.0	10.7	14.7	2.0	1.3	2.7	2.7	3.7	8.7	15.0	.578	0.0	0.3	.000	4.7	5.7	.824


Additional Years
* Hakeem Olajuwon played 11 seasons more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 8 to 18, from 1992 to 2002—Hakeem Olajuwon played in 8 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships. In those 11 extra years over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Hakeem Olajuwon got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	2 Finals MVP 1 Season MVP 3 All-NBA First Team 1 All-NBA Second Team 2 All-NBA Third Team 2 All-Defensive First Team 2 All-Defensive Second Team 2 Defensive Player of the Year 1 Blocks Leader 6 All-Star Game

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Hakeem Olajuwon Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Hakeem Olajuwon 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.

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

Additional Years