Yao Ming vs. Derrick White Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Derrick White 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 less than Derrick White, who played 9. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Derrick White 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 |
| Yao Ming |
8 |
4 |
2002-03 to 2010-11 |
| Derrick White |
9 |
6 |
2017-18 to 2025-26 |
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: | +65 | +20.8 | +10.3 | +2.1 | +4.6 | +6.7 | +1.2 | +0.2 | +1.6 | -1.7 | -2.3 | +4.0 | +7.9 | +.013 | +0.5 | +0.8 | | +2.9 | +3.3 | +.111 |
| Derrick White |
17 |
8.2 |
3.2 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.9 |
1.9 |
.485 |
0.5 |
0.8 |
.615 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
.700 |
|
| Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO | PF |
FGM / A | % |
3PM / A | % |
FTM / A | % |
| Yao Ming |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Derrick White |
3 |
6.0 |
2.3 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
2.0 |
.500 |
0.3 |
0.7 |
.500 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
- |
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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: | +15 | +7.0 | +7.6 | +1.9 | +3.4 | +5.3 | +2.4 | +0.7 | +1.2 | -1.1 | -1.1 | +2.6 | +4.4 | +.043 | +0.7 | +2.1 | | +3.0 | +3.6 | +.037 |
| Derrick White |
67 |
25.8 |
9.9 |
0.5 |
3.2 |
3.7 |
3.9 |
1.0 |
0.7 |
1.4 |
2.2 |
3.9 |
8.1 |
.479 |
0.7 |
2.1 |
.338 |
1.4 |
1.8 |
.772 |
|
| 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: | +2 | +10.3 | +0.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 | +4.4 | +1.2 | +0.3 | +0.7 | -0.5 | -1.6 | +0.3 | +2.9 | +.091 | +0.7 | +2.4 | | +0.1 | +0.3 | +.034 |
| Derrick White |
7 |
27.3 |
15.1 |
0.1 |
2.9 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
5.9 |
10.7 |
.547 |
0.7 |
2.4 |
.294 |
2.7 |
3.7 |
.731 |
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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: | +12 | +5.9 | +7.0 | +2.1 | +3.0 | +5.1 | +2.7 | +0.2 | +1.1 | -1.2 | -1.5 | +3.0 | +4.1 | +.094 | +1.2 | +3.2 | | +2.3 | +3.1 | +.070 |
| Derrick White |
68 |
24.7 |
11.3 |
0.5 |
2.8 |
3.3 |
3.5 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
2.2 |
3.7 |
8.1 |
.458 |
1.2 |
3.2 |
.366 |
2.6 |
3.1 |
.853 |
|
| 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 |
| Derrick White |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
Season 4 |
|
Yao Ming |
Derrick White |
| Season |
2005-06 | 2020-21 |
| Team |
Houston Rockets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards |
 All-NBA Third Team | - |
| All-Star Game | - |
| Playoffs |
Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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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: | +21 | +4.6 | +6.9 | +2.2 | +5.0 | +7.2 | +2.0 | +0.2 | +0.6 | -1.3 | -0.9 | +3.0 | +3.2 | +.108 | +2.3 | +6.8 | | +3.2 | +3.7 | +.002 |
| Derrick White |
36 |
29.6 |
15.4 |
0.4 |
2.6 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
0.7 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
2.5 |
5.2 |
12.6 |
.411 |
2.3 |
6.8 |
.346 |
2.7 |
3.2 |
.851 |
|
| Playoffs Stats |
| * Neiher Yao Ming nor Derrick White played in the postseason in their season 4 |
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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: | +27 | +4.5 | +11.8 | +1.6 | +4.3 | +5.9 | +2.9 | +0.5 | +1.2 | -1.9 | -1.0 | +4.3 | +6.4 | +.095 | +1.5 | +4.9 | | +4.7 | +5.5 | +.002 |
| Derrick White |
75 |
29.3 |
13.2 |
0.5 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
4.9 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
1.6 |
2.3 |
4.5 |
10.7 |
.421 |
1.5 |
4.9 |
.312 |
2.7 |
3.1 |
.864 |
|
| 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: | +16 | +11.7 | +16.6 | +3.0 | +4.3 | +7.3 | +1.8 | +0.8 | +0.1 | -3.4 | -1.9 | +5.1 | +10.2 | +.076 | +1.1 | +3.6 | | +7.6 | +8.5 | +.056 |
| Derrick White |
23 |
25.4 |
8.5 |
0.3 |
2.7 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
1.3 |
2.0 |
2.8 |
7.7 |
.364 |
1.1 |
3.6 |
.313 |
1.8 |
2.2 |
.824 |
more >>
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: | +27 | +8.9 | +9.6 | +2.5 | +4.8 | +7.2 | +1.6 | +0.2 | +1.1 | -2.1 | -0.9 | +3.6 | +6.3 | +.045 | +1.8 | +4.8 | | +4.3 | +5.1 | +.025 |
| Derrick White |
82 |
28.3 |
12.4 |
0.6 |
2.9 |
3.6 |
3.9 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
2.2 |
4.3 |
9.2 |
.462 |
1.8 |
4.8 |
.381 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
.875 |
|
| Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO | PF |
FGM / A | % |
3PM / A | % |
FTM / A | % |
| Yao Ming |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Derrick White |
20 |
29.7 |
13.4 |
0.7 |
2.3 |
3.0 |
2.1 |
0.6 |
1.0 |
0.9 |
1.9 |
4.7 |
9.2 |
.505 |
2.5 |
5.5 |
.455 |
1.6 |
1.7 |
.912 |
more >>
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: | +4 | +1.0 | +4.5 | +1.9 | +3.7 | +5.7 | +3.4 | +0.6 | +0.7 | -1.5 | -1.2 | +2.1 | +1.9 | +.087 | +2.7 | +6.8 | | +3.0 | +3.6 | +.035 |
| Derrick White |
73 |
32.6 |
15.2 |
0.7 |
3.5 |
4.2 |
5.2 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
2.1 |
5.3 |
11.5 |
.461 |
2.7 |
6.8 |
.396 |
1.9 |
2.1 |
.901 |
|
| 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: | +10 | +0.3 | +0.4 | +1.1 | +5.5 | +6.6 | +3.1 | +0.5 | | -1.1 | -0.7 | +0.3 | +1.7 | +.093 | +3.4 | +8.5 | | +3.3 | +3.7 | +.019 |
| Derrick White |
19 |
35.6 |
16.7 |
1.0 |
3.3 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
0.9 |
1.2 |
0.8 |
2.3 |
5.7 |
12.7 |
.452 |
3.4 |
8.5 |
.404 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
.921 |
Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.
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8th 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 |
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 |
| difference: | +71 | +15.7 | +6.2 | +0.5 | +0.4 | +0.9 | +4.0 | +0.9 | +0.5 | -0.3 | -0.8 | +2.0 | +5.2 | +.044 | +3.5 | +9.1 | | +1.2 | +1.1 | +.099 |
| Derrick White |
76 |
33.9 |
16.4 |
0.9 |
3.6 |
4.5 |
4.8 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
5.6 |
12.6 |
.442 |
3.5 |
9.1 |
.384 |
1.8 |
2.1 |
.839 |
|
| Playoffs Stats |
|
G |
Min |
Pts |
ORb |
DRb |
Reb |
Ast |
Stl |
Blk |
TO | PF |
FGM / A | % |
3PM / A | % |
FTM / A | % |
| Yao Ming |
DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | - | - |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Derrick White |
11 |
37.7 |
18.8 |
1.3 |
3.8 |
5.1 |
3.5 |
0.6 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
2.0 |
6.2 |
13.4 |
.463 |
3.6 |
9.5 |
.385 |
2.8 |
3.3 |
.861 |
|
Additional Years |
* Derrick White played 1 season more than Yao Ming in the NBA.
In that period—his season 9 in 2026—Derrick White didn't play in the postseason. |
NBA Champion