Willis Reed vs. Jayson Tatum Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jayson Tatum and Willis Reed, 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.

Willis Reed played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than Jayson Tatum, who played 8. Willis Reed had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while Jayson Tatum had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Willis Reed 10 7 1964-65 to 1973-74
Jayson Tatum 8 8 2017-18 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1964-652017-18
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 80 38.0 19.5 - - 14.7 1.7 - - - 4.2 7.9 18.2 .432 - - - 3.8 5.1 .742
difference:+7.5+5.6+9.7+0.1-2.1+2.9+7.8+.043+1.1+1.9+.084
Jayson Tatum 80 30.5 13.9 0.6 4.4 5.0 1.6 1.0 0.7 1.4 2.1 5.0 10.4 .475 1.3 3.0 .434 2.7 3.2 .826
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed DNP------ --- ----------
Jayson Tatum 19 35.9 18.5 0.5 3.8 4.4 2.7 1.2 0.5 2.2 2.6 6.5 13.7 .471 1.2 3.7 .324 4.3 5.1 .845

Season 2

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1965-662018-19
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East 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%
Willis Reed 76 33.4 15.5 - - 11.6 1.2 - - - 4.3 5.8 13.3 .434 - - - 4.0 5.3 .757
difference:+3+2.3+0.2+5.6+0.9-2.2+0.1+0.2+.016+1.5+2.4+.098
Jayson Tatum 79 31.1 15.7 0.9 5.2 6.0 2.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 2.1 5.9 13.1 .450 1.5 3.9 .373 2.5 2.9 .855
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed DNP------ --- ----------
Jayson Tatum 9 32.8 15.2 0.8 5.9 6.7 1.9 1.1 0.8 2.0 2.3 5.4 12.4 .438 1.1 3.4 .323 3.2 4.3 .744

Season 3

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1966-672019-20
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div SemisCeltics Lost East 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%
Willis Reed 78 36.2 20.9 - - 14.6 1.6 - - - 3.8 8.1 16.6 .489 - - - 4.6 6.2 .735
difference:+12+1.9+2.5+7.6+1.4-1.7+0.3+2.0+.039+0.8+1.5+.077
Jayson Tatum 66 34.3 23.4 1.0 6.0 7.0 3.0 1.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 8.4 18.6 .450 2.9 7.1 .403 3.8 4.7 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 4 37.0 27.5 - - 13.8 1.8 - - - 4.8 10.8 20.0 .538 - - - 6.0 6.3 .960
difference:+13+3.6+1.8+3.8+3.2-2.4+2.3+0.4+.104+0.1+0.9+.147
Jayson Tatum 17 40.6 25.7 1.3 8.7 10.0 5.0 1.0 1.2 2.8 2.4 8.5 19.6 .434 2.8 7.4 .373 5.9 7.2 .813

Season 4

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1967-682020-21
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div SemisCeltics Lost East 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%
Willis Reed 81 35.5 20.8 - - 13.2 2.0 - - - 4.2 8.1 16.6 .490 - - - 4.5 6.3 .721
difference:+17+0.3+5.6+5.8+2.3-2.3+1.4+4.0+.031+0.1+1.0+.147
Jayson Tatum 64 35.8 26.4 0.8 6.6 7.4 4.3 1.2 0.5 2.7 1.9 9.5 20.6 .459 2.9 7.6 .386 4.6 5.3 .868
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 6 35.0 21.3 - - 10.3 1.8 - - - 4.0 8.8 16.3 .541 - - - 3.7 5.0 .733
difference:+1+2.0+9.3+4.5+2.8-1.0+0.6+5.9+.118+5.3+4.8+.185
Jayson Tatum 5 37.0 30.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 4.6 1.2 1.6 2.6 3.0 9.4 22.2 .423 2.8 7.2 .389 9.0 9.8 .918

Season 5

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1968-692021-22
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div FinalsCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 82 37.9 21.1 - - 14.5 2.3 - - - 3.8 8.6 16.5 .521 - - - 4.0 5.3 .747
difference:+6+2.0+5.8+6.5+2.1-1.5+0.7+4.1+.068+1.3+0.9+.106
Jayson Tatum 76 35.9 26.9 1.1 6.9 8.0 4.4 1.0 0.6 2.9 2.3 9.3 20.6 .453 3.0 8.6 .353 5.3 6.2 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 10 42.9 25.7 - - 14.1 1.9 - - - 4.0 10.1 19.8 .510 - - - 5.5 7.0 .786
difference:+14+1.9+0.1+7.4+4.3-1.0+1.7+0.1+.084+0.2+0.1+.014
Jayson Tatum 24 41.0 25.6 1.0 5.7 6.7 6.2 1.2 0.9 4.2 3.0 8.4 19.7 .426 3.2 8.2 .393 5.7 7.1 .800

Season 6

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1969-702022-23
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First TeamAchievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Achievement All-Star Game MVPAchievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics Lost East Conf 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%
Willis Reed 81 38.1 21.7 - - 13.9 2.0 - - - 3.5 8.7 17.1 .507 - - - 4.3 5.7 .756
difference:+7+1.2+8.4+5.1+2.6-1.3+1.1+4.0+.041+2.9+2.7+.098
Jayson Tatum 74 36.9 30.1 1.1 7.7 8.8 4.6 1.1 0.7 2.9 2.2 9.8 21.1 .466 3.2 9.3 .350 7.2 8.4 .854
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 18 40.7 23.7 - - 13.8 2.8 - - - 3.3 9.9 21.0 .471 - - - 3.9 5.3 .737
difference:+2+0.7+3.5+3.3+2.5-1.1+0.6+0.8+.013+2.1+1.6+.139
Jayson Tatum 20 40.0 27.2 1.3 9.2 10.5 5.3 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.2 9.3 20.2 .458 2.7 8.2 .323 6.0 6.9 .876

Season 7

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1970-712023-24
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 73 39.1 20.9 - - 13.7 2.0 - - - 3.1 8.4 18.2 .462 - - - 4.1 5.2 .785
difference:+1+3.4+6.0+5.6+2.9-1.1+0.7+1.1+.009+1.5+1.5+.048
Jayson Tatum 74 35.7 26.9 0.9 7.2 8.1 4.9 1.0 0.6 2.5 2.0 9.1 19.3 .471 3.1 8.2 .376 5.6 6.7 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed 12 42.0 15.7 - - 12.0 2.3 - - - 3.4 6.8 16.3 .413 - - - 2.2 3.3 .667
difference:+7+1.6+9.3+2.3+4.0-0.6+1.6+3.3+.014+4.0+3.9+.194
Jayson Tatum 19 40.4 25.0 0.9 8.8 9.7 6.3 1.1 0.7 2.6 2.8 8.4 19.6 .427 2.1 7.3 .283 6.2 7.2 .861

Season 8

Willis Reed Jayson Tatum
Season 1971-722024-25
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East 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%
Willis Reed 11 33.0 13.4 - - 8.7 2.0 - - - 2.7 5.5 12.5 .438 - - - 2.5 3.5 .692
difference:+61+3.4+13.4+4.0-0.5+3.7+7.8+.014+2.5+2.6+.122
Jayson Tatum 72 36.4 26.8 0.7 8.0 8.7 6.0 1.1 0.5 2.9 2.2 9.2 20.3 .452 3.5 10.1 .343 5.0 6.1 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Willis Reed DNP------ --- ----------
Jayson Tatum 8 40.3 28.1 1.1 10.4 11.5 5.4 2.1 0.8 3.3 2.6 9.3 21.9 .423 3.6 9.8 .372 6.0 6.8 .889

Additional Years

* Willis Reed played 2 seasons more than Jayson Tatum in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 10, from 1973 to 1974—Willis Reed played in two Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

In those 2 extra years over Jayson Tatum, Willis Reed got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Finals MVP