Jimmy Butler vs. Billy Cunningham Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Billy Cunningham and Jimmy Butler, 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.

Jimmy Butler played 13 years in the NBA, 4 more than Billy Cunningham, who played 9. Jimmy Butler had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while Billy Cunningham had his rookie season in 1965-66. 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
Jimmy Butler 13 11 2011-12 to 2023-24
Billy Cunningham 9 6 1965-66 to 1975-76

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2011-121965-66
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd76ers Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 42 8.5 2.6 0.5 0.8 1.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.8 1.9 .405 0.0 0.3 .182 1.0 1.3 .768
Billy Cunningham 80 26.7 14.3 - - 7.5 2.6 - - - 3.8 5.4 12.6 .426 - - - 3.5 5.5 .634
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 3 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -
Billy Cunningham 4 17.3 5.3 - - 4.5 2.5 - - - 2.8 1.3 7.8 .161 - - - 2.8 3.3 .846

Season 2

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2012-131966-67
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 82 26.0 8.6 1.7 2.3 4.0 1.4 1.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 2.9 6.2 .467 0.5 1.3 .381 2.3 2.8 .803
Billy Cunningham 81 26.8 18.5 - - 7.3 2.5 - - - 3.2 6.9 15.0 .459 - - - 4.7 6.9 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 12 40.8 13.3 0.8 4.4 5.2 2.7 1.3 0.5 1.3 2.2 4.2 9.6 .435 1.3 3.1 .405 3.8 4.6 .818
Billy Cunningham 15 22.6 15.0 - - 6.2 2.2 - - - 3.5 5.5 14.7 .376 - - - 3.9 6.0 .656

Season 3

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2013-141967-68
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd76ers Lost East Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 67 38.7 13.1 1.3 3.6 4.9 2.6 1.9 0.5 1.5 1.6 4.1 10.3 .397 1.0 3.6 .283 3.9 5.0 .769
Billy Cunningham 74 28.1 18.9 - - 7.6 2.5 - - - 3.5 7.0 15.9 .438 - - - 5.0 6.9 .723
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 5 43.6 13.6 1.2 4.0 5.2 2.2 1.2 0.0 0.6 2.6 4.4 11.4 .386 1.2 4.0 .300 3.6 4.6 .783
Billy Cunningham 3 28.7 20.7 - - 7.3 3.3 - - - 5.3 8.0 14.3 .558 - - - 4.7 5.7 .824

Season 4

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2014-151968-69
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Most Improved Player-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf Semis76ers Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 65 38.7 20.0 1.8 4.1 5.8 3.3 1.8 0.6 1.4 1.7 6.5 14.0 .462 1.1 3.0 .378 5.9 7.1 .834
Billy Cunningham 82 40.8 24.8 - - 12.8 3.5 - - - 4.0 9.0 21.2 .426 - - - 6.8 9.2 .737
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 12 42.2 22.9 1.5 4.1 5.6 3.2 2.4 0.8 1.8 2.3 7.8 17.8 .441 2.3 6.0 .389 4.9 6.0 .819
Billy Cunningham 5 43.4 24.4 - - 12.6 2.4 - - - 4.8 9.8 23.4 .419 - - - 4.8 7.6 .632

Season 5

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2015-161969-70
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost East Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 67 36.9 20.9 1.2 4.2 5.3 4.8 1.6 0.6 2.0 1.9 7.0 15.4 .454 1.0 3.1 .312 5.9 7.1 .832
Billy Cunningham 81 39.4 26.1 - - 13.6 4.3 - - - 4.1 9.9 21.1 .469 - - - 6.3 8.6 .729
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler ------- --- ----------
Billy Cunningham 5 41.0 29.2 - - 10.4 4.0 - - - 3.8 12.2 24.6 .496 - - - 4.8 7.2 .667

Season 6

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2016-171970-71
Team Chicago BullsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Bulls Lost East 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 %
Jimmy Butler 76 37.0 23.9 1.7 4.5 6.2 5.5 1.9 0.4 2.1 1.5 7.5 16.5 .455 1.2 3.3 .367 7.7 8.9 .865
Billy Cunningham 81 38.1 23.0 - - 11.7 4.9 - - - 4.0 8.7 18.8 .462 - - - 5.6 7.7 .734
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 6 39.8 22.7 1.5 5.8 7.3 4.3 1.7 0.8 2.5 1.7 7.7 18.0 .426 1.0 3.8 .261 6.3 7.8 .809
Billy Cunningham 7 43.0 25.9 - - 15.4 5.7 - - - 4.0 9.6 20.3 .472 - - - 6.7 9.6 .701

Season 7

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2017-181971-72
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Timberwolves 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 %
Jimmy Butler 59 36.7 22.2 1.3 4.0 5.3 4.9 2.0 0.4 1.8 1.3 7.4 15.6 .474 1.2 3.4 .350 6.2 7.2 .854
Billy Cunningham 75 38.7 23.3 - - 12.2 5.9 - - - 3.9 8.8 19.0 .461 - - - 5.7 8.0 .712
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 5 34.0 15.8 0.6 5.4 6.0 4.0 0.8 0.2 1.0 1.8 5.6 12.6 .444 1.6 3.4 .471 3.0 3.6 .833
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------

Note: Billy Cunningham didn't play in 1972-73 and 1973-74.

Season 8

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2018-191974-75
Team Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Jimmy Butler 65 33.6 18.7 1.9 3.4 5.3 4.0 1.9 0.6 1.5 1.7 6.4 13.9 .462 1.0 3.0 .347 4.8 5.6 .855
Billy Cunningham 80 35.7 19.5 1.6 7.5 9.1 5.5 1.1 0.4 - 3.4 7.6 17.8 .428 - - - 4.3 5.6 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 12 35.1 19.4 1.8 4.2 6.0 5.2 1.5 0.6 1.8 1.7 6.6 14.6 .451 1.0 3.8 .267 5.3 6.0 .875
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2019-201975-76
Team Miami HeatPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Heat Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 58 33.8 19.9 1.8 4.8 6.7 6.0 1.8 0.6 2.2 1.4 5.9 13.1 .455 0.5 2.1 .244 7.6 9.1 .834
Billy Cunningham 20 32.0 13.7 1.5 5.9 7.4 5.4 1.2 0.5 - 2.9 5.2 12.6 .410 - - - 3.4 4.4 .773
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 21 38.4 22.2 2.2 4.3 6.5 6.0 2.0 0.7 2.8 1.8 6.9 14.0 .488 0.7 2.0 .349 7.8 9.1 .859
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2020-21-
Team Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement Steals Leader-
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 %
Jimmy Butler 52 33.6 21.5 1.8 5.1 6.9 7.1 2.1 0.3 2.1 1.4 7.0 14.2 .497 0.5 2.0 .245 6.9 8.0 .863
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 4 38.5 14.5 1.5 6.0 7.5 7.0 1.3 0.3 2.3 1.5 4.8 16.0 .297 1.0 3.8 .267 4.0 5.5 .727
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2021-22-
Team Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Heat 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 %
Jimmy Butler 57 33.9 21.4 1.8 4.1 5.9 5.5 1.6 0.5 2.1 1.5 7.0 14.5 .480 0.5 2.0 .233 6.9 8.0 .870
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 17 37.0 27.4 2.4 4.9 7.4 4.6 2.1 0.6 1.5 1.5 9.8 19.3 .506 1.4 4.0 .338 6.5 7.8 .841
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2022-23-
Team Miami Heat-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Playoffs Heat Lost NBA Finals-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 64 33.4 22.9 2.2 3.7 5.9 5.3 1.8 0.3 1.6 1.3 7.5 13.9 .539 0.6 1.6 .350 7.4 8.7 .850
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler 22 39.7 26.9 2.1 4.3 6.5 5.9 1.8 0.6 1.9 1.7 9.4 20.1 .468 1.3 3.5 .359 6.8 8.5 .806
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Jimmy Butler Billy Cunningham
Season 2023-24-
Team Miami Heat-
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 %
Jimmy Butler 60 34.0 20.8 1.8 3.6 5.3 5.0 1.3 0.3 1.7 1.1 6.6 13.2 .499 1.0 2.4 .414 6.6 7.7 .858
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Jimmy Butler ------- --- ----------
Billy Cunningham ------- --- ----------