Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Lenny Wilkens Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Lenny Wilkens 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

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, 8 less than Lenny Wilkens, who played 15. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Lenny Wilkens had his rookie season in 1960-61. 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
Lenny Wilkens 15 7 1960-61 to 1974-75

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2018-191960-61
Team Los Angeles ClippersSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st RdHawks Lost NBA Finals
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:+7+1.2+0.9+1.7+0.5-0.8+0.2+1.7+.051+1.0+1.6+.087
Lenny Wilkens 75 25.3 11.7 - - 4.5 2.8 - - - 2.9 4.4 10.4 .425 - - - 2.9 4.0 .713
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
difference:+6+7.6+0.5+3.3+0.3-1.5+0.6+3.8+.087+0.9+1.5+.091
Lenny Wilkens 12 36.4 14.2 - - 6.0 3.5 - - - 4.3 5.3 13.8 .380 - - - 3.7 4.8 .759

Season 2

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2019-201961-62
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSt. Louis Hawks
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:+50+8.8+0.8+0.7+2.5-1.5+0.2+3.7+.086+0.1+0.4+.043
Lenny Wilkens 20 43.5 18.2 - - 6.6 5.8 - - - 3.2 7.0 18.2 .385 - - - 4.2 5.5 .764
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
Lenny Wilkens DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2020-211962-63
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost West Div Finals
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:+40+0.6+11.9+0.7+0.8-1.4+3.8+5.0+.109+2.3+2.2+.112
Lenny Wilkens 75 34.3 11.8 - - 5.4 5.1 - - - 3.4 4.4 11.1 .399 - - - 3.0 4.3 .696
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 11 36.4 13.7 - - 6.3 6.3 - - - 4.6 5.2 14.0 .370 - - - 3.4 4.5 .755

Season 4

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2021-221963-64
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost West Div Finals
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:+22+2.3+12.5+0.7+1.3-1.2+4.2+8.4+.040+2.4+2.5+.070
Lenny Wilkens 78 32.4 12.0 - - 4.3 4.6 - - - 3.7 4.3 10.4 .413 - - - 3.5 4.7 .740
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 12 34.4 14.3 - - 5.0 5.3 - - - 3.5 5.3 11.9 .448 - - - 3.7 4.8 .759

Season 5

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2022-231964-65
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost West Div Semis
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:+10+1.1+14.9+0.1-0.8+4.8+6.9+.096+4.5+3.7+.159
Lenny Wilkens 78 36.6 16.5 - - 4.7 5.5 - - - 3.6 5.6 13.4 .414 - - - 5.3 7.2 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------
Lenny Wilkens 4 36.8 16.0 - - 3.0 3.8 - - - 3.5 5.0 14.3 .351 - - - 6.0 7.3 .828

Season 6

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2023-241965-66
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Steals Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf SemisHawks Lost West Div Finals
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:+6+5.0+12.1+0.8-1.1+4.6+6.0+.104+1.5+1.0+.081
Lenny Wilkens 69 39.0 18.0 - - 4.7 6.2 - - - 3.6 6.0 13.8 .431 - - - 6.1 7.7 .793
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
difference:+0.8+13.1+1.8+0.6-1.2+5.4+8.1+.097+0.7+0.2+.103
Lenny Wilkens 10 39.1 17.1 - - 5.4 7.0 - - - 4.3 5.7 14.3 .399 - - - 5.7 8.3 .687

Season 7

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Lenny Wilkens
Season 2024-251966-67
Team Oklahoma City ThunderSt. Louis Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement Cup All-Tournament Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionHawks Lost West Div Finals
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:+2+3.9+15.3+0.3+0.7-1.4+5.6+8.5+.087+2.0+1.3+.111
Lenny Wilkens 78 38.1 17.4 - - 5.3 5.7 - - - 3.6 5.7 13.3 .432 - - - 5.9 7.5 .787
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
difference:+14+5.0+8.5+2.3+0.7-1.0+3.7+5.8+.062+0.3+0.6+.020
Lenny Wilkens 9 42.0 21.4 - - 7.6 7.2 - - - 3.8 6.4 16.1 .400 - - - 8.6 10.0 .856

Additional Years

* Lenny Wilkens played 8 seasons more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 15, from 1968 to 1975—Lenny Wilkens played in one postseason.

In those 8 extra years over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lenny Wilkens got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Assists Leader
Achievement 5 All-Star Game
Achievement 1 All-Star Game MVP