Yao Ming vs. D'Angelo Russell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of D'Angelo Russell 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, 1 less than D'Angelo Russell, who played 9. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while D'Angelo Russell had his rookie season in 2015-16. 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
D'Angelo Russell 9 4 2015-16 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2002-032015-16
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second 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
D'Angelo Russell 80 28.2 13.2 0.6 2.8 3.4 3.3 1.2 0.2 2.5 1.8 4.9 12.0 .410 1.6 4.6 .351 1.8 2.4 .737
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2003-042016-17
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
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
D'Angelo Russell 63 28.7 15.6 0.5 3.0 3.5 4.8 1.4 0.3 2.8 2.1 5.6 13.8 .405 2.1 6.1 .352 2.3 3.0 .782
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
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2004-052017-18
Team Houston RocketsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards 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 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
D'Angelo Russell 48 25.7 15.5 0.6 3.3 3.9 5.2 0.8 0.4 3.1 1.9 5.8 14.0 .414 1.9 5.8 .324 2.0 2.7 .740
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
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------

Season 4
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2005-062018-19
Team Houston RocketsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNets 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 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
D'Angelo Russell 81 30.2 21.1 0.7 3.2 3.9 7.0 1.2 0.2 3.1 1.7 8.1 18.7 .434 2.9 7.8 .369 2.0 2.5 .780
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 5 29.6 19.4 0.4 3.2 3.6 3.6 1.4 0.2 2.8 2.4 7.4 20.6 .359 2.4 7.4 .324 2.2 2.6 .846

Season 5
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2006-072019-20
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves
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
D'Angelo Russell 45 32.3 23.1 0.4 3.6 3.9 6.3 1.1 0.3 3.3 1.9 8.0 18.8 .426 3.5 9.6 .367 3.6 4.4 .809
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
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2007-082020-21
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
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
D'Angelo Russell 42 28.5 19.0 0.4 2.3 2.6 5.8 1.1 0.4 2.7 1.6 6.7 15.5 .431 2.9 7.4 .387 2.7 3.5 .765
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2008-092021-22
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisTimberwolves 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 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
D'Angelo Russell 65 32.0 18.1 0.4 2.9 3.3 7.1 1.0 0.3 2.5 2.0 6.2 15.0 .411 2.7 8.0 .340 3.0 3.7 .825
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
D'Angelo Russell 6 32.7 12.0 0.0 2.5 2.5 6.7 1.5 0.0 2.8 2.8 4.0 12.0 .333 2.0 5.2 .387 2.0 2.7 .750

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

Season 8
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season 2010-112022-23
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost West Conf Finals
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
D'Angelo Russell 71 32.5 17.8 0.5 2.5 3.0 6.2 1.0 0.4 2.6 2.0 6.3 13.4 .469 2.7 6.9 .396 2.5 3.0 .829
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 16 29.6 13.3 0.6 2.3 2.9 4.6 0.7 0.3 1.8 2.0 5.2 12.2 .426 1.7 5.4 .310 1.3 1.6 .769

Season 9
Yao Ming D'Angelo Russell
Season -2023-24
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
Others -NBA Cup In-Season Tournament Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 76 32.7 18.0 0.4 2.7 3.1 6.3 0.9 0.5 2.1 2.1 6.5 14.2 .456 3.0 7.2 .415 2.1 2.5 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 5 37.0 14.2 0.2 2.6 2.8 4.2 0.8 0.2 1.8 1.2 5.6 14.6 .384 2.8 8.8 .318 0.2 0.4 .500
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