Vern Mikkelsen vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Vern Mikkelsen, 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.

Vern Mikkelsen and Bill Walton both played 10 years in the NBA. Vern Mikkelsen had the first of his seasons in 1949-50, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
Vern Mikkelsen 10 9 1949-50 to 1958-59
Bill Walton 10 4 1974-75 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Rookie Season

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1949-501974-75
Team Minneapolis LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 68 - 11.6 - - - 1.8 - - - 3.3 4.2 10.6 .399 - - - 3.2 4.2 .752
Bill Walton 35 32.9 12.8 2.6 10.0 12.6 4.8 0.8 2.7 - 3.3 5.1 9.9 .513 - - - 2.7 3.9 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 12 - 13.0 - - - 1.5 - - - 4.3 4.6 12.4 .369 - - - 3.8 5.0 .767
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1950-511975-76
Team Minneapolis LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 64 - 14.1 - - 10.2 2.8 - - - 4.1 5.6 14.0 .402 - - - 2.9 4.3 .676
Bill Walton 51 33.1 16.1 2.6 10.8 13.4 4.3 1.0 1.6 - 2.8 6.8 14.4 .471 - - - 2.6 4.5 .583
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 7 - 15.6 - - 9.6 2.4 - - - 5.0 5.6 13.7 .406 - - - 4.4 6.7 .660
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1951-521976-77
Team Minneapolis LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 66 35.5 15.3 - - 10.3 2.7 - - - 4.3 5.5 13.1 .419 - - - 4.3 5.6 .761
Bill Walton 65 34.8 18.6 3.2 11.1 14.4 3.8 1.0 3.2 - 2.7 7.6 14.3 .528 - - - 3.5 5.0 .697
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 13 38.1 13.3 - - 8.5 1.5 - - - 5.1 4.6 10.7 .432 - - - 4.1 4.9 .828
Bill Walton 19 39.7 18.2 2.9 12.2 15.2 5.5 1.1 3.4 - 4.2 8.1 15.9 .507 - - - 2.1 3.0 .684

Season 4

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1952-531977-78
Team Minneapolis LakersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionTrail Blazers 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 %
Vern Mikkelsen 70 35.2 15.0 - - 9.3 2.1 - - - 4.1 5.4 12.4 .435 - - - 4.2 5.5 .752
Bill Walton 58 33.3 18.9 2.0 11.2 13.2 5.0 1.0 2.5 3.6 2.5 7.9 15.2 .522 - - - 3.1 4.2 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 12 33.3 12.0 - - 8.7 2.0 - - - 4.9 3.7 11.1 .331 - - - 4.7 5.5 .848
Bill Walton 2 24.5 13.5 2.5 8.5 11.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 3.0 0.5 5.5 9.0 .611 - - - 2.5 3.5 .714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 5

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1953-541979-80
Team Minneapolis LakersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 72 31.2 11.1 - - 8.5 1.7 - - - 3.7 4.0 10.7 .374 - - - 3.1 4.1 .742
Bill Walton 14 24.1 13.9 2.0 7.0 9.0 2.4 0.6 2.7 2.6 2.6 5.8 11.5 .503 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .593
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 13 28.8 10.2 - - 5.6 1.3 - - - 4.0 3.9 8.5 .459 - - - 2.4 2.8 .861
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 6

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1954-551982-83
Team Minneapolis LakersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 71 36.0 18.7 - - 10.2 2.0 - - - 4.5 6.2 14.7 .422 - - - 6.3 8.4 .747
Bill Walton 33 33.3 14.1 2.3 7.5 9.8 3.6 1.0 3.6 3.2 3.4 6.1 11.5 .528 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.5 .556
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 7 29.9 13.7 - - 11.1 1.9 - - - 5.1 4.3 12.1 .353 - - - 5.1 6.6 .783
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1955-561983-84
Team Minneapolis LakersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 72 29.2 13.4 - - 8.4 2.4 - - - 4.4 4.4 11.4 .386 - - - 4.6 5.7 .804
Bill Walton 55 26.8 12.1 2.4 6.3 8.7 3.3 0.8 1.6 3.2 2.8 5.2 9.4 .556 0.0 0.0 .000 1.7 2.8 .597
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 3 30.0 13.3 - - 5.7 0.7 - - - 4.7 3.7 8.7 .423 - - - 6.0 6.7 .900
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1956-571984-85
Team Minneapolis LakersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 72 30.5 13.7 - - 8.8 1.7 - - - 4.3 4.5 11.9 .377 - - - 4.8 5.9 .807
Bill Walton 67 24.6 10.1 2.5 6.4 9.0 2.3 0.7 2.1 2.6 2.7 4.0 7.7 .521 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.0 .680
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 5 32.4 17.6 - - 8.6 3.4 - - - 5.8 6.6 16.6 .398 - - - 4.4 6.8 .647
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1957-581985-86
Team Minneapolis LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
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 %
Vern Mikkelsen 72 33.2 17.3 - - 11.2 2.3 - - - 4.2 6.1 14.9 .410 - - - 5.1 6.5 .786
Bill Walton 80 19.3 7.6 1.7 5.1 6.8 2.1 0.5 1.3 1.9 2.6 2.9 5.1 .562 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.5 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton 16 18.2 7.9 1.6 4.9 6.4 1.7 0.4 0.8 1.4 2.8 3.4 5.8 .581 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.4 .826

Season 10

Vern Mikkelsen Bill Walton
Season 1958-591986-87
Team Minneapolis LakersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 72 29.7 13.8 - - 7.9 2.2 - - - 3.4 4.9 12.6 .390 - - - 4.0 4.9 .806
Bill Walton 10 11.2 2.8 1.1 2.0 3.1 0.9 0.1 1.0 1.5 2.3 1.0 2.6 .385 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.5 .533
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vern Mikkelsen 13 28.5 15.5 - - 7.2 1.8 - - - 4.2 5.6 13.6 .412 - - - 4.3 5.6 .767
Bill Walton 12 8.5 2.4 0.8 1.8 2.6 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.7 1.9 1.0 2.1 .480 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.2 .357