Elvin Hayes vs. Royce O'Neale Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Royce O'Neale and Elvin Hayes, 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.

Elvin Hayes played 16 years in the NBA, 9 more than Royce O'Neale, who played 7. Elvin Hayes had the first of his seasons in 1968-69, 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
Elvin Hayes 16 10 1968-69 to 1983-84
Royce O'Neale 7 7 2017-18 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16

Rookie Season

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1968-692017-18
Team San Diego RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Div 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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 45.1 28.4 - - 17.1 1.4 - - - 3.2 11.3 25.4 .447 - - - 5.7 9.1 .626
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 %
Elvin Hayes 6 46.3 25.8 - - 13.8 0.8 - - - 3.5 10.0 19.0 .526 - - - 5.8 8.8 .660
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1969-702018-19
Team San Diego RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement Rebounds Leader-
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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 44.7 27.5 - - 16.9 2.0 - - - 3.3 11.1 24.6 .452 - - - 5.2 7.6 .688
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 %
Elvin Hayes ------- --- ----------
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1970-712019-20
Team San Diego RocketsUtah 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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 44.3 28.7 - - 16.6 2.3 - - - 2.7 11.6 27.0 .428 - - - 5.5 8.2 .672
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 %
Elvin Hayes ------- --- ----------
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1971-722020-21
Team Houston RocketsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 42.2 25.2 - - 14.6 3.3 - - - 2.8 10.1 23.4 .434 - - - 4.9 7.5 .649
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 %
Elvin Hayes ------- --- ----------
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1972-732021-22
Team Baltimore BulletsUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets Lost East Conf SemisJazz 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 %
Elvin Hayes 81 41.3 21.2 - - 14.5 1.6 - - - 2.9 8.8 19.8 .444 - - - 3.6 5.4 .671
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 %
Elvin Hayes 5 45.6 25.8 - - 11.4 1.0 - - - 3.2 10.6 21.0 .505 - - - 4.6 6.6 .697
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1973-742022-23
Team Capital BulletsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Rebounds Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets Lost East 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 %
Elvin Hayes 81 44.5 21.4 4.4 13.7 18.1 2.0 1.1 3.0 - 3.1 8.5 20.1 .423 - - - 4.4 6.1 .721
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 %
Elvin Hayes 7 46.1 25.9 4.4 11.4 15.9 3.0 0.7 2.1 - 3.3 10.9 20.4 .531 - - - 4.1 5.9 .707
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1974-752023-24
Team Washington BulletsBrooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets Lost NBA FinalsSuns 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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 42.3 23.0 2.7 9.5 12.2 2.5 1.9 2.3 - 2.9 9.0 20.3 .443 - - - 5.0 6.5 .766
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 %
Elvin Hayes 17 44.2 25.5 2.7 8.2 10.9 2.2 1.5 2.3 - 4.1 10.2 21.9 .468 - - - 5.1 7.5 .677
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

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1975-76-
Team Washington Bullets-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets 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 %
Elvin Hayes 80 37.2 19.8 2.6 8.4 11.0 1.5 1.3 2.5 - 3.7 8.1 17.3 .470 - - - 3.6 5.7 .628
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 7 43.6 20.0 2.3 10.3 12.6 1.4 0.7 4.0 - 3.4 7.7 17.4 .443 - - - 4.6 7.9 .582
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1976-77-
Team Washington Bullets-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets 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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 41.0 23.7 3.5 9.0 12.5 1.9 1.1 2.7 - 3.8 9.3 18.5 .501 - - - 5.1 7.5 .687
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 9 45.0 21.0 3.2 10.3 13.6 1.9 1.1 2.4 - 4.3 8.2 19.2 .428 - - - 4.6 6.6 .695
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1977-78-
Team Washington Bullets-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 81 40.1 19.7 4.1 9.1 13.3 1.8 1.2 2.0 2.8 3.9 7.9 17.4 .451 - - - 4.0 6.3 .634
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 21 41.3 21.8 4.9 8.4 13.3 2.0 1.5 2.5 2.8 4.1 9.0 18.3 .491 - - - 3.8 6.3 .594
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1978-79-
Team Washington Bullets-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 82 37.9 21.8 3.8 8.3 12.1 1.7 0.9 2.3 2.9 3.8 8.8 18.0 .487 - - - 4.3 6.5 .654
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 19 41.4 22.5 4.9 9.1 14.0 2.0 0.9 2.7 2.9 4.2 8.9 20.8 .429 - - - 4.6 6.8 .669
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1979-80-
Team Washington Bullets-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bullets 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 %
Elvin Hayes 81 39.3 23.0 3.3 7.7 11.1 1.6 0.8 2.3 2.7 3.8 9.4 20.7 .454 0.0 0.2 .231 4.1 5.9 .699
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 2 46.0 20.0 5.0 6.0 11.0 3.0 0.0 2.0 2.0 4.0 8.0 20.5 .390 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 5.0 .800
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1980-81-
Team Washington Bullets-
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 %
Elvin Hayes 81 36.2 17.8 2.9 6.8 9.7 1.2 0.8 2.1 2.3 3.7 7.2 16.0 .451 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 5.4 .617
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1981-82-
Team Houston Rockets-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
Elvin Hayes 82 37.0 16.1 3.3 5.9 9.1 1.8 0.8 1.3 2.5 3.5 6.3 13.4 .472 0.0 0.1 .000 3.4 5.1 .664
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes 3 41.3 14.0 2.3 7.7 10.0 1.0 0.7 3.3 2.0 4.0 5.7 16.7 .340 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 5.0 .533
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 15

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1982-83-
Team Houston Rockets-
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 %
Elvin Hayes 81 28.4 12.9 2.5 5.1 7.6 2.0 0.6 1.0 2.5 2.9 5.2 11.0 .476 0.0 0.0 .500 2.4 3.5 .683
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------

Season 16

Elvin Hayes Royce O'Neale
Season 1983-84-
Team Houston Rockets-
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 %
Elvin Hayes 81 12.3 5.0 1.1 2.1 3.2 0.9 0.2 0.3 1.0 1.5 2.0 4.8 .406 0.0 0.0 .000 1.1 1.6 .652
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Elvin Hayes ------- --- ----------
Royce O'Neale ------- --- ----------