Kenny Smith vs. Yuta Watanabe Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Yuta Watanabe 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 Yuta Watanabe, who played 6. Kenny Smith had the first of his seasons in 1987-88, while Yuta Watanabe 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
Kenny Smith 10 5 1987-88 to 1996-97
Yuta Watanabe 6 2 2018-19 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
Season 1987-882018-19
Team Sacramento KingsMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement 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 %
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
Yuta Watanabe 15 11.6 2.6 0.3 1.8 2.1 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.7 1.0 3.4 .294 0.1 1.1 .125 0.5 0.7 .700
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
Season 1988-892019-20
Team Sacramento KingsMemphis Grizzlies
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 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
Yuta Watanabe 18 5.8 2.0 0.4 0.7 1.1 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.8 1.9 .441 0.2 0.4 .375 0.2 0.4 .375
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
Season 1989-902020-21
Team Sacramento Kings, Atlanta HawksToronto Raptors
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 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
Yuta Watanabe 50 14.5 4.4 0.7 2.5 3.2 0.8 0.5 0.4 0.4 1.1 1.6 3.6 .439 0.7 1.8 .400 0.5 0.6 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
Season 1990-912021-22
Team Houston RocketsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdRaptors 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 %
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
Yuta Watanabe 38 11.7 4.3 0.5 1.9 2.4 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.5 1.0 1.5 3.6 .406 0.7 2.1 .342 0.6 1.1 .600
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
Yuta Watanabe 4 2.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.5 1.5 .333 0.0 0.3 .000 0.0 0.0 -

Season 5

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
Season 1991-922022-23
Team Houston RocketsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNets 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 %
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
Yuta Watanabe 58 16.0 5.6 0.5 1.9 2.4 0.8 0.4 0.3 0.4 1.4 2.0 4.0 .491 1.0 2.3 .444 0.6 0.8 .723
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Yuta Watanabe 1 5.0 3.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 .500 1.0 2.0 .500 0.0 2.0 .000

Season 6

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
Season 1992-932023-24
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies
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
Yuta Watanabe 34 13.6 3.4 0.3 1.3 1.6 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.6 1.1 1.2 3.4 .353 0.7 2.5 .294 0.3 0.5 .588
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Kenny Smith Yuta Watanabe
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
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Kenny Smith ------- --- ----------
Yuta Watanabe ------- --- ----------