Yao Ming vs. Randy Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Randy Smith 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, 4 less than Randy Smith, who played 12. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Randy Smith had his rookie season in 1971-72. 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
Randy Smith 12 4 1971-72 to 1982-83

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2002-031971-72
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First 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
Randy Smith 76 27.6 13.4 - - 4.8 2.5 - - - 2.7 5.7 11.8 .482 - - - 2.1 3.3 .622
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2003-041972-73
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
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
Randy Smith 82 31.7 14.8 - - 4.8 5.1 - - - 3.0 6.2 14.1 .443 - - - 2.3 3.2 .727
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
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2004-051973-74
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdBraves 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 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
Randy Smith 82 33.5 15.5 1.1 2.8 3.8 4.7 2.5 0.0 - 3.2 6.5 13.2 .492 - - - 2.5 3.5 .712
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
Randy Smith 6 37.8 14.2 0.8 3.5 4.3 4.5 1.7 0.2 - 3.5 6.0 15.0 .400 - - - 2.2 3.3 .650

Season 4

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2005-061974-75
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayBraves 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 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
Randy Smith 82 36.6 17.8 1.2 3.0 4.2 6.5 1.7 0.0 - 3.0 7.4 15.4 .484 - - - 2.9 3.6 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith 7 40.9 18.0 1.1 3.1 4.3 7.0 2.6 0.1 - 3.3 7.1 15.0 .476 - - - 3.7 4.3 .867

Season 5

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2006-071975-76
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdBraves 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
Randy Smith 82 38.6 21.8 1.3 3.8 5.1 5.9 1.9 0.0 - 3.3 8.6 17.3 .494 - - - 4.7 5.7 .817
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
Randy Smith 9 42.9 22.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 8.6 1.6 0.0 - 3.9 9.0 17.9 .503 - - - 4.6 5.4 .837

Season 6

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2007-081976-77
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
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
Randy Smith 82 37.7 20.7 1.6 3.9 5.6 5.4 2.1 0.1 - 3.2 8.6 18.3 .467 - - - 3.6 4.7 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2008-091977-78
Team Houston RocketsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisDid 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 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
Randy Smith 82 40.4 24.6 1.3 2.4 3.8 5.6 2.1 0.1 3.5 2.7 9.6 20.7 .465 - - - 5.4 6.8 .800
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
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season 2010-111978-79
Team Houston RocketsSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards 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 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
Randy Smith 82 37.9 20.5 1.2 2.4 3.6 4.8 2.2 0.1 3.1 2.2 8.5 18.6 .455 - - - 3.6 4.4 .813
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season -1979-80
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
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 ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith 82 32.6 17.6 1.1 2.0 3.1 4.4 1.5 0.1 2.4 2.3 7.3 16.2 .452 0.1 0.6 .189 2.8 3.5 .823
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season -1980-81
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
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 ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith 82 26.8 14.6 0.6 1.8 2.4 4.4 1.4 0.2 2.4 1.6 5.9 12.7 .466 0.0 0.3 .036 2.7 3.3 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season -1981-82
Team -New York Knicks
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 ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith 82 24.8 10.0 0.6 1.2 1.9 3.1 1.1 0.0 1.5 2.4 4.2 9.1 .465 0.0 0.1 .273 1.5 1.8 .808
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Yao Ming Randy Smith
Season -1982-83
Team -San Diego Clippers, Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Hawks 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 ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith 80 17.6 8.3 0.5 0.7 1.2 2.6 0.7 0.0 1.2 1.7 3.4 7.1 .483 0.0 0.2 .167 1.4 1.6 .870
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Randy Smith 2 7.5 3.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 2.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 2.5 .200 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.0 1.000