Tom Heinsohn vs. Ricky Rubio Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ricky Rubio and Tom Heinsohn, 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.

Tom Heinsohn played 9 years in the NBA, 3 less than Ricky Rubio, who played 12. Tom Heinsohn had the first of his seasons in 1956-57, while Ricky Rubio 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
Tom Heinsohn 9 9 1956-57 to 1964-65
Ricky Rubio 12 3 2011-12 to 2022-23

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1956-572011-12
Team Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 72 29.9 16.2 - - 9.8 1.6 - - - 4.2 6.2 15.6 .397 - - - 3.8 4.8 .790
difference:+31+4.3+5.6+5.6+6.6-1.8+2.8+6.1+.040+0.7+1.0+.013
Ricky Rubio 41 34.2 10.6 0.5 3.7 4.2 8.2 2.2 0.2 3.2 2.4 3.4 9.5 .357 0.8 2.3 .340 3.1 3.8 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 10 37.0 22.9 - - 11.7 2.0 - - - 4.0 9.0 23.1 .390 - - - 4.9 6.9 .710
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1957-582012-13
Team Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 69 32.0 17.8 - - 10.2 1.8 - - - 4.0 6.8 17.8 .382 - - - 4.3 5.7 .746
difference:+12+2.3+7.1+6.2+5.5-1.5+3.6+8.8+.022+0.6+1.1+.053
Ricky Rubio 57 29.7 10.7 0.8 3.2 4.0 7.3 2.4 0.1 3.0 2.5 3.2 9.0 .360 0.5 1.6 .293 3.7 4.6 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 11 31.7 17.5 - - 10.8 1.6 - - - 4.7 6.2 17.6 .351 - - - 5.1 6.5 .778
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1958-592013-14
Team Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 66 31.7 18.8 - - 9.7 2.5 - - - 4.1 7.0 18.1 .390 - - - 4.7 5.9 .798
difference:+16+0.5+9.3+5.5+6.1-1.4+3.9+9.9+.009+1.9+2.4+.004
Ricky Rubio 82 32.2 9.5 0.7 3.4 4.2 8.6 2.3 0.1 2.7 2.7 3.1 8.2 .381 0.5 1.6 .331 2.8 3.5 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 11 31.6 19.9 - - 8.9 2.9 - - - 3.7 8.3 20.0 .414 - - - 3.4 5.1 .661
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1959-602014-15
Team Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 75 32.3 21.7 - - 10.6 2.3 - - - 3.7 9.0 21.2 .423 - - - 3.8 5.1 .733
difference:+53+0.8+11.4+4.9+6.5-1.0+5.5+11.2+.067+1.2+1.9+.070
Ricky Rubio 22 31.5 10.3 0.9 4.8 5.7 8.8 1.7 0.0 2.9 2.7 3.5 10.0 .356 0.6 2.3 .255 2.6 3.2 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 13 32.5 21.8 - - 9.7 2.1 - - - 4.1 8.6 20.5 .419 - - - 4.6 6.2 .750
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1960-612015-16
Team Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 74 30.5 21.3 - - 9.9 1.9 - - - 3.5 8.5 21.2 .400 - - - 4.4 5.7 .767
difference:+2+0.1+11.2+5.6+6.8-0.9+5.6+13.5+.026+0.9+1.6+.080
Ricky Rubio 76 30.6 10.1 0.5 3.8 4.3 8.7 2.1 0.1 2.5 2.6 2.9 7.7 .374 0.8 2.5 .326 3.5 4.1 .847
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 10 29.1 19.7 - - 9.9 2.0 - - - 3.6 8.2 20.1 .408 - - - 3.3 4.3 .767
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1961-622016-17
Team Boston CelticsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 79 30.2 22.1 - - 9.5 2.1 - - - 3.5 8.8 20.4 .429 - - - 4.5 5.5 .819
difference:+4+2.7+11.0+5.4+7.0-0.8+5.3+11.7+.027+1.1+1.7+.072
Ricky Rubio 75 32.9 11.1 0.9 3.2 4.1 9.1 1.7 0.1 2.6 2.7 3.5 8.7 .402 0.8 2.6 .306 3.4 3.8 .891
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 14 31.8 20.7 - - 8.2 2.4 - - - 4.1 8.3 20.8 .399 - - - 4.1 5.4 .763
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 7

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1962-632017-18
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionJazz Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 76 26.4 18.9 - - 7.5 1.3 - - - 3.6 7.2 17.1 .423 - - - 4.5 5.4 .835
difference:+1+2.9+5.8+2.9+4.0-0.9+2.7+6.4+.005+1.6+2.1+.031
Ricky Rubio 77 29.3 13.1 0.6 4.0 4.6 5.3 1.6 0.1 2.7 2.7 4.5 10.7 .418 1.2 3.5 .352 2.9 3.3 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 13 31.8 24.7 - - 8.9 1.2 - - - 4.2 9.5 20.8 .456 - - - 5.8 7.5 .765
difference:+7+1.6+10.7+1.6+5.8-2.0+4.8+7.6+.102+2.8+3.7+.018
Ricky Rubio 6 30.2 14.0 0.8 6.5 7.3 7.0 1.3 0.5 3.0 2.2 4.7 13.2 .354 1.7 5.3 .313 3.0 3.8 .783

Season 8

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1963-642018-19
Team Boston CelticsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 76 26.8 16.5 - - 6.1 2.4 - - - 3.5 6.4 16.1 .398 - - - 3.7 4.5 .827
difference:+8+1.1+3.8+2.5+3.7-0.9+2.1+5.4+.006+0.8+1.1+.028
Ricky Rubio 68 27.9 12.7 0.5 3.1 3.6 6.1 1.3 0.1 2.6 2.6 4.3 10.7 .404 1.2 3.7 .311 2.9 3.4 .855
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 10 30.8 17.4 - - 8.0 2.6 - - - 3.6 7.0 18.0 .389 - - - 3.4 4.2 .810
difference:+5+2.8+2.0+4.8+6.0-0.8+1.4+4.8+.035+0.2+.040
Ricky Rubio 5 33.6 15.4 0.6 2.6 3.2 8.6 2.4 0.2 3.0 2.8 5.6 13.2 .424 0.8 4.0 .200 3.4 4.0 .850

Season 9

Tom Heinsohn Ricky Rubio
Season 1964-652019-20
Team Boston CelticsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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%
Tom Heinsohn 67 25.5 13.6 - - 6.0 2.3 - - - 3.8 5.4 14.2 .383 - - - 2.7 3.4 .795
difference:+2+5.5+0.6+1.3+6.5-1.2+1.0+3.6+.032+0.3+0.1+.068
Ricky Rubio 65 31.0 13.0 0.7 4.0 4.7 8.8 1.4 0.2 2.7 2.6 4.4 10.6 .415 1.2 3.3 .361 3.0 3.5 .863
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Tom Heinsohn 12 23.0 12.7 - - 7.0 1.9 - - - 3.8 5.5 15.1 .365 - - - 1.7 2.7 .625
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Ricky Rubio played 3 seasons more than Tom Heinsohn in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 10 to 12, from 2021 to 2023—Ricky Rubio played in one postseason.