Bob Lanier vs. Royce O'Neale Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Royce O'Neale and Bob Lanier, 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.

Bob Lanier played 14 years in the NBA, 7 more than Royce O'Neale, who played 7. Bob Lanier had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Royce O'Neale had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Bob Lanier 14 9 1970-71 to 1983-84
Royce O'Neale 7 7 2017-18 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1970-712017-18
Team Detroit PistonsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayJazz Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 82 24.6 15.6 - - 8.1 1.8 - - - 3.3 6.1 13.5 .455 - - - 3.3 4.6 .726
Royce O'Neale 69 16.7 5.0 0.4 3.1 3.4 1.4 0.5 0.2 0.8 1.5 1.7 4.1 .423 0.6 1.7 .356 0.9 1.1 .803
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale 11 23.5 7.1 0.3 3.2 3.5 1.4 0.9 0.4 1.5 2.7 2.5 5.1 .500 0.9 2.5 .357 1.1 1.7 .632

Season 2
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1971-722018-19
Team Detroit PistonsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 80 38.7 25.7 - - 14.2 3.1 - - - 3.7 10.4 21.1 .493 - - - 4.9 6.3 .768
Royce O'Neale 82 20.4 5.2 0.3 3.2 3.5 1.5 0.7 0.3 0.9 2.1 2.0 4.2 .475 0.8 2.1 .386 0.4 0.5 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale 5 27.4 10.6 0.4 4.2 4.6 1.6 0.4 0.4 2.0 3.0 4.2 9.0 .467 1.6 4.6 .348 0.6 0.8 .750

Season 3
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1972-732019-20
Team Detroit PistonsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 81 38.9 23.8 - - 14.9 3.2 - - - 3.4 10.0 20.4 .490 - - - 3.8 4.9 .773
Royce O'Neale 71 28.9 6.3 0.4 5.1 5.5 2.5 0.8 0.5 0.9 2.8 2.2 5.1 .433 1.3 3.4 .377 0.6 0.8 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale 7 35.6 5.6 0.4 5.0 5.4 2.7 1.3 0.3 1.9 3.6 1.9 4.6 .406 1.4 3.1 .455 0.4 0.9 .500

Season 4
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1973-742020-21
Team Detroit PistonsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisJazz Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 81 37.6 22.5 3.3 9.9 13.3 4.2 1.4 3.0 - 3.4 9.2 18.3 .504 - - - 4.0 5.0 .797
Royce O'Neale 71 31.6 7.0 1.2 5.6 6.8 2.5 0.8 0.5 1.2 2.6 2.5 5.5 .444 1.5 3.9 .385 0.5 0.6 .848
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 43.3 26.3 3.7 11.6 15.3 3.0 0.6 2.0 - 4.0 11.0 21.7 .507 - - - 4.3 5.4 .789
Royce O'Neale 11 36.7 11.3 1.5 5.8 7.3 2.1 1.1 0.3 0.7 3.7 3.9 7.7 .506 2.5 5.5 .467 0.9 1.1 .833

Season 5
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1974-752021-22
Team Detroit PistonsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 76 39.3 24.0 3.0 9.1 12.0 4.6 1.0 2.3 - 3.1 9.6 18.9 .510 - - - 4.8 5.9 .802
Royce O'Neale 77 31.2 7.4 0.8 3.9 4.8 2.5 1.1 0.4 1.0 2.4 2.6 5.8 .457 1.5 4.0 .389 0.6 0.7 .804
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 3 42.7 20.3 1.7 9.0 10.7 6.3 1.3 4.0 - 3.3 8.7 17.0 .510 - - - 3.0 4.0 .750
Royce O'Neale 6 31.3 6.2 1.0 4.7 5.7 1.5 0.5 0.2 0.5 2.7 2.3 5.8 .400 1.2 4.2 .280 0.3 0.3 1.000

Season 6
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1975-762022-23
Team Detroit PistonsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf SemisNets 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 %
Bob Lanier 64 36.9 21.3 3.4 8.3 11.7 3.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.2 8.5 15.9 .532 - - - 4.4 5.8 .768
Royce O'Neale 76 31.7 8.8 0.7 4.3 5.1 3.7 0.9 0.6 1.5 3.1 3.0 7.8 .386 2.1 5.5 .389 0.7 0.9 .725
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 9 39.9 26.1 4.3 8.3 12.7 3.3 0.9 2.3 - 3.8 10.6 19.1 .552 - - - 5.0 5.6 .900
Royce O'Neale 4 29.5 5.0 1.0 3.3 4.3 3.5 1.3 0.3 1.0 2.8 1.8 7.3 .241 1.0 5.5 .182 0.5 0.5 1.000

Season 7
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1976-772023-24
Team Detroit PistonsBrooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pistons Lost West Conf 1st RdSuns Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 64 38.2 25.3 3.1 8.5 11.6 3.3 1.1 2.0 - 2.7 10.6 19.8 .534 - - - 4.1 5.0 .818
Royce O'Neale 79 24.7 7.7 0.8 4.0 4.8 2.8 0.7 0.6 0.9 2.2 2.7 6.8 .397 2.0 5.3 .370 0.3 0.4 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 3 39.3 28.0 4.3 12.3 16.7 2.0 1.0 2.3 - 3.3 11.3 18.0 .630 - - - 5.3 6.3 .842
Royce O'Neale 4 26.0 5.0 1.3 3.5 4.8 1.0 0.3 0.0 0.5 2.8 1.8 5.5 .318 1.5 4.5 .333 0.0 0.0 -

Season 8
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1977-78-
Team Detroit Pistons-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Bob Lanier 63 36.7 24.5 3.1 8.2 11.3 3.4 1.3 1.5 3.6 2.9 9.9 18.4 .537 - - - 4.7 6.1 .772
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1978-79-
Team Detroit Pistons-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Bob Lanier 53 34.6 23.6 3.1 6.2 9.3 2.6 0.9 1.4 3.3 3.4 9.2 17.9 .515 - - - 5.2 6.9 .749
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1979-80-
Team Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost West Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 63 33.8 19.2 2.4 6.3 8.8 2.9 1.2 1.4 2.6 3.2 7.4 13.8 .537 0.0 0.1 .167 4.4 5.6 .782
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 36.6 19.3 2.4 6.9 9.3 4.4 1.0 1.1 2.4 3.3 7.4 14.4 .515 0.0 0.0 - 4.4 6.0 .738
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 11
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1980-81-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Bob Lanier 67 26.2 14.3 1.9 4.3 6.2 2.7 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.7 5.6 10.7 .525 0.0 0.0 1.000 3.1 4.1 .751
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 7 33.7 17.6 1.7 5.7 7.4 4.0 1.7 1.1 2.1 2.6 7.1 12.1 .588 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 4.6 .719
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 12
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1981-82-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Bob Lanier 74 26.8 13.5 1.2 4.0 5.2 3.0 1.0 0.8 2.2 2.9 5.5 9.9 .558 0.0 0.0 .000 2.5 3.3 .752
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 6 35.3 16.0 3.0 4.5 7.5 3.7 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.5 6.8 13.3 .513 0.0 0.2 .000 2.3 4.2 .560
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 13
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1982-83-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 39 25.1 10.7 1.5 3.6 5.1 2.7 0.9 0.6 2.1 3.2 4.2 8.5 .491 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 3.4 .684
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 9 27.8 13.7 1.9 5.1 7.0 2.6 0.6 1.6 2.3 3.6 5.7 9.9 .573 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .600
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 14
Bob Lanier Royce O'Neale
Season 1983-84-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 72 27.9 13.6 2.0 4.4 6.3 2.6 0.8 0.7 2.3 3.2 5.4 9.5 .572 0.0 0.0 .000 2.7 3.8 .708
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Bob Lanier 16 31.2 12.7 2.0 5.3 7.3 3.4 0.7 0.6 2.4 3.6 5.1 10.7 .480 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 2.8 .886
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
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