Yao Ming vs. Alvin Robertson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Alvin Robertson and Yao Ming, 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.

Yao Ming played 8 years in the NBA, 2 less than Alvin Robertson, who played 10. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Alvin Robertson had his rookie season in 1984-85. 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
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11
Alvin Robertson 10 4 1984-85 to 1995-96

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2002-031984-85
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 .500 3.7 4.5 .811
Alvin Robertson 79 21.3 9.2 1.5 1.9 3.4 3.5 1.6 0.3 2.1 2.7 3.8 7.6 .498 0.1 0.1 .364 1.6 2.1 .734
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2003-041985-86
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Most Improved Player
-Achievement Steals Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdSpurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 .000 4.4 5.4 .809
Alvin Robertson 82 35.1 17.0 2.2 4.0 6.3 5.5 3.7 0.5 3.1 3.6 6.9 13.3 .514 0.1 0.4 .276 3.2 4.0 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765
Alvin Robertson 3 32.7 9.0 1.7 3.0 4.7 6.3 2.3 0.3 1.7 3.3 2.7 9.7 .276 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.3 .846

Season 3

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2004-051986-87
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Steals Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
Alvin Robertson 81 33.3 17.7 2.3 2.9 5.2 5.2 3.2 0.4 3.0 3.3 7.3 15.6 .466 0.2 0.6 .271 3.0 4.0 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727
Alvin Robertson ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2005-061987-88
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySpurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 .000 5.9 6.9 .853
Alvin Robertson 82 36.3 19.6 2.0 4.1 6.1 6.8 3.0 0.8 3.1 3.7 8.0 17.2 .465 0.3 1.2 .284 3.3 4.5 .748
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson 3 39.7 23.3 1.7 3.0 4.7 9.3 4.0 0.3 3.0 5.0 10.0 17.7 .566 1.0 2.3 .429 2.3 3.0 .778

Season 5

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2006-071988-89
Team Houston RocketsSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 .000 7.4 8.6 .862
Alvin Robertson 65 35.2 17.3 2.4 3.5 5.9 6.0 3.0 0.6 3.6 4.0 7.2 14.8 .483 0.1 0.7 .200 2.8 3.9 .723
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880
Alvin Robertson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2007-081989-90
Team Houston RocketsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayBucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 .000 6.3 7.4 .850
Alvin Robertson 81 32.1 14.2 2.8 4.1 6.9 5.5 2.6 0.2 2.7 3.5 5.9 11.7 .503 0.0 0.3 .154 2.4 3.3 .741
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson 4 38.8 23.5 2.5 3.3 5.8 4.8 2.3 0.0 3.8 4.0 8.8 16.8 .522 0.0 0.3 .000 6.0 8.5 .706

Season 7

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2008-091990-91
Team Houston RocketsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Steals Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisBucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 1.000 4.9 5.7 .866
Alvin Robertson 81 32.1 13.6 2.4 3.3 5.7 5.5 3.0 0.2 2.6 3.4 5.4 11.2 .485 0.3 0.8 .365 2.5 3.2 .757
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902
Alvin Robertson 3 39.3 23.7 2.3 3.7 6.0 5.0 2.7 0.0 3.3 4.0 9.7 16.3 .592 1.0 3.0 .333 3.3 4.3 .769

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season 2010-111991-92
Team Houston RocketsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
Alvin Robertson 82 30.0 12.3 2.1 2.1 4.3 4.4 2.6 0.4 2.7 3.2 4.8 11.2 .430 0.8 2.6 .319 1.8 2.4 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season -1992-93
Team -Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson 69 29.1 9.0 1.6 2.3 3.9 3.8 2.2 0.3 1.9 3.2 3.6 7.8 .458 0.6 1.8 .328 1.2 1.9 .656
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson ------- --- ----------

Note: Alvin Robertson didn't play in 1993-94 and 1994-95.

Season 10

Yao Ming Alvin Robertson
Season -1995-96
Team -Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson 77 32.2 9.3 1.4 3.0 4.4 4.2 2.2 0.5 2.4 3.5 3.7 7.9 .470 0.5 2.0 .272 1.4 2.1 .677
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Alvin Robertson ------- --- ----------