Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Tristan Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Tristan Thompson 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 Rankings / Games against each other

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, 7 less than Tristan Thompson, who played 14. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Tristan Thompson had his rookie season in 2011-12. 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
Tristan Thompson 14 9 2011-12 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2018-192011-12
Team Los Angeles ClippersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second TeamAchievement 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:+22+2.8+2.6+2.4+1.3+3.7+2.8+0.7+0.5-0.3-0.1+1.0+1.3+.037+0.6+1.7+0.1+0.8+.248
Tristan Thompson 60 23.7 8.2 3.1 3.4 6.5 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.4 2.2 3.2 7.4 .439 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.2 .552
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
Tristan Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2019-202012-13
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
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:+12+3.4+7.3+3.0+0.5+3.5+2.0+0.4+0.2-0.4-1.2+2.0+4.8+.017+1.2+3.6+1.9+1.6+.199
Tristan Thompson 82 31.3 11.7 3.7 5.7 9.4 1.3 0.7 0.9 1.5 2.9 4.8 9.7 .488 0.0 0.0 - 2.2 3.5 .608
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
Tristan Thompson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2020-212013-14
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
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:+47+2.1+12.0+2.8+1.7+4.5+5.0+0.3+0.3-1.7-0.3+3.8+6.8+.031+2.0+4.9+2.4+2.4+.115
Tristan Thompson 82 31.6 11.7 3.3 5.9 9.2 0.9 0.5 0.4 1.3 2.3 4.4 9.3 .477 0.0 0.0 - 2.9 4.1 .693
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nor Tristan Thompson played in the postseason in their season 3

Season 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2021-222014-15
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers Lost NBA 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:+26+7.9+16.0+2.6+0.4+3.0+5.4+0.9+0.1-1.8-0.2+5.2+12.8+.094+1.6+5.3+4.0+4.2+.169
Tristan Thompson 82 26.8 8.5 3.3 4.7 8.0 0.5 0.4 0.7 1.0 2.3 3.3 6.0 .547 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.0 .641
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 20 36.4 9.6 4.4 6.4 10.8 0.5 0.3 1.2 0.8 2.5 3.6 6.5 .558 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 4.1 .585

Season 5
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2022-232015-16
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+14+7.8+23.6+2.4+1.7+4.2+4.7+1.1+0.4-2.1-0.3+7.4+15.2+.078+0.9+2.5+8.0+7.9+.289
Tristan Thompson 82 27.7 7.8 3.3 5.7 9.0 0.8 0.5 0.6 0.7 2.5 3.0 5.1 .588 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 3.0 .616
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------
Tristan Thompson 21 29.6 6.7 4.1 4.9 9.0 0.7 0.4 0.9 0.8 2.6 2.3 4.4 .527 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.5 .575

Season 6
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2023-242016-17
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Steals Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Thunder Lost West Conf SemisCavaliers Lost NBA 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:+3+4.1+22.0+2.8+0.8+3.7+5.2+1.5+0.2-1.4-0.2+7.2+14.2+.065+1.3+3.6+6.2+6.0+.376
Tristan Thompson 78 29.9 8.1 3.7 5.5 9.2 1.0 0.5 1.1 0.8 2.3 3.4 5.6 .600 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.7 .498
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:+8+8.7+22.0+3.0+1.9+1.1+5.0+0.8+1.0-1.0-1.1+8.1+17.3+.091+1.6+3.7+4.2+4.8+.123
Tristan Thompson 18 31.2 8.2 3.8 4.5 8.3 1.4 0.5 0.7 1.2 2.0 3.0 5.1 .587 0.0 0.0 - 2.2 3.3 .667

Season 7
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tristan Thompson
Season 2024-252017-18
Team Oklahoma City ThunderCleveland Cavaliers
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 ChampionCavaliers Lost NBA 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:+23+14.0+26.9+1.5+0.2+1.6+5.8+1.4+0.7-1.7-0.3+8.8+17.4+.043+2.1+5.7+7.1+7.3+.354
Tristan Thompson 53 20.2 5.8 2.4 4.3 6.6 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.7 1.9 2.5 4.4 .562 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.5 .544
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:+4+15.1+23.7+1.3+0.7+0.6+5.9+1.6+0.5-2.0-1.4+7.5+17.5+.128+1.4+4.8+.283+7.2+8.0+.135
Tristan Thompson 19 21.9 6.2 2.3 3.6 5.9 0.6 0.1 0.4 0.6 1.4 2.6 4.4 .590 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 1.4 .741

Additional Years

* Tristan Thompson played 7 seasons more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 14, from 2019 to 2025—Tristan Thompson played in 5 Playoffs.

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