Thurl Bailey vs. JaVale McGee Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of JaVale McGee and Thurl Bailey, 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.

Thurl Bailey played 12 years in the NBA, 4 less than JaVale McGee, who played 16. Thurl Bailey had the first of his seasons in 1983-84, while JaVale McGee had his rookie season in 2008-09. 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 achivements, 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
Thurl Bailey 12 9 1983-84 to 1998-99
JaVale McGee 16 8 2008-09 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16

Rookie Season

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1983-842008-09
Team Utah JazzWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 81 24.8 8.5 1.4 4.3 5.7 1.6 0.5 1.5 1.3 2.4 3.7 7.3 .512 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.4 .752
JaVale McGee 75 15.2 6.5 1.6 2.3 3.9 0.3 0.4 1.0 0.8 2.1 2.5 5.2 .494 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.2 .660
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 11 30.9 10.6 1.4 4.2 5.5 0.9 0.2 1.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 8.8 .515 0.0 0.2 .000 1.5 1.9 .810
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1984-852009-10
Team Utah JazzWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 80 31.0 15.2 1.9 4.7 6.6 1.7 0.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 6.3 12.9 .490 0.0 0.0 1.000 2.5 2.9 .842
JaVale McGee 60 16.1 6.4 1.5 2.6 4.1 0.2 0.3 1.7 0.9 2.0 2.6 5.1 .508 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 1.9 .638
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 10 37.5 16.9 2.1 7.1 9.2 2.7 0.5 1.8 2.1 3.0 6.2 15.2 .408 0.0 0.0 - 4.5 5.5 .818
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1985-862010-11
Team Utah JazzWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 82 28.8 14.6 1.8 4.2 6.0 1.9 0.5 1.4 1.8 2.0 5.9 13.1 .448 0.0 0.1 .000 2.8 3.4 .830
JaVale McGee 79 27.8 10.1 2.8 5.2 8.0 0.5 0.5 2.4 1.3 2.9 4.2 7.6 .550 0.0 0.0 .000 1.7 2.9 .583
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 4 36.8 16.0 2.8 5.3 8.0 3.3 0.5 0.5 1.3 3.3 7.0 19.3 .364 0.0 0.3 .000 2.0 2.8 .727
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1986-872011-12
Team Utah JazzWashington Wizards, Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 81 26.6 13.8 1.8 3.5 5.3 1.3 0.5 1.1 1.5 1.9 5.7 12.8 .447 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 2.9 .805
JaVale McGee 61 25.2 11.3 2.7 5.1 7.8 0.5 0.6 2.2 1.4 2.7 5.0 9.0 .556 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 2.7 .461
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 5 30.2 15.6 2.8 3.2 6.0 1.8 0.6 1.2 2.4 2.4 6.0 12.6 .476 0.0 0.0 - 3.6 3.6 1.000
JaVale McGee 7 25.9 8.6 3.3 6.3 9.6 0.7 0.7 3.1 0.6 3.0 3.3 7.6 .434 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.7 .538

Season 5

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1987-882012-13
Team Utah JazzDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 82 34.2 19.6 1.6 4.8 6.5 1.9 0.6 1.5 2.3 2.3 7.7 15.7 .492 0.0 0.0 .333 4.1 5.0 .826
JaVale McGee 79 18.1 9.1 2.0 2.8 4.8 0.3 0.4 2.0 1.1 2.3 3.8 6.7 .575 0.0 0.0 1.000 1.4 2.4 .591
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 11 40.8 23.2 1.9 3.8 5.7 1.6 0.5 2.1 1.9 2.9 9.0 18.5 .488 0.0 0.1 .000 5.2 6.2 .838
JaVale McGee 6 18.7 7.2 2.8 2.3 5.2 0.0 0.7 1.0 1.8 2.8 3.0 5.2 .581 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 3.0 .389

Season 6

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1988-892013-14
Team Utah JazzDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 82 33.9 19.5 1.4 4.0 5.5 1.7 0.6 1.1 2.5 2.3 7.5 15.5 .483 0.0 0.1 .400 4.4 5.4 .825
JaVale McGee 5 15.8 7.0 2.0 1.4 3.4 0.4 0.2 1.4 1.6 3.2 3.4 7.6 .447 0.0 0.0 - 0.2 0.2 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 3 40.7 12.0 3.3 5.0 8.3 1.0 0.3 1.3 3.0 3.7 4.0 11.3 .353 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 5.0 .800
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1989-902014-15
Team Utah JazzDenver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 82 31.5 14.2 1.4 3.6 5.0 1.7 0.4 1.2 1.7 2.1 5.7 11.9 .481 0.0 0.1 .000 2.7 3.5 .779
JaVale McGee 23 11.1 4.6 0.8 1.9 2.7 0.1 0.1 0.9 0.8 1.3 1.8 3.4 .532 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.4 .667
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 5 38.0 21.0 1.6 4.8 6.4 1.4 1.0 1.2 1.0 3.8 8.6 17.6 .489 0.0 0.0 - 3.8 4.8 .792
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1990-912015-16
Team Utah JazzDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisMavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 82 30.3 12.4 1.2 3.7 5.0 1.5 0.6 1.1 1.6 2.0 4.9 10.6 .458 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.3 .808
JaVale McGee 34 10.9 5.1 1.6 2.4 3.9 0.1 0.1 0.8 0.6 1.4 2.3 3.9 .575 0.0 0.0 .000 0.5 1.1 .500
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 9 25.3 7.6 1.2 2.3 3.6 1.0 0.3 0.7 1.3 3.0 2.6 7.1 .359 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 2.8 .880
JaVale McGee 2 7.0 2.0 1.0 0.5 1.5 0.0 0.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 0.5 1.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 3.0 .333

Season 9

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1991-922016-17
Team Utah Jazz, Minnesota TimberwolvesGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 84 25.0 11.3 1.5 4.3 5.8 0.9 0.4 1.4 1.3 1.9 4.4 10.0 .440 0.0 0.0 .000 2.6 3.2 .796
JaVale McGee 77 9.6 6.1 1.3 1.9 3.2 0.2 0.2 0.9 0.5 1.4 2.7 4.1 .652 0.0 0.0 .000 0.7 1.4 .505
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 16 9.3 5.9 1.4 1.6 3.0 0.3 0.1 0.9 0.5 1.9 2.6 3.5 .732 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .722

Season 10

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1992-932017-18
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 70 18.2 7.5 0.8 2.3 3.1 0.9 0.3 0.7 0.9 1.3 2.9 6.4 .455 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 2.0 .838
JaVale McGee 65 9.5 4.8 0.9 1.7 2.6 0.5 0.3 0.9 0.4 1.4 2.1 3.4 .621 0.0 0.1 .000 0.6 0.8 .731
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 13 12.2 6.5 1.2 2.0 3.2 0.3 0.2 0.8 0.4 1.5 3.0 4.5 .672 0.0 0.1 .000 0.5 0.7 .667

Season 11

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1993-942018-19
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 79 16.4 7.4 0.8 1.9 2.7 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.7 1.2 2.9 5.8 .510 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 1.9 .799
JaVale McGee 75 22.3 12.0 2.6 4.9 7.5 0.7 0.6 2.0 1.4 2.8 5.3 8.5 .624 0.0 0.2 .083 1.3 2.0 .632
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Note: Thurl Bailey didn't play in 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98.

Season 12

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season 1998-992019-20
Team Utah JazzLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Jazz Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 43 12.6 4.2 0.8 1.3 2.2 0.6 0.2 0.7 0.6 1.8 1.8 4.1 .446 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 0.8 .735
JaVale McGee 68 16.6 6.6 1.8 3.9 5.7 0.5 0.5 1.4 0.8 2.3 2.9 4.5 .637 0.0 0.1 .500 0.8 1.2 .646
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey 11 10.5 3.4 0.5 0.9 1.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 1.7 1.5 3.0 .515 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.4 .750
JaVale McGee 14 9.6 2.9 1.1 2.0 3.1 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.6 1.6 1.4 2.3 .625 0.0 0.1 .000 0.1 0.1 .500

Season 13

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season -2020-21
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Nuggets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 46 14.7 7.3 1.7 3.5 5.2 0.8 0.4 1.2 1.3 2.6 3.1 6.1 .511 0.1 0.5 .208 1.0 1.5 .657
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 4 8.5 2.0 0.8 2.3 3.0 0.8 0.3 1.3 0.3 1.0 0.8 2.5 .300 0.0 0.5 .000 0.5 1.5 .333

Season 14

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season -2021-22
Team -Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Suns Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 74 15.8 9.2 2.2 4.5 6.7 0.6 0.3 1.1 1.3 2.4 3.9 6.2 .629 0.0 0.1 .222 1.4 2.0 .699
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 12 11.1 6.8 1.3 2.7 4.0 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.8 2.3 2.9 4.2 .700 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.1 .846

Season 15

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season -2022-23
Team -Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 42 8.5 4.4 0.7 1.8 2.5 0.3 0.1 0.6 0.9 1.3 1.9 3.0 .640 0.0 0.1 .400 0.6 1.0 .585
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------

Season 16

Thurl Bailey JaVale McGee
Season -2023-24
Team -Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee 46 7.4 4.0 0.9 1.8 2.7 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.7 1.0 1.7 2.9 .598 0.0 0.2 .143 0.6 1.0 .578
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Thurl Bailey ------- --- ----------
JaVale McGee ------- --- ----------