Steve Francis vs. Pau Gasol Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Pau Gasol and Steve Francis, 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.

Steve Francis played 9 years in the NBA, 9 less than Pau Gasol, who played 18. Steve Francis had the first of his seasons in 1999-00, while Pau Gasol had his rookie season in 2001-02. 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
Steve Francis 9 1 1999-00 to 2007-08
Pau Gasol 18 12 2001-02 to 2018-19

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 1999-002001-02
Team Houston RocketsMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the YearAchievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Steve Francis 77 36.1 18.0 2.0 3.3 5.3 6.6 1.5 0.4 4.0 3.0 6.5 14.5 .445 1.4 4.0 .345 3.7 4.7 .786
difference:+5+0.6+0.4+0.9+2.7+3.6+3.9+1.0+1.7-1.3-0.6+0.2+1.5+.073+1.4+3.9+.145+0.4+1.1+.077
Pau Gasol 82 36.7 17.6 2.9 6.0 8.9 2.7 0.5 2.1 2.7 2.4 6.7 13.0 .518 0.0 0.1 .200 4.1 5.8 .709
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Steve Francis nor Pau Gasol played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2000-012002-03
Team Houston RocketsMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Steve Francis 80 39.9 19.9 2.4 4.5 6.9 6.5 1.8 0.4 3.3 3.4 6.9 15.2 .451 1.7 4.2 .396 4.5 5.5 .817
difference:+2+3.9+0.9+0.1+1.9+1.9+3.7+1.4+1.4-0.7-0.7+1.6+.059+1.7+4.1+.296+0.6+1.4+.081
Pau Gasol 82 36.0 19.0 2.3 6.4 8.8 2.8 0.4 1.8 2.6 2.7 6.9 13.6 .510 0.0 0.1 .100 5.1 6.9 .736
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Steve Francis nor Pau Gasol played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2001-022003-04
Team Houston RocketsMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayGrizzlies Lost West 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%
Steve Francis 57 41.1 21.6 1.8 5.2 7.0 6.4 1.2 0.4 3.9 3.0 7.4 17.7 .417 1.2 3.7 .324 5.7 7.4 .773
difference:+21+9.6+3.9+0.8+0.1+0.7+3.9+0.6+1.3-1.5-0.6+0.9+4.3+.065+1.1+3.5+.057+1.0+0.8+.059
Pau Gasol 78 31.5 17.7 2.6 5.1 7.7 2.5 0.6 1.7 2.4 2.4 6.5 13.4 .482 0.1 0.2 .267 4.7 6.6 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
Pau Gasol 4 33.5 18.5 1.0 4.0 5.0 2.5 1.0 1.5 1.3 2.5 7.0 12.3 .571 0.0 0.0 - 4.5 5.0 .900

Season 4

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2002-032004-05
Team Houston RocketsMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayGrizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 81 41.0 21.0 2.0 4.2 6.2 6.2 1.7 0.5 3.7 3.1 7.0 16.2 .435 1.0 3.0 .354 5.9 7.3 .800
difference:+25+9.0+3.2+0.3+0.8+1.1+3.8+1.0+1.2-1.3-0.5+0.6+3.8+.079+1.0+2.9+.187+0.9+0.7+.032
Pau Gasol 56 32.0 17.8 2.3 5.0 7.3 2.4 0.7 1.7 2.4 2.6 6.4 12.4 .514 0.0 0.1 .167 5.0 6.6 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
Pau Gasol 4 33.0 21.3 3.8 3.8 7.5 2.5 0.5 1.8 1.8 3.0 9.8 20.0 .488 0.3 0.3 1.000 1.5 3.0 .500

Season 5

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2003-042005-06
Team Houston RocketsMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdGrizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 79 40.4 16.6 1.5 4.0 5.5 6.2 1.8 0.4 3.7 3.3 5.7 14.1 .403 0.9 3.2 .292 4.3 5.5 .775
difference:+1+1.2+3.8+0.9+2.5+3.4+1.6+1.2+1.5-0.8-1.0+1.8+0.8+.100+0.9+3.0+.042+1.0+2.2+.086
Pau Gasol 80 39.2 20.4 2.4 6.5 8.9 4.6 0.6 1.9 2.9 2.3 7.5 14.9 .503 0.0 0.2 .250 5.3 7.7 .689
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 5 44.6 19.2 1.2 7.2 8.4 7.6 1.4 0.2 4.2 3.6 6.0 14.0 .429 1.4 3.4 .412 5.8 8.0 .725
difference:+1+5.1+1.1+0.2+1.4+1.6+4.6+0.9+1.1-1.4-0.8+1.3+2.8+.004+1.4+3.1+.412+0.5+.042
Pau Gasol 4 39.5 20.3 1.0 5.8 6.8 3.0 0.5 1.3 2.8 2.8 7.3 16.8 .433 0.0 0.3 .000 5.8 7.5 .767

Season 6

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2004-052006-07
Team Orlando MagicMemphis Grizzlies
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%
Steve Francis 78 38.2 21.3 1.6 4.2 5.8 7.0 1.4 0.4 4.1 3.5 7.2 17.1 .423 0.5 1.6 .299 6.4 7.8 .823
difference:+19+2.0+0.5+0.9+3.1+4.0+3.6+0.9+1.7-1.4-1.2+0.6+2.6+.115+0.4+1.4+.026+1.3+1.0+.075
Pau Gasol 59 36.2 20.8 2.5 7.3 9.8 3.4 0.5 2.1 2.7 2.3 7.8 14.5 .538 0.1 0.2 .273 5.1 6.8 .748
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Steve Francis nor Pau Gasol played in the postseason in their season 6

Season 7

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2005-062007-08
Team Orlando Magic, New York KnicksMemphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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%
Steve Francis 70 34.2 14.4 1.1 3.1 4.1 4.9 1.1 0.2 3.1 2.9 4.8 10.9 .435 0.4 1.2 .301 4.5 5.7 .787
difference:+4+1.4+4.5+1.2+2.9+4.3+1.7+0.6+1.3-1.2-0.8+2.4+2.6+.099+0.3+1.0+.051+0.1+0.2+.020
Pau Gasol 66 35.6 18.9 2.3 6.0 8.4 3.2 0.5 1.5 1.9 2.1 7.2 13.5 .534 0.1 0.2 .250 4.4 5.5 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
Pau Gasol 21 39.8 16.9 2.6 6.7 9.3 4.0 0.5 1.9 2.1 2.9 6.7 12.7 .530 0.0 0.0 - 3.4 5.0 .692

Season 8

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2006-072008-09
Team New York KnicksLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 44 28.1 11.3 0.8 2.8 3.6 3.9 0.9 0.3 2.3 2.9 3.2 7.8 .408 1.0 2.5 .378 4.0 4.8 .829
difference:+37+8.9+7.6+2.4+3.6+6.0+0.4+0.3+0.7-0.4-0.8+4.1+5.1+.159+1.0+2.5+0.2+0.6+.048
Pau Gasol 81 37.0 18.9 3.2 6.4 9.6 3.5 0.6 1.0 1.9 2.1 7.3 12.9 .567 0.0 0.0 - 4.2 5.4 .781
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
Pau Gasol 23 40.5 18.3 3.0 7.9 10.8 2.5 0.8 2.0 1.9 3.0 7.0 12.0 .580 0.0 0.0 - 4.3 6.1 .714

Season 9

Steve Francis Pau Gasol
Season 2007-082009-10
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis 10 19.9 5.5 0.8 1.5 2.3 3.0 0.9 0.5 1.4 2.5 1.9 5.7 .333 0.4 1.7 .235 1.3 2.3 .565
difference:+55+17.1+12.8+2.9+6.1+9.0+0.4+0.3+1.2-0.8-0.2+5.1+7.3+.203+0.4+1.6+.235+3.1+3.3+.225
Pau Gasol 65 37.0 18.3 3.7 7.6 11.3 3.4 0.6 1.7 2.2 2.3 7.0 13.0 .536 0.0 0.1 .000 4.4 5.6 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Steve Francis DNP------ --- ----------
Pau Gasol 23 39.7 19.6 4.0 7.1 11.1 3.5 0.4 2.1 1.9 2.7 7.2 13.3 .539 0.0 0.1 .000 5.2 6.9 .759

Additional Years

* Pau Gasol played 9 seasons more than Steve Francis in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 18, from 2011 to 2019—Pau Gasol played in 6 Playoffs.

In those 9 extra years over Steve Francis, Pau Gasol got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 2 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 3 All-Star Game