Walt Frazier vs. Gary Payton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Gary Payton and Walt Frazier, 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 / Stats Rankings

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.

Walt Frazier played 13 years in the NBA, 4 less than Gary Payton, who played 17. Walt Frazier had the first of his seasons in 1967-68, while Gary Payton had his rookie season in 1990-91. 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
Walt Frazier 13 8 1967-68 to 1979-80
Gary Payton 17 15 1990-91 to 2006-07

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13

Rookie Season

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1967-681990-91
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div SemisSupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 74 21.5 9.0 - - 4.2 4.1 - - - 2.7 3.5 7.7 .451 - - - 2.1 3.2 .655
difference:+8+5.9+1.8+1.2+2.3-0.3+0.3+0.7+.001+1.3+2.0+.056
Gary Payton 82 27.4 7.2 1.3 1.6 3.0 6.4 2.0 0.2 2.2 3.0 3.2 7.0 .450 0.0 0.2 .077 0.8 1.2 .711
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 4 29.8 9.5 - - 5.5 6.3 - - - 3.0 3.0 8.3 .364 - - - 3.5 4.5 .778
difference:+1+2.8+4.7+2.9+0.1-0.2+0.8+2.9+.043+3.1+4.1+.222
Gary Payton 5 27.0 4.8 1.0 1.6 2.6 6.4 1.6 0.2 1.8 3.2 2.2 5.4 .407 0.0 0.2 .000 0.4 0.4 1.000

Season 2

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1968-691991-92
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div FinalsSupersonics Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 80 36.9 17.5 - - 6.2 7.9 - - - 3.1 6.6 13.2 .505 - - - 4.3 5.7 .746
difference:+1+5.4+8.1+2.6+1.7+2.5+4.1+.054+3.1+3.9+.077
Gary Payton 81 31.5 9.4 1.5 2.1 3.6 6.2 1.8 0.3 2.1 3.1 4.1 9.1 .451 0.0 0.3 .130 1.2 1.8 .669
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 10 41.5 21.2 - - 7.4 9.1 - - - 3.0 8.9 17.7 .503 - - - 3.4 5.7 .596
difference:+2+13.9+13.6+4.8+4.3-0.3+5.5+10.4+.037+2.5+4.2+.013
Gary Payton 8 27.6 7.6 0.8 1.9 2.6 4.8 1.0 0.3 1.3 3.3 3.4 7.3 .466 0.0 0.3 .000 0.9 1.5 .583

Season 3

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1969-701992-93
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSupersonics Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 77 39.5 20.9 - - 6.0 8.2 - - - 2.6 7.8 15.0 .518 - - - 5.3 7.1 .748
difference:+5+8.4+7.4+2.6+3.3-0.4+2.0+3.3+.024+3.5+4.7+.022
Gary Payton 82 31.1 13.5 1.2 2.3 3.4 4.9 2.2 0.3 1.8 3.0 5.8 11.7 .494 0.1 0.4 .206 1.8 2.4 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 19 43.9 16.0 - - 7.8 8.2 - - - 2.8 6.2 13.0 .478 - - - 3.6 4.7 .764
difference:+12.1+3.7+4.5+4.5-0.6+0.7+0.6+.035+2.3+2.8+.088
Gary Payton 19 31.8 12.3 1.2 2.2 3.3 3.7 1.8 0.2 1.8 3.4 5.5 12.4 .443 0.1 0.3 .167 1.3 1.9 .676

Season 4

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1970-711993-94
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsSupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 80 43.2 21.7 - - 6.8 6.7 - - - 3.0 8.1 16.5 .494 - - - 5.4 7.0 .779
difference:+2+8.1+5.2+3.5+0.7-0.2+1.0+2.4+.010+3.4+3.6+.184
Gary Payton 82 35.1 16.5 1.3 2.0 3.3 6.0 2.3 0.2 2.1 2.8 7.1 14.1 .504 0.2 0.7 .278 2.0 3.4 .595
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 12 41.8 22.6 - - 5.8 4.5 - - - 3.8 9.0 17.0 .529 - - - 4.6 6.3 .733
difference:+7+5.6+6.8+2.4+1.1-0.8+2.2+3.2+.036+3.0+2.5+.312
Gary Payton 5 36.2 15.8 1.2 2.2 3.4 5.6 1.6 0.4 1.6 3.0 6.8 13.8 .493 0.6 1.8 .333 1.6 3.8 .421

Season 5

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1971-721994-95
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost NBA FinalsSupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 77 40.6 23.2 - - 6.7 5.8 - - - 2.4 8.7 17.0 .512 - - - 5.8 7.2 .808
difference:+5+3.8+2.6+3.3+1.3-0.1+0.3+0.6+.003+2.8+3.0+.092
Gary Payton 82 36.8 20.6 1.3 2.1 3.4 7.1 2.5 0.2 2.5 2.5 8.4 16.4 .509 0.9 2.8 .302 3.0 4.2 .716
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 16 44.0 24.3 - - 7.0 6.1 - - - 3.0 9.3 17.3 .536 - - - 5.8 7.8 .736
difference:+12+1.0+6.5+4.5+0.8-0.3+1.3+0.5+.058+4.5+4.8+.319
Gary Payton 4 43.0 17.8 1.5 1.0 2.5 5.3 1.3 0.0 2.0 3.3 8.0 16.8 .478 0.5 2.5 .200 1.3 3.0 .417

Season 6

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1972-731995-96
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Steals Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSupersonics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 78 40.8 21.1 - - 7.3 5.9 - - - 2.4 8.7 17.8 .490 - - - 3.7 4.5 .817
difference:+3+1.8+1.8+3.1+1.6-0.3+1.1+2.0+.006+0.9+0.7+.069
Gary Payton 81 39.0 19.3 1.3 2.9 4.2 7.5 2.9 0.2 3.2 2.7 7.6 15.8 .484 1.2 3.7 .328 2.8 3.8 .748
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 17 45.0 21.9 - - 7.3 6.2 - - - 3.1 8.8 17.2 .514 - - - 4.3 5.5 .777
difference:+4+1.6+1.2+2.2+0.6-0.2+1.1+1.3+.029+1.0+0.3+.144
Gary Payton 21 43.4 20.7 0.9 4.2 5.1 6.8 1.8 0.3 3.0 3.3 7.7 15.9 .485 2.0 4.8 .410 3.3 5.2 .633

Season 7

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1973-741996-97
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsSupersonics 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%
Walt Frazier 80 41.7 20.5 1.5 5.2 6.7 6.9 2.0 0.2 - 2.7 8.4 17.9 .472 - - - 3.7 4.4 .838
difference:+2+2.5+1.3+0.2+1.9+2.1+0.2+0.4-0.2+0.2+0.2+.004+0.6+0.1+.123
Gary Payton 82 39.2 21.8 1.3 3.3 4.6 7.1 2.4 0.2 2.6 2.5 8.6 18.1 .476 1.5 4.6 .313 3.1 4.3 .715
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 12 40.9 22.5 1.8 6.2 7.9 4.0 1.8 0.3 - 3.4 9.4 18.8 .502 - - - 3.7 4.1 .898
difference:+4.7+1.3+0.1+2.4+2.5+4.7+0.4-1.2+0.6+2.5+.090+0.5+1.0+.078
Gary Payton 12 45.6 23.8 1.7 3.8 5.4 8.7 2.2 0.3 2.9 2.2 8.8 21.3 .412 2.1 6.3 .333 4.2 5.1 .820

Season 8

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1974-751997-98
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First TeamAchievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Achievement All-Star Game MVP-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf 1st RdSupersonics Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 78 41.1 21.5 1.2 4.8 6.0 6.1 2.4 0.2 - 2.6 8.6 17.8 .483 - - - 4.2 5.1 .828
difference:+4+2.7+2.3+0.3+1.2+1.4+2.2+0.1-0.2+1.5+2.2+.030+0.8+0.5+.084
Gary Payton 82 38.4 19.2 0.9 3.6 4.6 8.3 2.3 0.2 2.8 2.4 7.1 15.6 .453 1.6 4.8 .338 3.4 4.6 .744
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 3 41.3 23.7 1.0 5.7 6.7 7.0 3.7 0.0 - 1.3 9.7 15.3 .630 - - - 4.3 5.3 .813
difference:+7+1.4+0.3+0.1+3.2+3.3+1.9+0.1-1.8+1.0+3.0+.155+0.4+0.3+.127
Gary Payton 10 42.7 24.0 0.9 2.5 3.4 7.0 1.8 0.1 2.6 3.1 8.7 18.3 .475 1.9 5.0 .380 4.7 5.0 .940

Season 9

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1975-761998-99
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
Walt Frazier 59 41.1 19.1 1.3 5.4 6.8 5.9 1.8 0.2 - 2.8 8.0 16.4 .485 - - - 3.2 3.8 .823
difference:+9+0.9+2.6+0.1+1.8+1.9+2.8+0.4-0.5+2.1+.051+0.8+1.7+.102
Gary Payton 50 40.2 21.7 1.2 3.6 4.9 8.7 2.2 0.2 3.1 2.3 8.0 18.5 .434 1.7 5.6 .295 4.0 5.5 .721
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Walt Frazier nor Gary Payton played in the postseason in their season 9

Season 10

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1976-771999-00
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
10th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 76 35.4 17.4 0.7 3.2 3.9 5.3 1.7 0.1 - 2.6 7.0 14.3 .489 - - - 3.4 4.4 .771
difference:+6+6.4+6.8+0.5+2.0+2.6+3.6+0.2+0.1-0.4+2.1+6.0+.041+0.4+0.8+.036
Gary Payton 82 41.8 24.2 1.2 5.2 6.5 8.9 1.9 0.2 2.7 2.2 9.1 20.3 .448 2.2 6.3 .340 3.8 5.2 .735
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier DNP------ --- ----------
Gary Payton 5 44.2 25.8 1.6 6.0 7.6 7.4 1.8 0.2 3.6 3.2 10.0 22.6 .442 1.8 4.6 .391 4.0 5.2 .769

Season 11

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1977-782000-01
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
11th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 51 32.6 16.2 1.1 3.0 4.1 4.1 1.5 0.3 2.2 2.4 6.6 14.0 .471 - - - 3.0 3.5 .850
difference:+28+8.5+6.9+0.2+0.6+0.5+4.0+0.1-0.4-0.1+2.6+6.1+.015+0.4+1.0+.084
Gary Payton 79 41.1 23.1 0.9 3.6 4.6 8.1 1.6 0.3 2.6 2.3 9.2 20.1 .456 1.3 3.4 .375 3.4 4.5 .766
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Walt Frazier nor Gary Payton played in the postseason in their season 11

Season 12

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1978-792001-02
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
12th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 12 23.3 10.8 0.6 1.1 1.7 2.7 1.1 0.2 1.8 1.8 4.5 10.2 .443 - - - 1.8 2.3 .778
difference:+70+17.0+11.3+0.4+2.8+3.1+6.3+0.5+0.1-0.7-0.4+4.5+9.0+.024+1.5+1.8+.019
Gary Payton 82 40.3 22.1 1.0 3.9 4.8 9.0 1.6 0.3 2.5 2.2 9.0 19.2 .467 0.9 2.9 .314 3.3 4.1 .797
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier DNP------ --- ----------
Gary Payton 5 41.2 22.2 2.0 6.6 8.6 5.8 0.6 0.4 2.6 2.4 9.0 21.2 .425 0.8 3.0 .267 3.4 5.8 .586

Season 13

Walt Frazier Gary Payton
Season 1979-802002-03
Team Cleveland CavaliersSeattle Supersonics, Milwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
13th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier 3 9.0 3.3 0.3 0.7 1.0 2.7 0.7 0.3 1.3 0.7 1.3 3.7 .364 0.0 0.3 .000 0.7 0.7 1.000
difference:+77+31.1+17.1+0.7+2.5+3.2+5.6+1.0-1.0-1.6+7.0+14.6+.090+0.7+2.0+.297+2.4+3.7+.290
Gary Payton 80 40.1 20.4 1.0 3.2 4.2 8.3 1.7 0.3 2.3 2.3 8.3 18.3 .454 0.7 2.3 .297 3.1 4.4 .710
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Walt Frazier DNP------ --- ----------
Gary Payton 6 41.8 18.5 0.7 2.3 3.0 8.7 1.3 0.2 2.2 3.0 8.0 18.7 .429 0.2 2.5 .067 2.3 3.3 .700

Additional Years

* Gary Payton played 4 seasons more than Walt Frazier in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 14 to 17, from 2004 to 2007—Gary Payton played in 4 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.