Jayson Tatum vs. Bill Willoughby Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Willoughby and Jayson Tatum, 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.

Jayson Tatum played 7 years in the NBA, 1 less than Bill Willoughby, who played 8. Jayson Tatum had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Bill Willoughby 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
Jayson Tatum 7 7 2017-18 to 2023-24
Bill Willoughby 8 3 1975-76 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2017-181975-76
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 80 30.5 13.9 0.6 4.4 5.0 1.6 1.0 0.7 1.4 2.1 5.0 10.4 .475 1.3 3.0 .434 2.7 3.2 .826
Bill Willoughby 62 14.0 4.7 1.7 3.0 4.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 - 1.4 1.8 4.6 .398 - - - 1.1 1.6 .660
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 19 35.9 18.5 0.5 3.8 4.4 2.7 1.2 0.5 2.2 2.6 6.5 13.7 .471 1.2 3.7 .324 4.3 5.1 .845
Bill Willoughby ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2018-191976-77
Team Boston CelticsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics Lost East 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 %
Jayson Tatum 79 31.1 15.7 0.9 5.2 6.0 2.1 1.1 0.7 1.5 2.1 5.9 13.1 .450 1.5 3.9 .373 2.5 2.9 .855
Bill Willoughby 39 14.1 4.9 1.7 2.7 4.4 0.3 0.5 0.6 - 1.6 1.9 4.3 .444 - - - 1.1 1.6 .683
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 9 32.8 15.2 0.8 5.9 6.7 1.9 1.1 0.8 2.0 2.3 5.4 12.4 .438 1.1 3.4 .323 3.2 4.3 .744
Bill Willoughby ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2019-201977-78
Team Boston CelticsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 66 34.3 23.4 1.0 6.0 7.0 3.0 1.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 8.4 18.6 .450 2.9 7.1 .403 3.8 4.7 .812
Bill Willoughby 56 19.3 6.7 1.4 2.6 3.9 0.7 0.4 0.8 1.0 2.3 2.8 6.5 .430 - - - 1.1 1.4 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 17 40.6 25.7 1.3 8.7 10.0 5.0 1.0 1.2 2.8 2.4 8.5 19.6 .434 2.8 7.4 .373 5.9 7.2 .813
Bill Willoughby ------- --- ----------

Note: Bill Willoughby didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 4

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2020-211979-80
Team Boston CelticsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East 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 %
Jayson Tatum 64 35.8 26.4 0.8 6.6 7.4 4.3 1.2 0.5 2.7 1.9 9.5 20.6 .459 2.9 7.6 .386 4.6 5.3 .868
Bill Willoughby 78 18.6 6.9 1.6 2.7 4.2 0.9 0.4 0.8 0.9 2.4 2.8 5.9 .479 0.0 0.1 .111 1.2 1.6 .756
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 5 37.0 30.6 0.6 5.2 5.8 4.6 1.2 1.6 2.6 3.0 9.4 22.2 .423 2.8 7.2 .389 9.0 9.8 .918
Bill Willoughby ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2021-221980-81
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics Lost NBA FinalsRockets Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 76 35.9 26.9 1.1 6.9 8.0 4.4 1.0 0.6 2.9 2.3 9.3 20.6 .453 3.0 8.6 .353 5.3 6.2 .853
Bill Willoughby 55 20.8 6.3 1.3 2.8 4.1 1.2 0.3 0.6 1.3 1.9 2.7 5.2 .523 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.2 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 24 41.0 25.6 1.0 5.7 6.7 6.2 1.2 0.9 4.2 3.0 8.4 19.7 .426 3.2 8.2 .393 5.7 7.1 .800
Bill Willoughby 19 21.9 6.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 1.2 0.7 1.0 1.2 2.2 2.2 6.1 .362 0.0 0.1 .000 1.6 2.1 .750

Season 6

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2022-231981-82
Team Boston CelticsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Celtics Lost East Conf FinalsRockets 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 %
Jayson Tatum 74 36.9 30.1 1.1 7.7 8.8 4.6 1.1 0.7 2.9 2.2 9.8 21.1 .466 3.2 9.3 .350 7.2 8.4 .854
Bill Willoughby 69 21.4 7.8 1.6 2.3 3.8 1.1 0.4 0.9 1.1 2.1 3.5 6.7 .517 0.0 0.1 .429 0.8 1.1 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 20 40.0 27.2 1.3 9.2 10.5 5.3 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.2 9.3 20.2 .458 2.7 8.2 .323 6.0 6.9 .876
Bill Willoughby 2 8.5 2.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.000

Season 7

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season 2023-241982-83
Team Boston CelticsSan Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Celtics TBDDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 74 35.7 26.9 0.9 7.2 8.1 4.9 1.0 0.6 2.5 2.0 9.1 19.3 .471 3.1 8.2 .376 5.6 6.7 .833
Bill Willoughby 62 18.5 5.5 1.0 2.2 3.2 1.0 0.4 0.3 1.0 2.2 2.4 5.2 .454 0.1 0.2 .429 0.7 0.9 .782
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum 10 39.2 24.3 0.6 9.8 10.4 5.8 1.0 0.8 2.1 2.8 7.7 17.9 .430 1.8 6.4 .281 7.1 8.2 .866
Bill Willoughby ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Jayson Tatum Bill Willoughby
Season -1983-84
Team -New Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Nets 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 %
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Bill Willoughby 67 14.0 4.5 1.1 1.8 2.9 0.8 0.3 0.4 0.8 1.6 1.9 3.9 .481 0.0 0.1 .000 0.8 0.9 .873
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jayson Tatum ------- --- ----------
Bill Willoughby 3 4.3 0.7 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.3 1.0 .333 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -