T.J. McConnell vs. Dirk Nowitzki Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dirk Nowitzki and T.J. McConnell, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

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.

T.J. McConnell played 10 years in the NBA, 11 less than Dirk Nowitzki, who played 21. T.J. McConnell had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Dirk Nowitzki had his rookie season in 1998-99. 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.

Season 3
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2017-18	2000-01
Team	Philadelphia 76ers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
Playoffs	76ers Lost East Conf Semis	Mavericks Lost West Conf Semis

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	76	22.4	6.3	0.5	2.5	3.0	4.0	1.2	0.2	1.5	1.6	2.8	5.5	.499	0.4	0.8	.435	0.4	0.5	.795
difference:	+6	+15.7	+15.5	+1.0	+5.2	+6.2	+1.9	+0.2	+1.0	-0.4	-1.4	+4.4	+9.7	+.025	+1.4	+4.0	+.048	+5.1	+6.1	+.043
Dirk Nowitzki	82	38.1	21.8	1.5	7.7	9.2	2.1	1.0	1.2	1.9	3.0	7.2	15.2	.474	1.8	4.8	.387	5.5	6.6	.838
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	10	15.5	5.5	0.6	2.0	2.6	2.3	0.6	0.0	0.6	1.3	2.5	3.6	.694	0.2	0.3	.667	0.3	0.5	.600
difference:		+24.4	+17.9	+0.8	+4.7	+5.5	+0.9	+0.5	+0.8	-0.8	-2.4	+4.4	+12.7	+.271	+1.1	+4.3	+.384	+8.0	+8.9	+.283
Dirk Nowitzki	10	39.9	23.4	1.4	6.7	8.1	1.4	1.1	0.8	1.4	3.7	6.9	16.3	.423	1.3	4.6	.283	8.3	9.4	.883

Season 4
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2018-19	2001-02
Team	Philadelphia 76ers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	76ers Lost East Conf Semis	Mavericks Lost West Conf Semis

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	76	19.3	6.4	0.4	1.9	2.3	3.4	1.0	0.2	1.2	1.4	2.9	5.5	.525	0.2	0.6	.333	0.4	0.5	.784
difference:		+18.7	+17.0	+1.2	+6.5	+7.6	+1.0	+0.1	+0.8	-0.7	-1.5	+5.0	+11.1	+.048	+1.6	+4.0	+.064	+5.4	+6.3	+.069
Dirk Nowitzki	76	38.0	23.4	1.6	8.4	9.9	2.4	1.1	1.0	1.9	2.9	7.9	16.6	.477	1.8	4.6	.397	5.8	6.8	.853
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	9	8.3	2.7	0.1	0.6	0.7	1.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.4	1.3	3.0	.444	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
difference:	+1	+36.3	+25.7	+2.0	+10.4	+12.4	+1.1	+1.8	+0.7	-2.7	-3.0	+7.8	+17.5	+.001	+2.0	+3.5		+8.1	+9.3
Dirk Nowitzki	8	44.6	28.4	2.1	11.0	13.1	2.3	2.0	0.8	2.8	3.4	9.1	20.5	.445	2.0	3.5	.571	8.1	9.3	.878

Season 5
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2019-20	2002-03
Team	Indiana Pacers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Mavericks Lost West Conf Finals

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	71	18.7	6.5	0.5	2.1	2.7	5.0	0.8	0.2	1.4	1.0	3.0	5.8	.516	0.1	0.2	.294	0.5	0.6	.833
difference:	+9	+20.3	+18.6	+0.5	+6.8	+7.2	+2.0	+0.6	+0.8	-0.5	-1.6	+5.6	+12.8	+.053	+1.8	+4.7	+.085	+5.5	+6.3	+.048
Dirk Nowitzki	80	39.0	25.1	1.0	8.9	9.9	3.0	1.4	1.0	1.9	2.6	8.6	18.6	.463	1.9	4.9	.379	6.0	6.9	.881
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	3	9.3	2.3	0.0	2.0	2.0	2.3	0.0	0.0	0.7	1.3	1.0	2.7	.375	0.0	0.0	-	0.3	0.7	.500
difference:	+14	+33.2	+23.0	+0.9	+8.6	+9.5	+0.1	+1.2	+0.9	-1.7	-1.8	+7.8	+15.7	+.104	+1.6	+3.6		+5.8	+5.9	+.412
Dirk Nowitzki	17	42.5	25.3	0.9	10.6	11.5	2.2	1.2	0.9	2.4	3.1	8.8	18.4	.479	1.6	3.6	.443	6.1	6.6	.912

Season 6
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2020-21	2003-04
Team	Indiana Pacers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	69	26.0	8.6	0.8	2.9	3.7	6.6	1.9	0.3	2.0	1.6	4.0	7.1	.559	0.2	0.7	.313	0.5	0.7	.688
difference:	+8	+11.9	+13.2	+0.4	+4.6	+5.0	+3.9	+0.7	+1.1	-0.2	-1.2	+3.9	+9.9	+.097	+1.1	+3.1	+.028	+4.3	+4.8	+.189
Dirk Nowitzki	77	37.9	21.8	1.2	7.5	8.7	2.7	1.2	1.4	1.8	2.8	7.9	17.0	.462	1.3	3.8	.341	4.8	5.5	.877
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki	5	42.2	26.6	2.6	9.2	11.8	1.4	1.4	2.6	1.2	3.2	9.0	20.0	.450	1.4	3.0	.467	7.2	8.4	.857

Season 7
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2021-22	2004-05
Team	Indiana Pacers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Mavericks Lost West Conf Semis

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	27	24.1	8.5	0.7	2.6	3.3	4.9	1.1	0.4	1.1	2.0	3.7	7.7	.481	0.4	1.2	.303	0.7	0.9	.826
difference:	+51	+14.6	+17.6	+0.5	+5.9	+6.4	+1.8	+0.1	+1.1	-1.2	-0.8	+4.8	+10.8	+.022	+0.8	+1.7	+.096	+7.2	+8.2	+.043
Dirk Nowitzki	78	38.7	26.1	1.2	8.5	9.7	3.1	1.2	1.5	2.3	2.8	8.5	18.5	.459	1.2	2.9	.399	7.9	9.1	.869
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki	13	42.5	23.7	1.9	8.2	10.1	3.3	1.4	1.6	2.5	3.2	7.9	19.7	.402	0.8	2.3	.333	7.1	8.5	.829

Season 8
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2022-23	2005-06
Team	Indiana Pacers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Mavericks Lost NBA Finals

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	75	20.3	8.7	0.6	2.5	3.1	5.3	1.1	0.1	1.9	1.4	3.8	6.9	.543	0.3	0.8	.441	0.8	0.9	.853
difference:	+6	+17.8	+17.9	+0.8	+5.1	+5.9	+2.5	+0.4	+0.9		-0.6	+5.5	+12.4	+.063	+1.1	+2.5	+.035	+5.9	+6.5	+.048
Dirk Nowitzki	81	38.1	26.6	1.4	7.6	9.0	2.8	0.7	1.0	1.9	2.0	9.3	19.3	.480	1.4	3.3	.406	6.7	7.4	.901
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dirk Nowitzki	23	42.7	27.0	2.0	9.6	11.7	2.9	1.1	0.6	2.1	2.8	8.5	18.2	.468	1.0	2.9	.343	8.9	10.0	.895

Season 9
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2023-24	2006-07
Team	Indiana Pacers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf Finals	Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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9th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	71	18.2	10.2	0.5	2.2	2.7	5.5	1.0	0.1	1.5	1.1	4.6	8.4	.556	0.3	0.6	.409	0.7	0.9	.790
difference:	+7	+18.0	+14.4	+1.1	+5.1	+6.2	+2.1	+0.3	+0.7	-0.6	-1.1	+4.0	+8.8	+.054	+0.6	+1.6	+.007	+5.7	+6.2	+.114
Dirk Nowitzki	78	36.2	24.6	1.6	7.3	8.9	3.4	0.7	0.8	2.1	2.2	8.6	17.2	.502	0.9	2.2	.416	6.4	7.1	.904
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	17	20.5	11.8	0.6	2.4	3.1	5.1	0.9	0.1	1.2	1.5	5.3	10.9	.486	0.4	1.5	.269	0.8	0.9	.867
difference:	+11	+19.3	+7.9	+3.6	+4.8	+8.2	+2.8	+0.9	+1.2	-1.1	-1.8	+0.7	+4.8	+.103	+0.3	+1.7	+.058	+6.2	+7.4	+.027
Dirk Nowitzki	6	39.8	19.7	4.2	7.2	11.3	2.3	1.8	1.3	2.3	3.3	6.0	15.7	.383	0.7	3.2	.211	7.0	8.3	.840

Season 10
	T.J. McConnell	Dirk Nowitzki
Season	2024-25	2007-08
Team	Indiana Pacers	Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pacers Lost NBA Finals	Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	79	17.9	9.1	0.6	1.9	2.4	4.4	1.1	0.3	1.4	1.0	4.1	7.9	.519	0.2	0.6	.306	0.7	1.0	.740
difference:	+2	+18.1	+14.5	+0.6	+5.4	+6.2	+0.9	+0.4	+0.6	-0.7	-1.6	+4.1	+9.2	+.040	+0.8	+2.3	+.053	+5.5	+6.1	+.139
Dirk Nowitzki	77	36.0	23.6	1.2	7.3	8.6	3.5	0.7	0.9	2.1	2.6	8.2	17.1	.479	1.0	2.9	.359	6.2	7.1	.879
Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
T.J. McConnell	23	17.5	9.5	0.5	2.7	3.3	4.0	0.9	0.1	1.9	1.1	4.1	7.6	.537	0.3	0.8	.421	1.0	1.2	.815
difference:	+18	+24.7	+17.3	+1.5	+7.3	+8.7		+0.7	+1.3	-0.1	-1.5	+4.5	+10.6	+.064	+0.9	+2.8	+.088	+7.4	+9.2	+.007
Dirk Nowitzki	5	42.2	26.8	2.0	10.0	12.0	4.0	0.2	1.4	2.0	2.6	8.6	18.2	.473	1.2	3.6	.333	8.4	10.4	.808

Additional Years
* Dirk Nowitzki played 11 seasons more than T.J. McConnell in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 11 to 21, from 2009 to 2019—Dirk Nowitzki played in 7 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 11 extra years over T.J. McConnell, Dirk Nowitzki got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	1 Finals MVP 1 All-NBA First Team 2 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 7 All-Star Game