Bill Russell vs. Gus Williams Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Gus Williams and Bill Russell, 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.

Bill Russell played 13 years in the NBA, 2 more than Gus Williams, who played 11. Bill Russell had the first of his seasons in 1956-57, while Gus Williams had his rookie season in 1975-76. 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
Bill Russell	13	13	1956-57 to 1968-69
Gus Williams	11	10	1975-76 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13


Rookie Season
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1956-57	1975-76
Team	Boston Celtics	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	-	All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Warriors Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	48	35.3	14.7	-	-	19.6	1.8	-	-	-	3.0	5.8	13.5	.427	-	-	-	3.2	6.4	.492
Gus Williams	77	22.4	11.7	0.8	1.3	2.1	3.1	1.8	0.3	-	1.9	4.7	11.1	.428	-	-	-	2.2	3.0	.742

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	10	40.9	13.9	-	-	24.4	3.2	-	-	-	4.1	5.4	14.8	.365	-	-	-	3.1	6.1	.508
Gus Williams	11	16.2	6.7	0.5	0.8	1.3	2.4	1.0	0.0	-	2.0	2.7	7.7	.353	-	-	-	1.3	1.9	.667


Season 2
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1957-58	1976-77
Team	Boston Celtics	Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost NBA Finals	Warriors Lost West Conf Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	69	38.3	16.6	-	-	22.7	2.9	-	-	-	2.6	6.6	15.0	.442	-	-	-	3.3	6.4	.519
Gus Williams	82	23.5	9.3	0.9	2.0	2.8	3.6	1.5	0.2	-	2.7	4.0	8.5	.464	-	-	-	1.4	1.8	.747

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	9	39.4	15.1	-	-	24.6	2.7	-	-	-	2.7	5.3	14.8	.361	-	-	-	4.4	7.3	.606
Gus Williams	10	18.4	8.8	0.9	0.6	1.5	2.5	0.8	0.1	-	3.0	3.5	7.0	.500	-	-	-	1.8	2.1	.857


Season 3
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1958-59	1977-78
Team	Boston Celtics	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Supersonics Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	70	42.6	16.7	-	-	23.0	3.2	-	-	-	2.3	6.5	14.2	.457	-	-	-	3.7	6.1	.598
Gus Williams	79	32.6	18.1	1.1	2.2	3.2	3.7	2.3	0.5	2.4	2.5	7.6	16.9	.451	-	-	-	2.9	3.5	.817

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	11	45.1	15.5	-	-	27.7	3.6	-	-	-	2.5	5.9	14.5	.409	-	-	-	3.7	6.1	.612
Gus Williams	22	31.9	18.3	1.4	2.5	3.9	4.0	2.0	0.5	2.5	3.2	7.4	15.5	.477	-	-	-	3.5	4.8	.726


Season 4
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1959-60	1978-79
Team	Boston Celtics	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	NBA Champion

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	74	42.5	18.2	-	-	24.0	3.7	-	-	-	2.8	7.5	16.1	.467	-	-	-	3.2	5.3	.612
Gus Williams	76	29.8	19.2	1.5	1.8	3.2	4.0	2.1	0.4	2.5	2.1	8.0	16.1	.495	-	-	-	3.2	4.2	.775

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	13	44.0	18.5	-	-	25.8	2.9	-	-	-	2.9	7.2	15.8	.456	-	-	-	4.1	5.8	.707
Gus Williams	17	36.4	26.6	2.1	2.0	4.1	3.7	2.0	0.6	2.5	2.5	10.7	22.5	.476	-	-	-	5.3	7.5	.709


Season 5
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1960-61	1979-80
Team	Boston Celtics	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA Second Team	All-NBA Second Team
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Supersonics Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	78	44.3	16.9	-	-	23.9	3.4	-	-	-	2.0	6.8	16.0	.426	-	-	-	3.3	6.0	.550
Gus Williams	82	36.2	22.1	1.5	1.8	3.4	4.8	2.4	0.5	2.2	2.0	9.0	18.7	.482	0.1	0.4	.194	4.0	5.1	.788

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	10	46.2	19.1	-	-	29.9	4.8	-	-	-	2.4	7.3	17.1	.427	-	-	-	4.5	8.6	.523
Gus Williams	15	37.6	23.7	2.0	2.0	4.0	5.6	2.3	0.5	3.1	2.5	9.7	18.9	.514	0.1	0.3	.200	4.1	5.7	.721

Note: Gus Williams didn't play in 1980-81.


Season 6
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1961-62	1981-82
Team	Boston Celtics	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	-	All-NBA First Team
	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Supersonics Lost West Conf Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	76	45.2	18.9	-	-	23.6	4.5	-	-	-	2.7	7.6	16.6	.457	-	-	-	3.8	6.3	.595
Gus Williams	80	36.0	23.4	1.2	1.9	3.1	6.9	2.2	0.5	2.5	2.0	9.7	19.9	.486	0.1	0.5	.225	4.0	5.5	.734

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	14	48.0	22.4	-	-	26.4	5.0	-	-	-	3.5	8.3	18.1	.458	-	-	-	5.9	8.1	.726
Gus Williams	8	39.4	26.3	1.5	1.8	3.3	8.1	1.6	0.6	2.3	1.6	10.3	23.3	.441	0.3	0.8	.333	5.5	7.0	.786


Season 7
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1962-63	1982-83
Team	Boston Celtics	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	All-Star Game NVP	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Supersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	78	44.9	16.8	-	-	23.6	4.5	-	-	-	2.4	6.6	15.2	.432	-	-	-	3.7	6.6	.555
Gus Williams	80	34.5	20.0	0.9	1.7	2.6	8.0	2.3	0.3	2.9	1.5	8.3	17.3	.477	0.0	0.5	.047	3.5	4.6	.751

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	13	47.5	20.3	-	-	25.1	5.1	-	-	-	2.8	7.4	16.3	.453	-	-	-	5.5	8.4	.661
Gus Williams	2	40.5	32.5	2.0	1.5	3.5	4.0	2.5	0.0	3.0	2.5	13.0	23.5	.553	0.0	1.0	.000	6.5	7.5	.867


Season 8
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1963-64	1983-84
Team	Boston Celtics	Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Supersonics Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	78	44.6	15.0	-	-	24.7	4.7	-	-	-	2.4	6.0	13.8	.433	-	-	-	3.0	5.5	.550
Gus Williams	80	35.2	18.7	0.8	1.7	2.6	8.4	2.4	0.3	2.9	1.9	7.5	16.3	.458	0.1	0.3	.160	3.7	5.0	.750

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	10	45.1	13.1	-	-	27.2	4.4	-	-	-	3.3	4.7	13.2	.356	-	-	-	3.7	6.7	.552
Gus Williams	5	43.0	23.4	0.4	2.0	2.4	11.4	1.6	0.6	2.8	1.4	10.0	19.6	.510	0.4	1.2	.333	3.0	4.2	.714


Season 9
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1964-65	1984-85
Team	Boston Celtics	Washington Bullets
Honors & Awards	Season MVP	-
	All-NBA First Team	-
	Rebounds Leader	-
	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bullets Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	78	44.4	14.1	-	-	24.1	5.3	-	-	-	2.6	5.5	12.6	.438	-	-	-	3.1	5.5	.573
Gus Williams	79	37.5	20.0	0.9	1.6	2.5	7.7	2.3	0.4	2.7	2.0	8.1	18.8	.430	0.6	2.2	.290	3.2	4.4	.725

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	12	46.8	16.5	-	-	25.2	6.3	-	-	-	3.6	6.6	12.5	.527	-	-	-	3.3	6.3	.526
Gus Williams	4	39.8	18.0	1.0	1.0	2.0	5.0	1.3	0.3	3.3	1.3	7.5	17.8	.423	0.8	2.5	.300	2.3	3.0	.750


Season 10
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1965-66	1985-86
Team	Boston Celtics	Washington Bullets
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	Bullets Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	78	43.4	12.9	-	-	22.8	4.8	-	-	-	2.8	5.0	12.1	.415	-	-	-	2.9	5.2	.551
Gus Williams	77	29.7	13.5	0.7	1.5	2.2	5.9	1.2	0.2	2.1	1.5	5.6	13.2	.428	0.4	1.5	.259	1.8	2.4	.734

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	17	47.9	19.1	-	-	25.2	5.0	-	-	-	3.5	7.3	15.4	.475	-	-	-	4.5	7.2	.618
Gus Williams	5	39.8	18.2	0.8	1.2	2.0	6.6	2.2	0.0	1.4	2.2	7.6	15.8	.481	0.2	2.0	.100	2.8	3.6	.778


Season 11
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1966-67	1986-87
Team	Boston Celtics	Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	Celtics Lost East Div Finals	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	81	40.7	13.3	-	-	21.0	5.8	-	-	-	3.2	4.9	10.7	.454	-	-	-	3.5	5.8	.610
Gus Williams	33	14.6	4.2	0.2	1.0	1.2	4.2	0.5	0.2	1.6	1.6	1.6	4.4	.363	0.2	0.5	.278	0.8	1.2	.675

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	9	43.3	10.6	-	-	22.0	5.6	-	-	-	3.6	3.4	9.6	.360	-	-	-	3.7	5.8	.635
Gus Williams	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 12
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1967-68	-
Team	Boston Celtics	-
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	-

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	78	37.9	12.5	-	-	18.6	4.6	-	-	-	3.1	4.7	11.0	.425	-	-	-	3.2	5.9	.537
Gus Williams	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	19	45.7	14.4	-	-	22.8	5.2	-	-	-	3.8	5.2	12.7	.409	-	-	-	4.0	6.8	.585
Gus Williams	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 13
	Bill Russell	Gus Williams
Season	1968-69	-
Team	Boston Celtics	-
Honors & Awards	All-Defensive First Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	-
Playoffs	NBA Champion	-

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	77	42.7	9.9	-	-	19.3	4.9	-	-	-	3.0	3.6	8.4	.433	-	-	-	2.6	5.0	.526
Gus Williams	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Bill Russell	18	46.1	10.8	-	-	20.5	5.4	-	-	-	3.6	4.3	10.1	.423	-	-	-	2.3	4.5	.506
Gus Williams	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Bill Russell vs. Gus Williams Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Gus Williams and Bill Russell, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13