Yao Ming vs. Arvydas Sabonis Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Arvydas Sabonis 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.
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, 1 more than Arvydas Sabonis, who played 7. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Arvydas Sabonis had his rookie season in 1995-96. 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 |
| Yao Ming |
8 |
4 |
2002-03 to 2010-11 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
7 |
7 |
1995-96 to 2002-03 |
Comparison Season by Season |
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Jump to season:
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Rookie Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
- |
3.7 |
4.5 |
.811 |
| difference: | +9 | +5.2 | +1.0 | +0.4 | +0.2 | +0.1 | +0.1 | +0.5 | +0.7 | | -0.1 | +0.5 | +0.1 | +.047 | +0.5 | +1.4 | | +0.5 | +0.3 | +.054 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
73 |
23.8 |
14.5 |
2.0 |
6.0 |
8.1 |
1.8 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
2.1 |
2.9 |
5.4 |
9.9 |
.545 |
0.5 |
1.4 |
.375 |
3.2 |
4.2 |
.757 |
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| Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO | PF |
FGM / A | % |
3PM / A | % |
FTM / A | % |
| Yao Ming |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
5 |
35.4 |
23.6 |
2.4 |
7.8 |
10.2 |
1.8 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
2.0 |
3.4 |
7.0 |
16.2 |
.432 |
1.0 |
1.8 |
.556 |
8.6 |
12.0 |
.717 |
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2nd Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
- |
4.4 |
5.4 |
.809 |
| difference: | +13 | +7.3 | +4.1 | +0.7 | +0.3 | +1.1 | +0.6 | +0.6 | +0.7 | -0.3 | -0.4 | +1.7 | +3.0 | +.024 | +0.7 | +1.9 | | +1.2 | +1.2 | +.032 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
69 |
25.5 |
13.4 |
1.7 |
6.3 |
7.9 |
2.1 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
2.2 |
2.9 |
4.8 |
9.5 |
.498 |
0.7 |
1.9 |
.371 |
3.2 |
4.2 |
.777 |
|
| 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 |
| difference: | +1 | +10.8 | +3.7 | +0.2 | +0.7 | +0.9 | +0.5 | +0.4 | +0.6 | -0.3 | -0.8 | +1.7 | +3.1 | +.027 | +0.5 | +2.0 | | +0.8 | +1.4 | +.110 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
4 |
26.8 |
11.3 |
2.0 |
4.5 |
6.5 |
2.3 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
2.3 |
4.8 |
4.5 |
10.5 |
.429 |
0.5 |
2.0 |
.250 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
.875 |
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3rd Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
| difference: | +7 | +1.4 | +2.3 | +0.6 | +2.1 | +1.6 | +2.2 | +0.5 | +0.9 | -0.1 | | +1.1 | +0.9 | +.059 | +0.4 | +1.6 | | +0.5 | +0.7 | +.015 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
73 |
32.0 |
16.0 |
2.0 |
7.9 |
10.0 |
3.0 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
2.6 |
3.7 |
5.6 |
11.3 |
.493 |
0.4 |
1.6 |
.261 |
4.4 |
5.5 |
.798 |
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| 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 |
| difference: | +3 | +5.1 | +9.1 | +1.5 | +1.6 | +0.1 | +0.8 | +1.5 | +1.9 | -0.2 | -0.4 | +3.4 | +2.0 | +.205 | +0.3 | +0.5 | | +2.7 | +4.4 | +.130 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
4 |
26.8 |
12.3 |
1.8 |
6.0 |
7.8 |
1.5 |
1.8 |
0.8 |
2.5 |
4.8 |
4.5 |
10.0 |
.450 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
.500 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
.857 |
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4th Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
- |
5.9 |
6.9 |
.853 |
| difference: | +7 | +7.2 | +10.2 | +0.8 | +1.5 | +2.3 | +0.9 | +0.2 | +0.3 | -0.9 | -0.5 | +3.6 | +6.2 | +.034 | +0.1 | +0.5 | | +3.2 | +3.4 | +.082 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
50 |
27.0 |
12.1 |
1.8 |
6.1 |
7.9 |
2.4 |
0.7 |
1.3 |
1.7 |
2.9 |
4.6 |
9.6 |
.485 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
.292 |
2.7 |
3.5 |
.771 |
|
| Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO | PF |
FGM / A | % |
3PM / A | % |
FTM / A | % |
| Yao Ming |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
13 |
30.1 |
10.0 |
0.9 |
7.8 |
8.8 |
2.2 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
2.7 |
3.5 |
8.7 |
.398 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
.200 |
3.0 |
3.3 |
.907 |
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5th Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
- |
7.4 |
8.6 |
.862 |
| difference: | +18 | +8.2 | +13.2 | +0.6 | +1.0 | +1.6 | +0.2 | +0.3 | +0.8 | -2.0 | -0.5 | +4.2 | +8.0 | +.011 | +0.1 | +0.3 | | +4.9 | +5.6 | +.019 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
66 |
25.6 |
11.8 |
1.5 |
6.3 |
7.8 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
2.8 |
4.6 |
9.1 |
.505 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
.368 |
2.5 |
3.0 |
.843 |
|
| 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 |
| difference: | +9 | +6.3 | +13.8 | +2.1 | +1.5 | +3.6 | +1.0 | +0.8 | +0.1 | -3.1 | -0.2 | +3.6 | +8.5 | +.013 | +0.4 | +1.3 | | +7.0 | +7.6 | +.084 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
16 |
30.8 |
11.3 |
1.2 |
5.5 |
6.7 |
1.9 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
1.6 |
3.7 |
4.3 |
9.4 |
.453 |
0.4 |
1.3 |
.286 |
2.4 |
3.1 |
.796 |
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6th Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
- |
6.3 |
7.4 |
.850 |
| difference: | +6 | +15.9 | +11.9 | +2.3 | +3.1 | +5.4 | +0.8 | +0.2 | +1.0 | -1.9 | -0.9 | +3.9 | +7.0 | +.028 | | +0.2 | | +4.3 | +4.8 | +.074 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
61 |
21.3 |
10.1 |
0.8 |
4.6 |
5.4 |
1.5 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.4 |
2.2 |
4.0 |
8.5 |
.479 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
.067 |
2.0 |
2.6 |
.776 |
|
| Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO | PF |
FGM / A | % |
3PM / A | % |
FTM / A | % |
| Yao Ming |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
3 |
35.0 |
11.3 |
2.7 |
5.7 |
8.3 |
2.7 |
0.3 |
2.3 |
0.7 |
4.0 |
4.7 |
9.7 |
.483 |
0.0 |
0.7 |
.000 |
2.0 |
2.7 |
.750 |
Note: Arvydas Sabonis didn't play in 2001-02.
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7th Season Stats Comparison |
| 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 |
- |
4.9 |
5.7 |
.866 |
| difference: | +1 | +18.1 | +13.6 | +1.5 | +4.0 | +5.6 | | +0.4 | +1.3 | -2.0 | -1.5 | +5.2 | +8.8 | +.072 | | +0.1 | | +3.2 | +3.6 | +.079 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
78 |
15.5 |
6.1 |
1.1 |
3.2 |
4.3 |
1.8 |
0.8 |
0.6 |
1.0 |
1.8 |
2.2 |
4.6 |
.476 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
.500 |
1.7 |
2.1 |
.787 |
|
| 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 |
| difference: | +3 | +21.4 | +7.1 | +1.1 | +5.8 | +6.9 | +0.2 | +0.3 | +0.5 | -0.9 | -0.7 | +2.0 | +5.0 | +.122 | | | | +3.1 | +3.2 | +.102 |
| Arvydas Sabonis |
6 |
14.5 |
10.0 |
1.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
2.3 |
4.0 |
6.0 |
.667 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
- |
2.0 |
2.5 |
.800 |
|
Additional Years |
* Yao Ming played 1 season more than Arvydas Sabonis in the NBA.
In that period—his season 8 in 2011—Yao Ming didn't play in the postseason. In that extra year over Arvydas Sabonis, Yao Ming got these achievements: |
| Honors & Awards |  1 All-Star Game
|