Mike Sanders vs. Russell Westbrook Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Russell Westbrook and Mike Sanders, 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.

Mike Sanders played 11 years in the NBA, 5 less than Russell Westbrook, who played 16. Mike Sanders had the first of his seasons in 1982-83, while Russell Westbrook had his rookie season in 2008-09. 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
Mike Sanders	11	9	1982-83 to 1992-93
Russell Westbrook	16	13	2008-09 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16


Rookie Season
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1982-83	2008-09
Team	San Antonio Spurs	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs	Spurs Lost West Conf Finals	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	26	15.1	7.0	1.2	2.4	3.6	0.7	0.7	0.2	1.1	2.2	2.9	6.0	.484	0.0	0.1	.000	1.2	1.7	.721
Russell Westbrook	82	32.5	15.3	2.2	2.7	4.9	5.3	1.3	0.2	3.3	2.3	5.3	13.4	.398	0.4	1.6	.271	4.3	5.2	.815

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	6	4.2	2.3	0.3	1.2	1.5	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	1.2	2.2	.538	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
Russell Westbrook	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 2
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1983-84	2009-10
Team	Phoenix Suns	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Suns Lost West Conf Finals	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	50	11.7	4.5	0.8	1.3	2.1	0.9	0.5	0.2	0.9	2.0	1.9	4.1	.478	0.0	0.0	-	0.6	0.8	.690
Russell Westbrook	82	34.3	16.1	1.7	3.1	4.9	8.0	1.3	0.4	3.3	2.5	5.9	14.1	.418	0.3	1.3	.221	4.0	5.1	.780

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	15	10.1	4.0	0.7	0.7	1.3	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.9	2.1	1.5	3.1	.478	0.0	0.0	-	1.1	1.1	.941
Russell Westbrook	6	35.3	20.5	1.7	4.3	6.0	6.0	1.7	0.2	2.3	2.2	7.2	15.2	.473	0.8	2.0	.417	5.3	6.3	.842


Season 3
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1984-85	2010-11
Team	Phoenix Suns	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Suns Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	21	19.9	10.2	1.8	2.4	4.2	1.4	1.1	0.2	1.6	2.8	4.0	8.3	.486	0.0	0.0	-	2.1	2.8	.763
Russell Westbrook	82	34.7	21.9	1.5	3.1	4.6	8.2	1.9	0.4	3.9	2.5	7.5	17.0	.442	0.4	1.3	.330	6.5	7.7	.842

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	3	30.3	17.3	2.7	2.3	5.0	3.3	1.7	0.0	3.0	2.7	7.3	12.3	.595	0.0	0.0	-	2.7	3.3	.800
Russell Westbrook	17	37.5	23.8	2.1	3.2	5.4	6.4	1.4	0.4	4.6	3.3	7.9	20.2	.394	0.8	2.8	.292	7.1	8.4	.852


Season 4
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1985-86	2011-12
Team	Phoenix Suns	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Thunder Lost NBA Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	82	20.0	11.0	1.3	2.1	3.3	1.8	0.9	0.4	1.7	2.9	4.2	8.2	.513	0.0	0.2	.200	2.5	3.1	.809
Russell Westbrook	66	35.3	23.6	1.5	3.1	4.6	5.5	1.7	0.3	3.6	2.2	8.8	19.2	.457	0.9	3.0	.316	5.2	6.3	.823

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	20	38.4	23.1	1.1	4.4	5.5	5.9	1.6	0.4	2.3	2.5	8.9	20.4	.435	0.9	3.3	.277	4.5	5.6	.802


Season 5
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1986-87	2012-13
Team	Phoenix Suns	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Thunder Lost West Conf Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	82	20.2	10.5	1.2	2.1	3.3	1.5	0.7	0.3	1.3	2.6	4.4	8.8	.494	0.0	0.2	.118	1.7	2.2	.781
Russell Westbrook	82	34.9	23.2	1.4	3.9	5.2	7.4	1.8	0.3	3.3	2.3	8.2	18.7	.438	1.2	3.7	.323	5.6	7.0	.800

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	2	34.0	24.0	0.5	6.0	6.5	7.0	3.0	0.0	4.0	2.5	8.5	20.5	.415	1.0	4.5	.222	6.0	7.0	.857


Season 6
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1987-88	2013-14
Team	Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	59	15.0	6.2	0.6	1.2	1.8	0.9	0.5	0.2	0.8	2.2	2.6	5.1	.505	0.0	0.0	.000	1.0	1.3	.776
Russell Westbrook	46	30.7	21.8	1.2	4.5	5.7	6.9	1.9	0.2	3.8	2.3	7.5	17.2	.437	1.5	4.7	.318	5.3	6.4	.826

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	5	26.8	12.8	2.2	2.8	5.0	1.4	0.6	0.4	2.2	4.2	5.6	10.4	.538	0.0	0.2	.000	1.6	2.0	.800
Russell Westbrook	19	38.7	26.7	2.4	4.9	7.3	8.1	2.2	0.3	4.4	3.3	8.8	20.9	.420	1.5	5.3	.280	7.6	8.6	.884


Season 7
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1988-89	2014-15
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Did Not Play

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	82	25.6	9.3	1.2	2.5	3.7	1.6	1.1	0.4	1.3	2.8	4.0	8.9	.453	0.0	0.1	.300	1.2	1.6	.719
Russell Westbrook	67	34.4	28.1	1.9	5.4	7.3	8.6	2.1	0.2	4.4	2.7	9.4	22.0	.426	1.3	4.3	.299	8.1	9.8	.835

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	5	17.4	6.6	1.2	2.0	3.2	0.8	0.4	0.2	2.0	2.2	3.0	6.0	.500	0.0	0.0	-	0.6	1.0	.600
Russell Westbrook	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 8
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1989-90	2015-16
Team	Indiana Pacers	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Thunder Lost West Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	82	18.7	6.2	1.0	1.9	2.8	1.1	0.5	0.3	1.0	2.7	2.7	5.8	.470	0.1	0.2	.357	0.7	0.9	.733
Russell Westbrook	80	34.4	23.5	1.8	6.0	7.8	10.4	2.0	0.3	4.3	2.5	8.2	18.1	.454	1.3	4.3	.296	5.8	7.2	.812

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	3	8.0	3.7	1.7	0.3	2.0	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.7	1.3	1.7	3.7	.455	0.3	0.3	1.000	0.0	0.0	-
Russell Westbrook	18	37.4	26.0	2.3	4.6	6.9	11.0	2.6	0.1	4.3	2.4	8.8	21.8	.405	1.9	5.8	.324	6.4	7.8	.829


Season 9
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1990-91	2016-17
Team	Indiana Pacers	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Pacers Lost East Conf 1st Rd	Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	80	17.0	5.8	0.9	1.4	2.3	1.3	0.5	0.3	0.8	2.5	2.6	6.2	.417	0.1	0.3	.200	0.6	0.7	.825
Russell Westbrook	81	34.6	31.6	1.7	9.0	10.7	10.4	1.6	0.4	5.4	2.3	10.2	24.0	.425	2.5	7.2	.343	8.8	10.4	.845

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	5	8.2	3.0	0.0	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.4	0.2	1.8	1.2	2.0	.600	0.2	0.4	.500	0.4	0.8	.500
Russell Westbrook	5	38.8	37.4	1.8	9.8	11.6	10.8	2.4	0.4	6.0	3.2	11.8	30.4	.388	2.6	9.8	.265	11.2	14.0	.800


Season 10
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1991-92	2017-18
Team	Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf Finals	Thunder 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		%
Mike Sanders	31	20.4	7.1	0.9	2.2	3.1	1.7	0.8	0.3	0.7	2.7	3.0	5.2	.571	0.0	0.1	.333	1.2	1.5	.766
Russell Westbrook	80	36.4	25.4	1.9	8.2	10.1	10.3	1.8	0.3	4.8	2.5	9.5	21.1	.449	1.2	4.1	.298	5.2	7.1	.737

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	17	24.6	7.6	1.2	2.1	3.2	2.2	0.9	0.7	1.4	3.6	3.3	6.8	.487	0.1	0.2	.333	1.0	1.2	.810
Russell Westbrook	6	39.2	29.3	1.8	10.2	12.0	7.5	1.5	0.0	5.2	3.5	10.7	26.8	.398	2.5	7.0	.357	5.5	6.7	.825


Season 11
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	1992-93	2018-19
Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
	-	Assists Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis	Thunder 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		%
Mike Sanders	53	22.4	8.6	1.0	2.2	3.2	1.4	0.7	0.6	1.1	2.8	3.7	7.5	.497	0.0	0.1	.250	1.1	1.5	.756
Russell Westbrook	73	36.0	22.9	1.5	9.6	11.1	10.7	1.9	0.5	4.5	3.4	8.6	20.2	.428	1.6	5.6	.290	4.1	6.2	.656

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	8	18.1	5.8	1.0	1.3	2.3	1.3	1.0	0.1	0.4	2.1	2.5	6.0	.417	0.0	0.3	.000	0.8	1.3	.600
Russell Westbrook	5	39.4	22.8	1.4	7.6	9.0	10.6	1.0	0.6	4.6	3.8	8.0	22.2	.360	2.2	6.8	.324	4.6	5.2	.885


Season 12
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	-	2019-20
Team	-	Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Third Team
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
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		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	57	35.9	27.2	1.8	6.2	7.9	7.0	1.6	0.4	4.5	3.5	10.6	22.5	.472	1.0	3.7	.258	5.1	6.7	.763

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	8	32.8	17.9	1.4	5.6	7.0	4.6	1.5	0.3	3.8	2.9	7.4	17.5	.421	1.0	4.1	.242	2.1	4.0	.531


Season 13
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	-	2020-21
Team	-	Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards	-	Assists Leader
Playoffs	-	Wizards 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		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	65	36.4	22.2	1.7	9.9	11.5	11.7	1.4	0.4	4.8	2.9	8.4	19.0	.439	1.3	4.2	.315	4.2	6.4	.656

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	5	37.2	19.0	2.8	7.6	10.4	11.8	0.4	0.2	4.2	3.4	5.6	16.8	.333	1.0	4.0	.250	6.8	8.6	.791


Season 14
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	-	2021-22
Team	-	Los Angeles Lakers
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		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	78	34.3	18.5	1.4	6.0	7.4	7.1	1.0	0.3	3.8	3.0	7.0	15.8	.444	1.0	3.4	.298	3.4	5.1	.667

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-


Season 15
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	-	2022-23
Team	-	Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	-	Clippers 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		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	73	29.1	15.9	1.2	4.6	5.8	7.5	1.0	0.5	3.5	2.2	5.9	13.6	.436	1.2	3.9	.311	2.8	4.3	.656

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	5	38.4	23.6	1.8	5.8	7.6	7.4	1.2	1.4	4.0	3.0	8.6	21.0	.410	2.0	5.6	.357	4.4	5.0	.880


Season 16
	Mike Sanders	Russell Westbrook
Season	-	2023-24
Team	-	Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	-	Clippers 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		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	68	22.5	11.1	1.4	3.7	5.0	4.5	1.1	0.3	2.1	1.8	4.4	9.8	.454	0.6	2.3	.273	1.6	2.4	.688

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Mike Sanders	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Russell Westbrook	6	19.0	6.3	1.0	3.2	4.2	1.7	1.2	0.5	1.7	1.8	2.2	8.3	.260	0.7	2.8	.235	1.3	2.2	.615

Mike Sanders vs. Russell Westbrook Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Russell Westbrook and Mike Sanders, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14

Season 15

Season 16