Yao Ming vs. Marcus Smart Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Marcus Smart 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 Marcus Smart, who played 10. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Marcus Smart had his rookie season in 2014-15. 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
Marcus Smart 10 9 2014-15 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2002-032014-15
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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
Marcus Smart 67 27.0 7.8 0.9 2.4 3.3 3.1 1.5 0.3 1.3 2.6 2.6 7.1 .367 1.4 4.1 .335 1.2 1.9 .646
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 4 22.5 9.8 1.3 1.5 2.8 1.3 0.3 0.3 1.0 3.0 3.5 7.3 .483 0.8 3.3 .231 2.0 3.8 .533

Season 2

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2003-042015-16
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics 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 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
Marcus Smart 61 27.3 9.1 1.2 2.9 4.2 3.0 1.5 0.3 1.3 3.0 3.0 8.7 .348 1.0 4.0 .253 2.1 2.7 .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
Marcus Smart 6 32.2 12.0 1.3 3.2 4.5 3.0 1.7 0.8 2.5 2.8 3.7 10.0 .367 1.8 5.3 .344 2.8 3.5 .810

Season 3

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2004-052016-17
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East 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 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
Marcus Smart 79 30.4 10.6 1.0 2.9 3.9 4.6 1.6 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.4 9.5 .359 1.2 4.2 .283 2.6 3.2 .812
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
Marcus Smart 18 29.9 8.6 1.3 3.4 4.7 4.7 1.5 0.9 2.1 2.8 2.6 7.4 .351 1.6 4.1 .397 1.8 2.8 .640

Season 4

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2005-062017-18
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East 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 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
Marcus Smart 54 29.9 10.2 0.8 2.7 3.5 4.8 1.3 0.4 2.4 2.5 3.5 9.5 .367 1.4 4.6 .301 1.8 2.5 .729
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 15 29.9 9.8 0.9 2.8 3.7 5.3 1.7 0.7 2.4 2.9 3.2 9.5 .336 1.0 4.5 .221 2.4 3.3 .735

Season 5

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2006-072018-19
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost East Conf Semis
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
Marcus Smart 80 27.5 8.9 0.7 2.2 2.9 4.0 1.8 0.4 1.5 2.5 3.0 7.1 .422 1.6 4.3 .364 1.3 1.6 .806
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
Marcus Smart 2 16.0 3.5 2.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 1.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 0.5 5.5 .091 0.5 5.5 .091 2.0 3.0 .667

Season 6

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2007-082019-20
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East 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 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
Marcus Smart 60 32.0 12.9 0.7 3.1 3.8 4.9 1.7 0.5 1.7 2.7 4.3 11.4 .375 2.3 6.6 .347 2.1 2.5 .836
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 17 38.1 14.5 0.6 4.6 5.2 4.6 1.2 0.5 2.6 3.2 4.6 11.6 .394 2.4 7.2 .333 2.9 3.3 .875

Season 7

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2008-092020-21
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisCeltics 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
Marcus Smart 48 32.9 13.1 0.8 2.7 3.5 5.7 1.5 0.5 2.0 2.6 4.2 10.6 .398 1.9 5.9 .330 2.7 3.4 .790
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
Marcus Smart 5 36.6 17.8 0.8 3.6 4.4 6.0 1.0 0.2 2.8 2.8 5.8 13.2 .439 3.2 8.6 .372 3.0 4.2 .714

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season 2010-112021-22
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics 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 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
Marcus Smart 71 32.3 12.1 0.6 3.2 3.8 5.9 1.7 0.3 2.2 2.3 4.2 10.1 .418 1.7 5.1 .331 2.0 2.5 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 21 36.2 15.4 1.0 3.6 4.5 5.9 1.2 0.2 2.5 3.4 5.4 13.3 .405 2.3 6.5 .350 2.4 3.0 .806

Season 9

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season -2022-23
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Celtics Lost East 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 ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 61 32.1 11.5 0.8 2.4 3.1 6.3 1.5 0.4 2.3 2.8 4.1 9.9 .415 1.9 5.6 .336 1.4 1.9 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 20 34.0 14.9 1.1 3.0 4.0 5.1 1.3 0.3 2.3 1.9 5.1 11.2 .453 2.2 6.1 .361 2.6 3.3 .800

Season 10

Yao Ming Marcus Smart
Season -2023-24
Team -Memphis Grizzlies
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 ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart 20 30.3 14.5 0.3 2.4 2.7 4.3 2.1 0.3 3.1 2.7 5.1 11.9 .430 2.1 6.7 .313 2.2 2.8 .768
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Marcus Smart ------- --- ----------