Yao Ming vs. Chris Paul: NBA Rankings Comparison

The ultimate statistical showdown: compare Yao Ming and Chris Paul all-time NBA rankings. Explore their historical standing across total and per-game stats, regular season and playoffs. Who ranks higher?

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other
Filter: Career Stats - Rockets

This in-depth analysis goes beyond basic career numbers to provide an unparalleled look at where Yao Ming, with a career spanning 8 seasons from 2003 to 2011, and Chris Paul, with 20 seasons played from 2006 to 2025, stand among the league's historical elite..

Dive into a meticulous breakdown of their positions in every major statistical category—from scoring and rebounding to assists, steals, and blocks—across both regular season and their entire playoff careers. Our comprehensive tables offer side-by-side rankings, value comparisons, and key differences, ensuring you have all the definitive data to assess their historical impact.

First, review a concise summary of how they rank in NBA history in the main categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) for both total and per-game stats, and below, you can then explore in detail all their stats and their historical rankings.

Yao Ming vs. Chris Paul
Total Stats, Rankings Summary

Career Totals
Season Playoffs
Yao Ming Chris Paul Yao Ming Chris Paul
Points
+300th
36th
+300th
31st
Rebounds
+300th
196th
+300th
99th
Assists
+300th
2nd
+300th
5th
Steals
+300th
2nd
+300th
11th
Blocks
120th
+300th
223rd
+300th
Years820415

Yao Ming vs. Chris Paul
Per Game Stats, Rankings Summary

Career Per Game
Season Playoffs
Yao Ming Chris Paul Yao Ming Chris Paul
Points
98th
182nd
95th
94th
Rebounds
87th
+300th
84th
+300th
Assists
+300th
6th
+300th
14th
Steals
+300th
11th
+300th
14th
Blocks
31st
+300th
67th
+300th

Comparisons on this page:

Their rankings for:
Season Totals - Playoffs Totals /
Season Per Game - Playoffs Per Game

Note: per game rankings include players with a minimum of games played

Career Totals,
Regular Season Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points
+300th
36th
+264 9,247 vs. 23,01113,764
Rebounds
+300th
196th
+104 4,494 vs. 5,9781,484
Assists
+300th
2nd
+298 769 vs. 12,49911,730
Steals
+300th
2nd
+298 189 vs. 2,7172,528
Blocks
120th
+300th
+180 920 vs. 222698
Offensive Rebounds
+300th
+300th
1,233 vs. 792441
Defensive Rebounds
259th
80th
179 3,261 vs. 5,1861,925
Field Goals Made
+300th
41st
+259 3,380 vs. 8,1474,767
Field Goals Attempted
+300th
38th
+262 6,445 vs. 17,35210,907
3-Pointers Made
+300th
26th
+274 2 vs. 1,8601,858
3-Pointers Attempted
+300th
24th
+276 10 vs. 5,0295,019
Free Throws Made
265th
44th
221 2,485 vs. 4,8572,372
Free Throws Attempted
+300th
67th
+233 2,984 vs. 5,5792,595

Games and Years:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Games Played
+300th
15th
+285 486 vs. 1,354868
Seasons
+300th
7th
+293 8 vs. 2012

Rankings by Points Scored:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
40+ point games
276th
121st
155 2 vs. 86
50+ point games
-
-
0 vs. 00

Career Totals,
Playoffs Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points
+300th
31st
+269 555 vs. 2,9812,426
Rebounds
+300th
99th
+201 261 vs. 730469
Assists
+300th
5th
+295 29 vs. 1,2331,204
Steals
+300th
11th
+289 9 vs. 287278
Blocks
223rd
+300th
+77 42 vs. 3111
Offensive Rebounds
+300th
241st
+59 76 vs. 10630
Defensive Rebounds
+300th
60th
+240 185 vs. 624439
Field Goals Made
+300th
30th
+270 195 vs. 1,106911
Field Goals Attempted
+300th
32nd
+268 376 vs. 2,2871,911
3-Pointers Made
+300th
21st
+279 0 vs. 244244
3-Pointers Attempted
+300th
22nd
+278 0 vs. 654654
Free Throws Made
300th
53rd
247 165 vs. 525360
Free Throws Attempted
+300th
61st
+239 198 vs. 615417

Games and Years:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Games Played
+300th
48th
+252 28 vs. 149121
Playoffs
+300th
17th
+283 4 vs. 1511

Rankings by Points Scored:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
40+ point games
-
55th
0 vs. 22
50+ point games
-
-
0 vs. 00

Career Per Game Averages,
Regular Season Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points per game
98th
182nd
84 19.03 vs. 16.992.03
Rebounds per game
87th
+300th
+213 9.25 vs. 4.424.83
Assists per game
+300th
6th
+294 1.58 vs. 9.237.65
Steals per game
+300th
11th
+289 0.39 vs. 2.011.62
Blocks per game
31st
+300th
+269 1.89 vs. 0.161.73
Offensive Rebounds per game
88th
+300th
+212 2.54 vs. 0.581.95
Defensive Rebounds per game
49th
+300th
+251 6.71 vs. 3.832.88
Field Goals Made per game
124th
236th
112 6.95 vs. 6.020.94
Field Goals Attempted per game
223rd
253rd
30 13.26 vs. 12.820.45
3-Pointers Made per game
+300th
233rd
+67 0.00 vs. 1.371.37
3-Pointers Attempted per game
+300th
166th
+134 0.02 vs. 3.713.69
Free Throws Made per game
48th
173rd
125 5.11 vs. 3.591.53
Free Throws Attempted per game
69th
239th
170 6.14 vs. 4.122.02

Career Per Game Averages,
Playoffs Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Chris Paul Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points per game
95th
94th
1 19.82 vs. 20.010.19
Rebounds per game
84th
+300th
+216 9.32 vs. 4.904.42
Assists per game
+300th
14th
+286 1.04 vs. 8.287.24
Steals per game
+300th
14th
+286 0.32 vs. 1.931.60
Blocks per game
67th
+300th
+233 1.50 vs. 0.211.29
Offensive Rebounds per game
84th
+300th
+216 2.71 vs. 0.712.00
Defensive Rebounds per game
59th
243rd
184 6.61 vs. 4.192.42
Field Goals Made per game
131st
99th
32 6.96 vs. 7.420.46
Field Goals Attempted per game
212nd
133rd
79 13.43 vs. 15.351.92
3-Pointers Made per game
+300th
120th
+180 0.00 vs. 1.641.64
3-Pointers Attempted per game
+300th
134th
+166 0.00 vs. 4.394.39
Free Throws Made per game
37th
229th
192 5.89 vs. 3.522.37
Free Throws Attempted per game
48th
299th
251 7.07 vs. 4.132.94

Note: the per game rankings on this page respect the minimums usually applied by the NBA for all-time leaders, 400 games for regular season stats unless the player reached these thresholds before: 10,000 points; 4,000 rebounds; 2,000 assists; 625 steals; 500 blocks; 250 3-pointers made. Also 3 minimum games for the Playoffs are applied.