Yao Ming vs. Cody Zeller Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Cody Zeller 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, 3 less than Cody Zeller, who played 11. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Cody Zeller had his rookie season in 2013-14. 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
Cody Zeller 11 3 2013-14 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2002-032013-14
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Bobcats
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayBobcats 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 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
Cody Zeller 82 17.3 6.0 1.4 2.9 4.3 1.1 0.5 0.5 1.1 2.1 2.1 4.9 .426 0.0 0.0 .000 1.8 2.4 .730
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller 4 13.3 2.0 1.3 1.0 2.3 0.5 0.0 0.8 0.5 0.8 0.8 2.3 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 1.0 .500

Season 2
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2003-042014-15
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third 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 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
Cody Zeller 62 24.0 7.6 1.6 4.3 5.8 1.6 0.5 0.8 1.0 2.5 2.8 6.0 .461 0.0 0.0 1.000 2.0 2.6 .774
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
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2004-052015-16
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdHornets 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 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
Cody Zeller 73 24.3 8.7 1.9 4.3 6.2 1.0 0.8 0.9 0.9 2.8 3.2 6.0 .529 0.0 0.1 .100 2.4 3.2 .754
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
Cody Zeller 7 19.6 8.4 1.3 4.0 5.3 0.3 0.1 0.4 1.0 2.9 3.0 5.4 .553 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.0 .810

Season 4
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2005-062016-17
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third 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 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
Cody Zeller 62 27.8 10.3 2.2 4.4 6.5 1.6 1.0 0.9 1.0 3.0 4.1 7.1 .571 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.2 .679
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2006-072017-18
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA 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
Cody Zeller 33 19.0 7.1 2.0 3.3 5.4 0.9 0.4 0.6 1.0 2.5 2.6 4.7 .545 0.1 0.1 .667 1.8 2.6 .718
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
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2007-082018-19
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third 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 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
Cody Zeller 49 25.4 10.1 2.2 4.6 6.8 2.1 0.8 0.8 1.3 3.3 3.9 7.0 .551 0.1 0.4 .273 2.3 2.9 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2008-092019-20
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisDid 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 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
Cody Zeller 58 23.1 11.1 2.8 4.3 7.1 1.5 0.7 0.4 1.3 2.4 4.3 8.3 .524 0.3 1.3 .240 2.1 3.1 .682
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
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

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

Season 8
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season 2010-112020-21
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Hornets
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
Cody Zeller 48 20.9 9.4 2.5 4.4 6.8 1.8 0.6 0.4 1.1 2.5 3.8 6.8 .559 0.1 0.6 .143 1.8 2.5 .714
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season -2021-22
Team -Portland Trail Blazers
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 ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller 27 13.1 5.2 1.9 2.8 4.6 0.8 0.3 0.2 0.7 2.1 1.9 3.3 .567 0.0 0.1 .000 1.4 1.8 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season -2022-23
Team -Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Heat Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller 15 14.5 6.5 1.7 2.6 4.3 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.9 2.2 2.5 3.9 .627 0.0 0.1 .000 1.6 2.3 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller 21 8.3 2.2 0.5 1.8 2.3 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.6 1.3 1.0 1.7 .571 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.7 .400

Season 11
Yao Ming Cody Zeller
Season -2023-24
Team -New Orleans Pelicans
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 ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller 43 7.4 1.8 1.1 1.5 2.6 0.9 0.2 0.1 0.4 1.0 0.6 1.4 .419 0.0 0.1 .333 0.5 0.9 .605
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Cody Zeller ------- --- ----------
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