Spencer Haywood vs. Domantas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Domantas Sabonis and Spencer Haywood, 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.

Spencer Haywood played 12 years in the NBA, 3 more than Domantas Sabonis, who played 9. Spencer Haywood had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Domantas Sabonis had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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
Spencer Haywood 12 4 1970-71 to 1982-83
Domantas Sabonis 9 4 2016-17 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1970-712016-17
Team Seattle SupersonicsOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayThunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 33 35.2 20.6 - - 12.0 1.5 - - - 2.5 7.9 17.5 .449 - - - 4.8 6.6 .734
difference:+48+15.1+14.7+8.4+0.5+5.5+11.6+.050+4.3+5.8+.077
Domantas Sabonis 81 20.1 5.9 0.6 3.0 3.6 1.0 0.5 0.4 1.0 2.5 2.4 5.9 .399 0.6 2.0 .321 0.5 0.8 .657
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood DNP------ --- ----------
Domantas Sabonis 2 3.0 2.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 2.0 0.0 1.5 .000 0.0 0.5 .000 2.0 2.0 1.000

Season 2

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1971-722017-18
Team Seattle SupersonicsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayPacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 73 43.4 26.2 - - 12.7 2.0 - - - 2.8 9.8 21.3 .461 - - - 6.6 8.0 .819
difference:+1+18.9+14.6+5.0-0.2+5.2+12.4+.053+4.3+5.0+.069
Domantas Sabonis 74 24.5 11.6 2.2 5.5 7.7 2.0 0.5 0.4 1.9 3.0 4.6 8.9 .514 0.2 0.5 .351 2.3 3.0 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood DNP------ --- ----------
Domantas Sabonis 7 23.7 12.4 2.0 2.6 4.6 0.7 0.1 0.3 1.0 3.1 5.1 8.9 .581 0.1 1.0 .143 2.0 2.6 .778

Season 3

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1972-732018-19
Team Seattle SupersonicsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayPacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 77 42.3 29.2 - - 12.9 2.5 - - - 2.8 11.5 24.3 .476 - - - 6.1 7.3 .839
difference:+3+17.5+15.1+3.6+0.4-0.4+5.9+14.8+.114+3.3+3.4+.124
Domantas Sabonis 74 24.8 14.1 2.5 6.8 9.3 2.9 0.6 0.4 2.2 3.2 5.6 9.5 .590 0.1 0.2 .529 2.8 3.9 .715
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood DNP------ --- ----------
Domantas Sabonis 4 24.0 8.5 1.8 5.5 7.3 4.0 0.8 0.3 1.3 3.0 3.0 7.3 .414 0.3 1.0 .250 2.3 3.5 .643

Season 4

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1973-742019-20
Team Seattle SupersonicsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 75 40.5 23.5 4.2 9.2 13.4 3.2 0.9 1.4 - 2.6 9.3 20.3 .457 - - - 5.0 6.1 .814
difference:+13+5.7+5.0+1.2+0.2+1.0+1.8+0.1+0.9-0.5+1.9+6.6+.083+1.5+1.3+.091
Domantas Sabonis 62 34.8 18.5 3.0 9.4 12.4 5.0 0.8 0.5 2.7 3.1 7.4 13.7 .540 0.3 1.1 .254 3.5 4.8 .723
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Spencer Haywood nor Domantas Sabonis played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1974-752020-21
Team Seattle SupersonicsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Supersonics Lost West Conf SemisDid 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%
Spencer Haywood 68 37.2 22.4 2.9 6.4 9.3 2.0 0.8 1.6 - 2.5 8.9 19.5 .459 - - - 4.5 5.6 .811
difference:+6+1.2+2.1+0.5+3.1+2.7+4.7+0.4+1.1-0.8+1.1+4.9+.076+0.6+0.3+.079
Domantas Sabonis 62 36.0 20.3 2.4 9.5 12.0 6.7 1.2 0.5 3.4 3.3 7.8 14.6 .535 0.8 2.6 .321 3.9 5.3 .732
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 9 37.4 15.7 2.2 6.8 9.0 2.0 0.8 1.2 - 3.2 5.2 14.6 .359 - - - 5.2 6.8 .770
Domantas Sabonis DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1975-762021-22
Team New York KnicksIndiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Spencer Haywood 78 37.1 19.9 3.0 8.3 11.3 1.2 0.7 1.0 - 3.3 7.8 17.4 .445 - - - 4.3 5.7 .757
difference:+16+2.6+1.0+0.2+0.6+0.8+4.0+0.3+0.6+0.7+4.9+.128+0.3+0.3+.016
Domantas Sabonis 62 34.5 18.9 3.2 8.9 12.1 5.2 1.0 0.4 3.1 3.3 7.1 12.5 .573 0.6 2.0 .312 4.0 5.4 .741
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Spencer Haywood nor Domantas Sabonis played in the postseason in their season 6

Season 7

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1976-772022-23
Team New York KnicksSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayKings Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 31 32.9 16.5 2.5 6.5 9.0 1.6 0.5 0.9 - 2.3 6.5 14.5 .450 - - - 3.5 4.2 .832
difference:+48+1.7+2.6+0.7+2.6+3.3+5.7+0.3+0.4-1.2+0.8+2.6+.165+0.6+1.3+.090
Domantas Sabonis 79 34.6 19.1 3.2 9.1 12.3 7.3 0.8 0.5 2.9 3.5 7.3 11.9 .615 0.4 1.1 .373 4.1 5.5 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood DNP------ --- ----------
Domantas Sabonis 7 34.7 16.4 4.4 6.6 11.0 4.7 1.4 0.9 3.7 4.0 7.0 14.1 .495 0.1 0.7 .200 2.3 4.0 .571

Season 8

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1977-782023-24
Team New York KnicksSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 67 26.3 13.7 2.1 4.5 6.6 1.9 0.6 1.1 2.1 2.8 6.1 12.7 .484 - - - 1.4 2.0 .711
difference:+15+9.4+5.7+1.5+5.6+7.1+6.3+0.3+0.5-1.2-0.2+1.6+0.3+.110+2.2+3.1+.007
Domantas Sabonis 82 35.7 19.4 3.6 10.1 13.7 8.2 0.9 0.6 3.3 3.0 7.7 13.0 .594 0.4 1.1 .379 3.6 5.1 .704
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 6 29.5 16.2 3.2 3.8 7.0 2.0 0.3 0.8 1.7 4.0 7.2 14.2 .506 - - - 1.8 1.8 1.000
Domantas Sabonis DNP------ --- ----------

Season 9

Spencer Haywood Domantas Sabonis
Season 1978-792024-25
Team New York Knicks, New Orleans JazzSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rebounds Leader
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Spencer Haywood 68 34.7 20.9 2.5 5.3 7.8 1.9 0.6 1.2 2.9 3.5 8.8 17.7 .494 - - - 3.4 4.3 .791
difference:+2+1.8+1.3+4.8+6.1+4.1+0.1+0.8-0.2+1.3+4.9+.096+0.3+0.2+.037
Domantas Sabonis 70 34.7 19.1 3.8 10.1 13.9 6.0 0.7 0.4 2.9 3.3 7.5 12.8 .590 0.9 2.2 .417 3.1 4.1 .754
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Spencer Haywood nor Domantas Sabonis played in the postseason in their season 9

Additional Years

* Spencer Haywood played 3 seasons more than Domantas Sabonis in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 12, from 1980 to 1983—Spencer Haywood played in two Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.