Joel Embiid vs. Elmore Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elmore Smith and Joel Embiid, 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.

Joel Embiid and Elmore Smith both played 8 years in the NBA. Joel Embiid had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while Elmore Smith had his rookie season in 1971-72. 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
Joel Embiid 8 7 2016-17 to 2023-24
Elmore Smith 8 4 1971-72 to 1978-79

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2016-171971-72
Team Philadelphia 76ersBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
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 %
Joel Embiid 31 25.4 20.2 2.0 5.9 7.8 2.1 0.9 2.5 3.8 3.6 6.5 13.8 .466 1.2 3.2 .367 6.2 7.9 .783
Elmore Smith 78 40.8 17.3 - - 15.2 1.4 - - - 3.9 7.4 16.3 .454 - - - 2.5 4.7 .534
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2017-181972-73
Team Philadelphia 76ersBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Joel Embiid 63 30.3 22.9 2.3 8.7 11.0 3.2 0.6 1.8 3.7 3.3 8.1 16.8 .483 1.0 3.4 .308 5.7 7.4 .769
Elmore Smith 76 37.2 18.3 - - 12.4 2.5 - - - 3.9 7.9 16.4 .482 - - - 2.5 4.4 .558
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 8 34.8 21.4 2.9 9.8 12.6 3.0 0.9 1.8 3.6 3.9 7.5 17.3 .435 1.0 3.6 .276 5.4 7.6 .705
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2018-191973-74
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement Blocks Leader
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisLakers 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 %
Joel Embiid 64 33.7 27.5 2.5 11.1 13.6 3.7 0.7 1.9 3.5 3.3 9.1 18.7 .484 1.2 4.1 .300 8.2 10.1 .804
Elmore Smith 81 36.1 12.5 2.5 8.7 11.2 1.9 0.9 4.9 - 3.8 5.4 11.7 .457 - - - 1.8 3.1 .590
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 11 30.4 20.2 1.9 8.5 10.5 3.4 0.7 2.3 3.6 3.1 6.2 14.5 .428 1.1 3.5 .308 6.7 8.2 .822
Elmore Smith 5 34.2 19.2 3.8 6.8 10.6 1.2 1.4 1.6 - 4.0 8.4 17.6 .477 - - - 2.4 3.4 .706

Season 4

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2019-201974-75
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 51 29.5 23.0 2.8 8.9 11.6 3.0 0.9 1.3 3.1 3.4 7.5 15.7 .477 1.1 3.4 .331 6.9 8.5 .807
Elmore Smith 74 31.6 10.9 2.8 8.1 10.9 2.0 1.1 2.9 - 3.4 4.7 9.5 .493 - - - 1.5 3.1 .485
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 4 36.3 30.0 2.8 9.5 12.3 1.3 1.5 1.3 3.8 4.5 8.5 18.5 .459 1.0 4.0 .250 12.0 14.8 .814
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2020-211975-76
Team Philadelphia 76ersMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisBucks 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 %
Joel Embiid 51 31.1 28.5 2.2 8.4 10.6 2.8 1.0 1.4 3.1 2.4 9.0 17.6 .513 1.1 3.0 .377 9.2 10.7 .859
Elmore Smith 78 36.0 15.6 2.6 8.9 11.4 1.2 1.0 3.1 - 3.4 6.4 12.3 .518 - - - 2.8 4.5 .632
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 11 32.5 28.1 1.5 9.1 10.5 3.4 1.0 1.5 3.8 3.0 9.2 17.9 .513 1.5 3.7 .390 8.3 9.9 .835
Elmore Smith 3 34.7 14.7 1.7 5.7 7.3 0.3 0.7 3.7 - 4.7 5.0 9.0 .556 - - - 4.7 7.0 .667

Season 6

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2021-221976-77
Team Philadelphia 76ersMilwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisCavaliers 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 %
Joel Embiid 68 33.8 30.6 2.1 9.6 11.7 4.2 1.1 1.5 3.1 2.7 9.8 19.6 .499 1.4 3.7 .371 9.6 11.8 .814
Elmore Smith 70 20.9 8.6 1.6 4.6 6.3 0.6 0.5 2.1 - 3.0 3.4 7.2 .475 - - - 1.7 3.0 .549
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 10 38.5 23.6 2.1 8.6 10.7 2.1 0.4 0.8 3.2 3.4 7.8 16.1 .484 0.7 3.3 .212 7.3 8.9 .820
Elmore Smith 3 18.7 13.7 2.0 6.0 8.0 0.3 1.7 1.0 - 3.3 6.0 11.0 .545 - - - 1.7 2.7 .625

Season 7

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2022-231977-78
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisCavaliers 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 %
Joel Embiid 66 34.6 33.1 1.7 8.4 10.2 4.2 1.0 1.7 3.4 3.1 11.0 20.1 .548 1.0 3.0 .330 10.0 11.7 .857
Elmore Smith 81 24.6 12.5 2.2 6.2 8.4 0.7 0.6 2.2 1.7 3.0 5.0 10.0 .497 - - - 2.5 3.8 .663
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 9 37.3 23.7 1.8 8.0 9.8 2.7 0.7 2.8 3.9 3.0 7.3 17.0 .431 0.6 3.1 .179 8.4 9.3 .905
Elmore Smith 2 28.0 12.5 3.0 6.5 9.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 2.5 4.5 5.5 12.0 .458 - - - 1.5 3.0 .500

Season 8

Joel Embiid Elmore Smith
Season 2023-241978-79
Team Philadelphia 76ersCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 39 33.6 34.7 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.6 1.2 1.7 3.8 2.9 11.5 21.8 .529 1.4 3.6 .388 10.2 11.6 .883
Elmore Smith 24 13.8 6.5 1.9 2.5 4.4 0.5 0.3 0.7 1.8 2.5 2.9 5.4 .531 - - - 0.8 1.1 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 6 41.3 33.0 3.2 7.7 10.8 5.7 1.2 1.5 4.2 3.3 9.8 22.2 .444 2.2 6.5 .333 11.2 13.0 .859
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------