Yao Ming vs. Nate Robinson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nate Robinson 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 / Games against each other

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 Nate Robinson, who played 11. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Nate Robinson had his rookie season in 2005-06. 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
Nate Robinson 11 3 2005-06 to 2015-16

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2002-032005-06
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+10+7.6+4.2+1.6+4.3+5.9+0.3+0.4+1.8-0.5+1.7+2.0+.091+0.8+2.0+1.6+1.7+.059
Nate Robinson 72 21.4 9.3 0.8 1.5 2.3 2.0 0.8 0.0 1.6 2.8 3.2 7.8 .407 0.8 2.0 .397 2.1 2.8 .752
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor Nate Robinson played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2003-042006-07
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+18+11.6+7.4+1.5+5.1+6.6+0.1+0.5+1.8-1.4-0.8+3.0+4.3+.088+1.3+3.3+2.7+3.2+.032
Nate Robinson 64 21.2 10.1 0.9 1.5 2.4 1.4 0.8 0.1 1.1 2.5 3.5 8.2 .434 1.3 3.3 .390 1.7 2.2 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Nate Robinson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2004-052007-08
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+8+4.4+5.6+1.9+3.4+5.3+2.1+0.4+2.0-1.1-1.1+2.1+1.3+.129+1.3+4.1+2.8+3.5+.003
Nate Robinson 72 26.2 12.7 0.7 2.4 3.1 2.9 0.8 0.0 1.4 2.6 4.6 10.9 .423 1.3 4.1 .332 2.1 2.7 .786
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Nate Robinson DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2005-062008-09
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+17+4.3+5.1+1.3+5.0+6.3+2.6+0.8+1.5-0.7-0.6+2.1+1.9+.082+1.7+5.2+2.5+2.9+.012
Nate Robinson 74 29.9 17.2 1.3 2.6 3.9 4.1 1.3 0.1 1.9 2.8 6.1 13.9 .437 1.7 5.2 .325 3.4 4.0 .841
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor Nate Robinson played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2006-072009-10
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks, Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+8+13.9+14.9+1.6+5.8+7.4+0.9+0.5+1.9-2.2-1.2+5.0+8.3+.080+1.6+4.0+6.5+7.4+.116
Nate Robinson 56 19.9 10.1 0.5 1.5 2.0 2.9 0.9 0.1 1.3 2.1 3.8 8.8 .436 1.6 4.0 .390 0.9 1.2 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+10+29.6+20.9+3.1+6.4+9.5+0.2+0.3+0.6-4.3-3.0+6.5+14.1+.065+0.6+1.9+8.7+9.8+.080
Nate Robinson 17 7.5 4.2 0.2 0.6 0.8 1.1 0.4 0.1 0.4 0.9 1.4 3.8 .375 0.6 1.9 .333 0.7 0.9 .800

Season 6

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2007-082010-11
Team Houston RocketsBoston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayThunder Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+4+20.0+15.2+2.8+6.4+9.3+0.4+1.9-2.1-1.2+5.4+9.1+.108+1.1+3.4+5.7+6.7+.032
Nate Robinson 59 17.2 6.8 0.3 1.3 1.5 1.9 0.5 0.1 1.2 1.9 2.5 6.4 .399 1.1 3.4 .325 0.6 0.7 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------
Nate Robinson 3 4.0 2.7 0.0 0.0 0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.7 2.3 .286 0.7 2.0 .333 0.7 0.7 1.000

Season 7

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2008-092011-12
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+26+10.2+8.5+2.3+5.5+7.9+2.7+0.8+1.9-1.5-1.0+3.4+3.9+.124+1.3+3.5+3.1+3.5+.034
Nate Robinson 51 23.4 11.2 0.3 1.7 2.0 4.5 1.2 0.0 1.5 2.3 4.0 9.5 .424 1.3 3.5 .365 1.8 2.2 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Nate Robinson DNP------ --- ----------

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Nate Robinson
Season 2010-112012-13
Team Houston RocketsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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:+77+7.2+2.9+1.0+2.1+3.2+3.6+1.0+1.5-0.4-0.1+1.3+3.8+.053+1.7+4.2+1.4+1.1+.139
Nate Robinson 82 25.4 13.1 0.4 1.9 2.2 4.4 1.0 0.1 1.8 2.5 4.9 11.2 .433 1.7 4.2 .405 1.6 2.1 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------
Nate Robinson 12 33.7 16.3 0.5 2.2 2.7 4.4 1.0 0.2 2.7 3.2 5.9 13.6 .436 1.8 5.4 .338 2.6 3.4 .756

Additional Years

* Nate Robinson played 3 seasons more than Yao Ming in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 11, from 2014 to 2016—Nate Robinson didn't play in the postseason.