Vernon Maxwell vs. Bill Russell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Russell and Vernon Maxwell, 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.

Vernon Maxwell and Bill Russell both played 13 years in the NBA. Vernon Maxwell had the first of his seasons in 1988-89, while Bill Russell had his rookie season in 1956-57. 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
Vernon Maxwell 13 7 1988-89 to 2000-01
Bill Russell 13 13 1956-57 to 1968-69

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1988-891956-57
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 79 26.1 11.7 0.6 1.9 2.6 3.8 1.1 0.1 2.3 1.7 4.5 10.5 .432 0.4 1.6 .248 2.3 3.1 .745
Bill Russell 48 35.3 14.7 - - 19.6 1.8 - - - 3.0 5.8 13.5 .427 - - - 3.2 6.4 .492
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell ------- --- ----------
Bill Russell 10 40.9 13.9 - - 24.4 3.2 - - - 4.1 5.4 14.8 .365 - - - 3.1 6.1 .508

Season 2

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1989-901957-58
Team San Antonio Spurs, Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 79 25.2 9.0 0.6 2.3 2.9 3.7 1.1 0.1 1.8 1.9 3.5 7.9 .439 0.4 1.3 .267 1.7 2.7 .645
Bill Russell 69 38.3 16.6 - - 22.7 2.9 - - - 2.6 6.6 15.0 .442 - - - 3.3 6.4 .519
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 4 39.8 19.8 1.3 1.8 3.0 4.3 1.3 0.0 1.5 3.0 7.5 20.3 .370 2.0 6.5 .308 2.8 5.3 .524
Bill Russell 9 39.4 15.1 - - 24.6 2.7 - - - 2.7 5.3 14.8 .361 - - - 4.4 7.3 .606

Season 3

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1990-911958-59
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 82 35.0 17.0 0.5 2.4 2.9 3.7 1.5 0.2 2.1 2.2 6.1 15.2 .404 2.1 6.2 .337 2.6 3.6 .733
Bill Russell 70 42.6 16.7 - - 23.0 3.2 - - - 2.3 6.5 14.2 .457 - - - 3.7 6.1 .598
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 3 37.7 18.7 0.3 2.3 2.7 3.0 0.7 0.3 2.3 2.7 7.7 18.7 .411 3.0 9.0 .333 0.3 0.7 .500
Bill Russell 11 45.1 15.5 - - 27.7 3.6 - - - 2.5 5.9 14.5 .409 - - - 3.7 6.1 .612

Season 4

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1991-921959-60
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 80 33.8 17.2 0.5 2.6 3.0 4.1 1.3 0.4 2.2 2.5 6.3 15.2 .413 2.0 5.9 .342 2.6 3.3 .772
Bill Russell 74 42.5 18.2 - - 24.0 3.7 - - - 2.8 7.5 16.1 .467 - - - 3.2 5.3 .612
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell ------- --- ----------
Bill Russell 13 44.0 18.5 - - 25.8 2.9 - - - 2.9 7.2 15.8 .456 - - - 4.1 5.8 .707

Season 5

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1992-931960-61
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
Vernon Maxwell 71 31.7 13.8 0.4 2.7 3.1 4.2 1.2 0.1 2.0 1.7 4.9 12.1 .407 1.7 5.1 .332 2.3 3.2 .719
Bill Russell 78 44.3 16.9 - - 23.9 3.4 - - - 2.0 6.8 16.0 .426 - - - 3.3 6.0 .550
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 9 34.2 14.0 0.3 2.1 2.4 3.6 1.2 0.2 1.9 1.9 5.2 13.0 .402 1.2 5.1 .239 2.3 2.7 .875
Bill Russell 10 46.2 19.1 - - 29.9 4.8 - - - 2.4 7.3 17.1 .427 - - - 4.5 8.6 .523

Season 6

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1993-941961-62
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement 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 %
Vernon Maxwell 75 34.3 13.6 0.6 2.5 3.1 5.1 1.7 0.3 2.5 1.9 5.1 13.0 .389 1.6 5.4 .298 1.9 2.5 .749
Bill Russell 76 45.2 18.9 - - 23.6 4.5 - - - 2.7 7.6 16.6 .457 - - - 3.8 6.3 .595
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 23 38.3 13.8 0.5 3.0 3.5 4.2 0.9 0.1 2.1 2.4 5.1 13.7 .376 2.0 6.0 .326 1.6 2.3 .685
Bill Russell 14 48.0 22.4 - - 26.4 5.0 - - - 3.5 8.3 18.1 .458 - - - 5.9 8.1 .726

Season 7

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1994-951962-63
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 64 31.8 13.3 0.3 2.3 2.6 4.3 1.2 0.2 2.1 2.5 4.8 12.1 .394 2.2 6.9 .324 1.5 2.3 .688
Bill Russell 78 44.9 16.8 - - 23.6 4.5 - - - 2.4 6.6 15.2 .432 - - - 3.7 6.6 .555
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 1 16.0 3.0 0.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 7.0 .143 0.0 2.0 .000 1.0 1.0 1.000
Bill Russell 13 47.5 20.3 - - 25.1 5.1 - - - 2.8 7.4 16.3 .453 - - - 5.5 8.4 .661

Season 8

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1995-961963-64
Team Philadelphia 76ersBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 75 32.9 16.2 0.5 2.5 3.1 4.4 1.3 0.2 2.9 2.4 5.5 14.0 .390 1.9 6.1 .317 3.3 4.4 .756
Bill Russell 78 44.6 15.0 - - 24.7 4.7 - - - 2.4 6.0 13.8 .433 - - - 3.0 5.5 .550
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell ------- --- ----------
Bill Russell 10 45.1 13.1 - - 27.2 4.4 - - - 3.3 4.7 13.2 .356 - - - 3.7 6.7 .552

Season 9

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1996-971964-65
Team San Antonio SpursBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 72 28.7 12.9 0.4 1.8 2.2 2.1 1.2 0.3 1.7 2.3 4.7 12.6 .375 1.6 5.2 .309 1.9 2.5 .744
Bill Russell 78 44.4 14.1 - - 24.1 5.3 - - - 2.6 5.5 12.6 .438 - - - 3.1 5.5 .573
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell ------- --- ----------
Bill Russell 12 46.8 16.5 - - 25.2 6.3 - - - 3.6 6.6 12.5 .527 - - - 3.3 6.3 .526

Season 10

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1997-981965-66
Team Orlando Magic, Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 42 15.1 6.9 0.3 1.0 1.4 1.2 0.4 0.1 1.0 1.7 2.5 6.1 .399 0.9 2.7 .330 1.1 1.4 .800
Bill Russell 78 43.4 12.9 - - 22.8 4.8 - - - 2.8 5.0 12.1 .415 - - - 2.9 5.2 .551
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell ------- --- ----------
Bill Russell 17 47.9 19.1 - - 25.2 5.0 - - - 3.5 7.3 15.4 .475 - - - 4.5 7.2 .618

Season 11

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1998-991966-67
Team Sacramento KingsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Kings Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 46 21.9 10.7 0.3 1.6 1.8 1.7 0.7 0.1 1.5 2.4 3.6 9.2 .390 1.7 5.0 .346 1.8 2.5 .737
Bill Russell 81 40.7 13.3 - - 21.0 5.8 - - - 3.2 4.9 10.7 .454 - - - 3.5 5.8 .610
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 5 25.8 11.2 0.8 1.4 2.2 1.0 1.2 0.0 1.2 2.4 3.8 12.0 .317 2.2 7.0 .314 1.4 2.0 .700
Bill Russell 9 43.3 10.6 - - 22.0 5.6 - - - 3.6 3.4 9.6 .360 - - - 3.7 5.8 .635

Season 12

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 1999-001967-68
Team Seattle SupersonicsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Vernon Maxwell 47 21.0 10.9 0.3 1.4 1.7 1.6 0.8 0.2 1.1 1.8 3.6 10.4 .345 1.4 4.7 .300 2.3 3.1 .730
Bill Russell 78 37.9 12.5 - - 18.6 4.6 - - - 3.1 4.7 11.0 .425 - - - 3.2 5.9 .537
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell ------- --- ----------
Bill Russell 19 45.7 14.4 - - 22.8 5.2 - - - 3.8 5.2 12.7 .409 - - - 4.0 6.8 .585

Season 13

Vernon Maxwell Bill Russell
Season 2000-011968-69
Team Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas MavericksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Mavericks 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 %
Vernon Maxwell 43 15.3 4.7 0.1 1.4 1.5 1.1 0.5 0.1 0.8 1.5 1.7 5.2 .327 0.8 2.6 .306 0.5 0.7 .656
Bill Russell 77 42.7 9.9 - - 19.3 4.9 - - - 3.0 3.6 8.4 .433 - - - 2.6 5.0 .526
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Vernon Maxwell 4 10.8 1.0 0.3 1.3 1.5 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.5 0.5 2.5 .200 0.0 1.3 .000 0.0 0.0 -
Bill Russell 18 46.1 10.8 - - 20.5 5.4 - - - 3.6 4.3 10.1 .423 - - - 2.3 4.5 .506