John Salley vs. Robert Williams III Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Robert Williams III and John Salley, 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.

John Salley played 11 years in the NBA, 5 more than Robert Williams III, who played 6. John Salley had the first of his seasons in 1986-87, while Robert Williams III had his rookie season in 2018-19. 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
John Salley 11 9 1986-87 to 1999-00
Robert Williams III 6 5 2018-19 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1986-872018-19
Team Detroit PistonsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost East Conf FinalsCeltics 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 %
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
Robert Williams III 32 8.8 2.5 0.8 1.7 2.5 0.2 0.3 1.3 0.3 1.1 1.1 1.6 .706 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.5 .600
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III 3 4.3 1.3 0.3 2.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.7 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.7 1.000

Season 2

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1987-882019-20
Team Detroit PistonsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost NBA FinalsCeltics 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 %
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
Robert Williams III 29 13.4 5.2 1.4 3.0 4.4 0.9 0.8 1.2 0.7 1.8 2.2 3.0 .727 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.2 .647
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III 13 11.5 3.7 1.7 2.2 3.9 0.8 0.2 0.5 0.5 1.4 1.8 2.4 .742 0.0 0.1 .000 0.2 0.5 .333

Season 3

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1988-892020-21
Team Detroit PistonsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics 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 %
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
Robert Williams III 52 18.9 8.0 2.6 4.3 6.9 1.8 0.8 1.8 1.0 2.0 3.6 5.0 .721 0.0 0.0 .000 0.9 1.4 .616
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III 3 15.3 6.3 2.7 2.3 5.0 0.7 0.3 3.0 0.3 2.3 3.0 4.7 .643 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.7 .500

Season 4

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1989-902021-22
Team Detroit PistonsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III 61 29.6 10.0 3.9 5.7 9.6 2.0 0.9 2.2 1.0 2.2 4.4 6.0 .736 0.0 0.0 .000 1.1 1.5 .722
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III 17 23.2 7.7 2.5 3.6 6.2 1.0 0.7 2.2 0.6 2.0 3.1 4.6 .679 0.0 0.1 .000 1.5 1.6 .893

Season 5

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1990-912022-23
Team Detroit PistonsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons Lost East Conf FinalsCeltics 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 %
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
Robert Williams III 35 23.5 8.0 3.0 5.4 8.3 1.4 0.6 1.4 1.0 1.9 3.6 4.9 .747 0.0 0.0 .000 0.7 1.2 .610
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III 20 20.9 7.7 1.8 4.2 6.0 1.0 0.5 1.3 0.8 2.2 3.4 4.3 .788 0.0 0.1 .000 1.0 1.4 .679

Season 6

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1991-922023-24
Team Detroit PistonsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Pistons 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 %
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
Robert Williams III 6 19.8 6.8 1.8 4.5 6.3 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.2 2.8 2.8 4.3 .654 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 1.5 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------

Season 7

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1992-93-
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 %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------

Season 8

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1993-94-
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 %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------

Season 9

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1994-95-
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 %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
John Salley ------- --- ----------
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------

Season 10

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1995-96-
Team Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------

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

Season 11

John Salley Robert Williams III
Season 1999-00-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Robert Williams III ------- --- ----------