Kenny Smith vs. Ernie Vandeweghe Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ernie Vandeweghe and Kenny Smith, 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.

Kenny Smith played 10 years in the NBA, 4 more than Ernie Vandeweghe, who played 6. Kenny Smith had the first of his seasons in 1987-88, while Ernie Vandeweghe had his rookie season in 1949-50. 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
Kenny Smith 10 5 1987-88 to 1996-97
Ernie Vandeweghe 6 4 1949-50 to 1955-56

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1987-881949-50
Team Sacramento KingsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks 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 %
Kenny Smith 61 35.6 13.8 0.7 1.6 2.3 7.1 1.5 0.1 3.0 2.3 5.4 11.4 .477 0.2 0.6 .308 2.7 3.3 .819
Ernie Vandeweghe 42 - 10.0 - - - 1.9 - - - 3.0 3.9 9.3 .421 - - - 2.2 3.3 .664
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Ernie Vandeweghe 4 - 8.0 - - - 0.8 - - - 4.0 2.3 6.5 .346 - - - 3.5 4.0 .875

Season 2

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1988-891950-51
Team Sacramento KingsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 81 38.8 17.3 0.6 2.2 2.8 7.7 1.3 0.1 3.1 2.1 6.8 14.6 .462 0.6 1.6 .359 3.2 4.4 .737
Ernie Vandeweghe 44 - 7.7 - - 4.4 2.8 - - - 3.3 3.1 7.6 .402 - - - 1.5 2.2 .701
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Ernie Vandeweghe 14 - 7.2 - - 4.7 2.4 - - - 3.9 2.6 6.5 .407 - - - 1.9 2.6 .730

Season 3

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1989-901951-52
Team Sacramento Kings, Atlanta HawksNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 79 30.6 11.9 0.2 1.8 2.0 5.6 1.0 0.1 2.1 1.8 4.8 10.3 .466 0.3 1.1 .313 2.0 2.5 .821
Ernie Vandeweghe 57 26.4 9.2 - - 4.6 2.9 - - - 3.3 3.5 8.0 .438 - - - 2.2 2.8 .775
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Ernie Vandeweghe 14 29.6 10.8 - - 4.9 1.9 - - - 4.1 3.6 8.4 .432 - - - 3.5 4.3 .817

Season 4

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1990-911952-53
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdKnicks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 78 34.6 17.7 0.5 1.6 2.1 7.1 1.4 0.1 3.0 1.7 6.7 12.9 .520 0.6 1.7 .363 3.7 4.4 .844
Ernie Vandeweghe 61 28.6 12.0 - - 5.6 2.4 - - - 4.0 4.5 10.2 .435 - - - 3.1 4.0 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 3 37.7 15.3 1.3 1.3 2.7 8.0 1.3 0.3 2.0 1.7 6.0 12.7 .474 0.7 1.3 .500 2.7 3.0 .889
Ernie Vandeweghe 11 30.9 13.1 - - 5.8 2.5 - - - 4.5 4.5 10.2 .438 - - - 4.2 5.5 .754

Season 5

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1991-921953-54
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
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 %
Kenny Smith 81 33.8 14.0 0.4 1.8 2.2 6.9 1.3 0.1 2.8 1.4 5.3 11.2 .475 0.7 1.7 .394 2.7 3.1 .866
Ernie Vandeweghe 15 18.1 6.6 - - 1.3 1.9 - - - 2.5 2.5 6.9 .359 - - - 1.7 2.1 .806
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Note: Ernie Vandeweghe didn't play in 1954-55.

Season 6

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1992-931955-56
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
Kenny Smith 82 29.5 13.0 0.3 1.6 2.0 5.4 1.0 0.1 2.0 1.3 4.7 9.1 .520 1.2 2.7 .438 2.4 2.7 .878
Ernie Vandeweghe 5 15.4 4.4 - - 2.6 2.4 - - - 3.0 2.0 6.2 .323 - - - 0.4 0.4 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 12 32.6 14.8 0.2 1.8 2.0 4.2 0.8 0.1 2.2 1.5 5.3 10.7 .492 1.9 3.8 .500 2.3 3.0 .778
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1993-94-
Team Houston Rockets-
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 %
Kenny Smith 78 28.3 11.6 0.3 1.5 1.8 4.2 0.8 0.1 1.6 1.6 4.4 9.1 .480 1.1 2.8 .405 1.7 2.0 .871
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 23 30.3 10.8 0.2 2.1 2.3 4.1 1.0 0.2 1.4 1.7 3.7 8.2 .455 1.5 3.3 .447 1.8 2.3 .808
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1994-95-
Team Houston Rockets-
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 %
Kenny Smith 81 25.1 10.4 0.3 1.6 1.9 4.0 0.9 0.1 1.5 1.3 3.5 7.3 .484 1.8 4.1 .429 1.6 1.8 .851
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 22 29.6 10.8 0.3 1.9 2.2 4.5 0.6 0.1 1.4 2.1 3.5 8.1 .438 2.1 4.7 .442 1.6 1.8 .900
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1995-96-
Team Houston Rockets-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
Kenny Smith 68 23.8 8.5 0.3 1.1 1.4 3.6 0.7 0.0 1.5 1.7 3.0 6.8 .433 1.3 3.5 .382 1.3 1.6 .821
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith 8 23.9 8.9 0.5 1.0 1.5 4.8 0.6 0.0 1.0 1.8 2.9 6.6 .434 1.5 3.9 .387 1.6 1.6 1.000
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Kenny Smith Ernie Vandeweghe
Season 1996-97-
Team Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets-
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 %
Kenny Smith 48 15.9 6.3 0.1 0.8 0.9 2.4 0.4 0.0 1.5 0.6 2.1 5.0 .423 1.2 2.8 .437 0.8 0.9 .867
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Ernie Vandeweghe ------- --- ----------