Jermaine O'Neal vs. John Salley Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of John Salley and Jermaine O'Neal, 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 / Games against each other

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.

Jermaine O'Neal played 18 years in the NBA, 7 more than John Salley, who played 11. Jermaine O'Neal had the first of his seasons in 1996-97, while John Salley had his rookie season in 1986-87. 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
Jermaine O'Neal 18 14 1996-97 to 2013-14
John Salley 11 9 1986-87 to 1999-00

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18

Rookie Season

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 1996-971986-87
Team Portland Trail BlazersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdPistons 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 45 10.2 4.1 0.9 1.9 2.8 0.2 0.0 0.6 0.6 1.0 1.5 3.4 .451 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.7 .603
John Salley 82 17.8 5.3 1.3 2.3 3.6 0.7 0.5 1.5 0.9 3.1 2.0 3.5 .562 0.0 0.0 .000 1.3 2.1 .614
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 2 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 1.0 .000
John Salley 15 20.7 6.2 2.0 2.8 4.8 0.7 0.2 1.1 0.9 4.0 2.2 4.4 .500 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.8 .643

Season 2

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 1997-981987-88
Team Portland Trail BlazersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdPistons Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 60 13.5 4.5 1.3 2.0 3.4 0.3 0.3 1.0 0.9 1.7 1.9 3.9 .485 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.5 .506
John Salley 82 24.4 8.5 2.0 2.9 4.9 1.4 0.6 1.7 1.5 3.6 3.1 5.6 .566 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.2 .709
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 1 3.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 3.0 .000 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 -
John Salley 23 27.1 7.0 2.8 4.0 6.7 0.9 0.7 1.6 1.0 3.8 2.4 4.5 .538 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.0 .710

Season 3

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 1998-991988-89
Team Portland Trail BlazersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 36 8.6 2.5 1.2 1.5 2.7 0.4 0.1 0.4 0.4 1.1 1.0 2.3 .434 0.0 0.0 .000 0.5 1.0 .514
John Salley 67 21.8 7.0 2.0 3.0 5.0 1.1 0.6 1.1 1.5 2.9 2.5 5.0 .498 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 2.9 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 9 6.0 1.6 0.9 1.0 1.9 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.2 1.2 0.4 1.1 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.3 .500
John Salley 17 23.1 8.9 2.0 2.6 4.6 0.5 0.5 1.5 0.7 3.4 3.4 5.8 .586 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 3.2 .667

Season 4

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 1999-001989-90
Team Portland Trail BlazersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 70 12.3 3.9 1.4 1.9 3.3 0.3 0.2 0.8 0.7 1.8 1.5 3.2 .486 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.4 .582
John Salley 82 23.3 7.2 1.9 3.5 5.4 0.8 0.6 1.9 1.2 3.4 2.5 5.0 .512 0.0 0.0 .250 2.1 3.0 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 8 4.9 1.5 0.3 0.6 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.1 0.4 1.4 .273 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.1 .667
John Salley 20 27.4 9.5 2.9 3.0 5.9 1.0 0.5 1.7 1.1 3.8 2.9 6.1 .475 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.9 .755

Season 5

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2000-011990-91
Team Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pacers Lost East Conf 1st RdPistons 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 81 32.6 12.9 3.1 6.7 9.8 1.2 0.6 2.8 2.0 3.5 5.0 10.7 .465 0.0 0.1 .000 2.9 4.8 .601
John Salley 74 22.3 7.4 1.9 2.6 4.4 0.9 0.7 1.5 1.2 3.2 2.4 5.1 .475 0.0 0.0 .000 2.5 3.5 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 4 39.3 9.8 3.0 9.5 12.5 1.8 0.0 2.5 1.8 3.3 4.3 9.8 .436 0.0 0.3 .000 1.3 2.5 .500
John Salley 15 20.5 7.5 1.3 2.8 4.1 0.7 0.4 1.3 0.9 3.9 2.5 4.7 .543 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 4.0 .600

Season 6

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2001-021991-92
Team Indiana PacersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement Most Improved Player-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pacers Lost East Conf 1st RdPistons 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 72 37.6 19.0 2.6 7.9 10.5 1.6 0.6 2.3 2.4 3.7 7.5 15.7 .479 0.0 0.2 .071 3.9 5.7 .688
John Salley 72 24.6 9.5 1.5 2.6 4.1 1.6 0.7 1.5 1.4 3.1 3.5 6.8 .512 0.0 0.0 .000 2.6 3.6 .715
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 5 38.0 17.2 1.2 6.4 7.6 1.0 0.8 1.6 2.8 4.8 6.8 15.2 .447 0.0 0.2 .000 3.6 4.8 .750
John Salley 5 29.8 12.6 2.0 4.0 6.0 2.8 0.6 2.8 1.8 3.6 4.0 8.8 .455 0.0 0.2 .000 4.6 5.6 .821

Season 7

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2002-031992-93
Team Indiana PacersMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pacers 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 77 37.2 20.8 2.6 7.7 10.3 2.0 0.9 2.3 2.3 3.6 7.9 16.4 .484 0.1 0.3 .333 4.8 6.6 .731
John Salley 51 27.9 8.3 2.2 3.9 6.1 1.6 0.6 1.4 2.0 3.8 3.0 6.0 .502 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 2.8 .799
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 6 45.5 22.8 4.0 13.5 17.5 0.7 0.5 3.0 3.0 3.7 7.2 15.3 .467 0.0 0.5 .000 8.5 10.8 .785
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2003-041993-94
Team Indiana PacersMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pacers Lost East Conf FinalsHeat 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 78 35.7 20.1 2.5 7.5 10.0 2.1 0.8 2.6 2.3 3.2 7.8 17.9 .434 0.0 0.2 .111 4.5 5.9 .757
John Salley 76 25.1 7.7 1.7 3.6 5.4 1.8 0.7 1.0 1.2 3.4 2.7 5.7 .477 0.0 0.0 .667 2.2 3.0 .729
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 16 37.6 19.2 1.8 7.3 9.1 1.2 0.5 2.3 1.8 3.3 7.2 17.0 .423 0.0 0.3 .000 4.8 6.9 .700
John Salley 5 40.2 11.0 3.2 4.8 8.0 1.6 0.4 1.0 1.2 4.2 4.4 11.4 .386 0.0 0.0 - 2.2 3.2 .688

Season 9

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2004-051994-95
Team Indiana PacersMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pacers 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 44 34.8 24.3 1.9 6.9 8.8 1.9 0.6 2.0 3.0 3.9 8.8 19.4 .452 0.0 0.1 .167 6.7 8.9 .754
John Salley 75 26.1 7.3 1.5 3.0 4.5 1.6 0.6 1.1 1.3 3.7 2.6 5.3 .499 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.8 .739
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 13 36.8 16.0 1.6 6.4 8.0 2.2 0.5 2.6 2.8 3.7 5.9 16.2 .365 0.0 0.2 .000 4.2 5.5 .750
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2005-061995-96
Team Indiana PacersToronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Pacers Lost East Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 51 35.3 20.1 2.0 7.3 9.3 2.6 0.5 2.3 3.0 3.5 7.5 15.8 .472 0.1 0.2 .300 5.1 7.2 .709
John Salley 42 16.0 4.4 1.1 2.2 3.3 1.3 0.5 0.6 1.3 2.6 1.5 3.3 .450 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.0 .694
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 6 36.0 21.0 1.5 6.0 7.5 1.7 0.5 2.3 4.3 4.7 7.3 14.0 .524 0.0 0.3 .000 6.3 8.8 .717
John Salley 16 5.3 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.3 1.6 0.4 0.7 .545 0.0 0.0 - 0.1 0.4 .286

Note: John Salley didn't play in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Season 11

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2006-071999-00
Team Indiana PacersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 69 35.6 19.4 2.2 7.4 9.6 2.4 0.7 2.6 2.9 3.4 7.2 16.5 .436 0.0 0.1 .000 5.0 6.5 .767
John Salley 45 6.7 1.6 0.4 1.0 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.4 1.5 0.6 1.5 .362 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.6 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal ------- --- ----------
John Salley 18 4.2 0.9 0.5 0.7 1.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.9 0.3 0.7 .385 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.6 .700

Season 12

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2007-08-
Team Indiana Pacers-
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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 42 28.7 13.6 2.0 4.8 6.7 2.2 0.5 2.1 2.5 3.1 5.4 12.2 .439 0.0 0.1 .000 2.9 3.9 .742
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal ------- --- ----------
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2008-09-
Team Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Heat 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 68 29.8 13.3 1.9 4.5 6.4 1.8 0.4 2.0 2.1 3.1 5.4 11.3 .474 0.0 0.0 .000 2.6 3.3 .788
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 6 27.0 13.3 1.2 3.3 4.5 1.5 0.5 1.5 1.7 3.0 4.7 8.5 .549 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 5.3 .750
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2009-10-
Team Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Heat 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 70 28.4 13.6 1.8 5.2 6.9 1.3 0.4 1.4 1.8 3.0 5.6 10.6 .529 0.0 0.0 .000 2.3 3.2 .720
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 5 23.4 4.2 2.0 3.6 5.6 1.0 0.8 2.0 1.4 2.6 1.8 8.8 .205 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.4 .429
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 15

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2010-11-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 24 18.0 5.4 1.0 2.6 3.7 0.5 0.1 1.3 1.1 2.7 2.1 4.5 .459 0.0 0.0 .000 1.2 1.8 .674
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 9 21.9 5.8 1.7 2.6 4.2 0.9 0.2 1.8 0.9 3.8 2.3 4.8 .488 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.2 .909
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 16

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2011-12-
Team Boston Celtics-
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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 25 22.8 5.0 1.5 3.9 5.4 0.4 0.3 1.7 0.8 3.2 2.1 4.8 .433 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.2 .677
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal ------- --- ----------
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 17

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2012-13-
Team Phoenix Suns-
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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 55 18.7 8.3 1.5 3.8 5.3 0.8 0.3 1.4 1.3 2.3 3.3 6.7 .482 0.0 0.0 - 1.7 2.1 .835
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal ------- --- ----------
John Salley ------- --- ----------

Season 18

Jermaine O'Neal John Salley
Season 2013-14-
Team Golden State Warriors-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Warriors 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 %
Jermaine O'Neal 44 20.1 7.9 1.9 3.6 5.5 0.6 0.3 0.9 1.2 2.3 2.8 5.6 .504 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.0 .750
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jermaine O'Neal 7 12.0 6.0 1.7 1.7 3.4 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.6 1.7 2.6 4.6 .563 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.1 .750
John Salley ------- --- ----------