Jim Paxson vs. Ben Simmons Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ben Simmons and Jim Paxson, 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.

Jim Paxson played 11 years in the NBA, 5 more than Ben Simmons, who played 6. Jim Paxson had the first of his seasons in 1979-80, while Ben Simmons 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
Jim Paxson 11 9 1979-80 to 1989-90
Ben Simmons 6 3 2017-18 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1979-802017-18
Team Portland Trail BlazersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd76ers 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 %
Jim Paxson 72 17.6 6.2 0.3 1.2 1.5 2.0 0.7 0.1 1.3 1.3 2.6 6.4 .411 0.0 0.3 .045 0.9 1.3 .711
Ben Simmons 81 33.7 15.8 1.8 6.3 8.1 8.2 1.7 0.9 3.4 2.6 6.7 12.3 .545 0.0 0.1 .000 2.4 4.2 .560
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 3 14.7 5.3 0.0 1.3 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.7 1.7 5.3 .313 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.0 1.000
Ben Simmons 10 36.9 16.3 1.6 7.8 9.4 7.7 1.7 0.8 4.4 3.4 6.1 12.5 .488 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.8 .707

Season 2

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1980-812018-19
Team Portland Trail BlazersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd76ers 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 %
Jim Paxson 79 34.2 17.1 0.9 1.7 2.7 3.8 1.8 0.1 1.7 2.2 7.4 13.8 .536 0.0 0.4 .067 2.3 3.1 .734
Ben Simmons 79 34.2 16.9 2.2 6.6 8.8 7.7 1.4 0.8 3.5 2.6 6.8 12.2 .563 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 5.4 .600
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 1 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Ben Simmons 12 35.1 13.9 1.9 5.1 7.0 6.0 1.3 1.0 2.7 3.8 6.0 9.7 .621 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.3 .575

Season 3

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1981-822019-20
Team Portland Trail BlazersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 82 33.6 18.9 0.9 1.8 2.7 3.4 1.6 0.1 1.8 1.9 8.1 15.3 .526 0.1 0.4 .229 2.7 3.5 .767
Ben Simmons 57 35.4 16.4 2.0 5.8 7.8 8.0 2.1 0.6 3.5 3.3 6.6 11.4 .580 0.0 0.1 .286 3.2 5.2 .621
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1982-832020-21
Team Portland Trail BlazersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis76ers 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 %
Jim Paxson 81 33.8 21.7 0.8 1.3 2.1 2.9 1.7 0.2 1.9 2.0 8.4 16.3 .515 0.0 0.3 .160 4.8 5.9 .812
Ben Simmons 58 32.4 14.3 1.6 5.6 7.2 6.9 1.6 0.6 3.0 2.9 5.6 10.1 .557 0.1 0.2 .300 3.0 4.9 .613
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 7 37.1 23.3 0.6 1.6 2.1 2.6 1.3 0.1 2.1 1.6 9.7 16.6 .586 0.3 0.6 .500 3.6 4.7 .758
Ben Simmons 12 33.5 11.9 2.1 5.8 7.9 8.8 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.3 4.9 7.9 .621 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 6.1 .342

Note: Ben Simmons didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 5

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1983-842022-23
Team Portland Trail BlazersBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West 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 %
Jim Paxson 81 33.2 21.3 0.8 1.3 2.1 3.1 1.5 0.1 1.8 2.0 8.4 16.3 .514 0.2 0.7 .288 4.3 5.1 .841
Ben Simmons 42 26.3 6.9 1.0 5.3 6.3 6.1 1.3 0.6 2.3 3.3 3.2 5.6 .566 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 1.4 .439
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 5 34.4 22.8 2.2 1.6 3.8 2.4 0.4 0.0 1.8 2.6 8.0 15.6 .513 0.2 1.0 .200 6.6 8.0 .825
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1984-852023-24
Team Portland Trail BlazersBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West 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 %
Jim Paxson 68 33.1 17.9 1.0 2.3 3.3 3.9 1.5 0.1 1.6 1.7 7.5 14.5 .514 0.1 0.6 .154 2.9 3.6 .790
Ben Simmons 15 23.9 6.1 2.1 5.9 7.9 5.7 0.8 0.6 1.8 2.4 2.9 4.9 .581 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.0 .400
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 9 23.6 12.9 0.7 1.6 2.2 2.3 0.7 0.0 0.6 1.8 5.2 11.2 .465 0.3 1.1 .300 2.1 2.7 .792
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1985-86-
Team Portland Trail Blazers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers 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 %
Jim Paxson 75 25.7 13.1 0.6 1.4 2.0 3.7 1.3 0.1 1.5 2.1 5.0 10.6 .470 0.3 0.8 .323 2.9 3.3 .889
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 4 17.8 10.5 0.3 0.8 1.0 3.8 0.8 0.0 1.5 3.0 3.5 9.3 .378 0.5 1.5 .333 3.0 3.8 .800
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1986-87-
Team Portland Trail Blazers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers 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 %
Jim Paxson 72 25.0 12.1 0.6 1.4 1.9 3.3 1.1 0.2 1.5 1.9 4.7 10.2 .460 0.4 1.4 .265 2.4 3.0 .806
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 4 23.5 8.5 1.0 1.3 2.3 3.3 1.3 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.3 8.0 .406 0.0 0.5 .000 2.0 2.3 .889
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1987-88-
Team Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Jim Paxson 45 17.8 7.7 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.7 0.1 0.9 1.6 3.0 6.6 .460 0.1 0.5 .238 1.5 1.8 .861
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 15 12.5 3.3 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.8 1.2 1.1 3.9 .288 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 1.3 .800
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1988-89-
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 %
Jim Paxson 57 20.0 8.6 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.9 0.7 0.1 1.0 1.7 3.5 7.8 .454 0.1 0.4 .167 1.5 1.8 .816
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson ------- --- ----------
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Jim Paxson Ben Simmons
Season 1989-90-
Team Boston Celtics-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Celtics 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 %
Jim Paxson 72 17.8 6.4 0.3 0.7 1.1 1.9 0.5 0.1 0.8 1.6 2.7 5.9 .453 0.1 0.3 .250 1.0 1.3 .811
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jim Paxson 5 12.4 3.8 0.0 0.0 0 1.4 1.0 0.0 0.6 0.2 1.6 3.2 .500 0.0 0.2 .000 0.6 0.8 .750
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------