Yao Ming vs. Nick Young Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nick Young 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, 4 less than Nick Young, who played 12. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Nick Young had his rookie season in 2007-08. 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
Nick Young 12 3 2007-08 to 2018-19

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2002-032007-08
Team Houston RocketsWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayWizards Lost East Conf 1st Rd
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:+7+13.6+6.0+2.1+4.6+6.7+0.9+0.1+1.7-0.8-1.1+2.1+3.4+.059+0.5+1.3+2.4+2.8+.004
Nick Young 75 15.4 7.5 0.3 1.2 1.5 0.8 0.5 0.1 1.3 1.7 2.8 6.4 .439 0.5 1.3 .400 1.3 1.7 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------
Nick Young 4 4.3 1.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 2.3 .111 0.0 0.5 .000 0.8 1.0 .750

Season 2

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2003-042008-09
Team Houston RocketsWashington Wizards
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:+10.4+6.6+2.0+5.1+7.2+0.3+0.2+1.7-1.4-1.6+2.4+3.3+.078+0.7+2.0+2.4+3.0+.041
Nick Young 82 22.4 10.9 0.4 1.5 1.8 1.2 0.5 0.2 1.1 1.7 4.1 9.2 .444 0.7 2.0 .341 2.0 2.4 .850
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
Nick Young DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2004-052009-10
Team Houston RocketsWashington Wizards
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:+6+11.4+9.7+2.3+4.7+7.0+0.2+1.9-1.7-1.7+3.6+4.7+.134+0.9+2.3+3.5+4.4+.017
Nick Young 74 19.2 8.6 0.3 1.1 1.4 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.8 2.0 3.1 7.5 .418 0.9 2.3 .406 1.4 1.8 .800
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
Nick Young DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2005-062010-11
Team Houston RocketsWashington Wizards
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:+7+2.4+4.9+2.2+5.3+7.5+0.3+0.2+1.3-1.2-1.1+1.8+1.2+.078+1.6+4.2+3.0+3.3+.037
Nick Young 64 31.8 17.4 0.4 2.3 2.7 1.2 0.7 0.3 1.4 2.3 6.4 14.6 .441 1.6 4.2 .387 2.9 3.6 .816
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor Nick Young played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2006-072011-12
Team Houston RocketsWashington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdClippers Lost West Conf Semis
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:+14+5.9+10.8+1.6+5.7+7.3+1.1+0.3+1.7-2.2-1.0+3.7+4.5+.113+1.7+4.5+5.1+5.9+.010
Nick Young 62 27.9 14.2 0.5 1.6 2.1 0.9 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.3 5.1 12.6 .403 1.7 4.5 .365 2.3 2.7 .852
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:+4+18.9+16.8+3.2+6.0+9.2+0.6+0.2+0.3-4.1-2.1+5.3+11.8+.007+1.5+3.0+7.9+9.1+.009
Nick Young 11 18.2 8.3 0.1 1.0 1.1 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.6 1.8 2.6 6.1 .433 1.5 3.0 .515 1.5 1.6 .889

Season 6

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2007-082012-13
Team Houston RocketsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
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+13.3+11.4+2.7+5.9+8.6+0.9+0.1+1.8-2.5-1.7+4.1+6.3+.094+1.3+3.6+4.5+5.2+.030
Nick Young 59 23.9 10.6 0.4 1.8 2.2 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.8 1.4 3.8 9.2 .413 1.3 3.6 .357 1.8 2.2 .820
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor Nick Young played in the postseason in their season 6

Season 7

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2008-092013-14
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
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:+13+5.3+1.8+2.1+5.1+7.3+0.3+0.3+1.7-1.5-0.9+1.4+0.5+.113+2.1+5.5+1.2+1.2+.041
Nick Young 64 28.3 17.9 0.5 2.1 2.6 1.5 0.7 0.2 1.5 2.4 6.0 13.9 .435 2.1 5.5 .386 3.7 4.5 .825
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
Nick Young DNP------ --- ----------

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Nick Young
Season 2010-112014-15
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
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:+37+5.6+3.2+1.0+2.1+3.1+0.2+0.5+1.3-0.4-0.6+0.5+3.9+.120+2.0+5.4+0.1+0.3+.046
Nick Young 42 23.8 13.4 0.4 1.9 2.3 1.0 0.5 0.3 1.0 2.0 4.1 11.3 .366 2.0 5.4 .369 3.1 3.5 .892
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor Nick Young played in the postseason in their season 8

Additional Years

* Nick Young played 4 seasons more than Yao Ming in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 12, from 2016 to 2019—Nick Young played in one postseason and won the NBA Championship.