Nikola Jokic vs. Derek Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Derek Smith and Nikola Jokic, 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.

Nikola Jokic and Derek Smith both played 9 years in the NBA. Nikola Jokic had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Derek Smith had his rookie season in 1982-83. 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
Nikola Jokic 9 6 2015-16 to 2023-24
Derek Smith 9 3 1982-83 to 1990-91

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2015-161982-83
Team Denver NuggetsGolden State Warriors
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 %
Nikola Jokic 80 21.7 10.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 2.4 1.0 0.6 1.3 2.6 3.8 7.5 .512 0.4 1.1 .333 1.9 2.4 .811
Derek Smith 27 5.7 2.2 0.4 1.0 1.4 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.4 1.5 0.8 1.9 .412 0.0 0.1 .000 0.6 0.9 .680
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Derek Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2016-171983-84
Team Denver NuggetsSan Diego Clippers
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 %
Nikola Jokic 73 27.9 16.7 2.9 6.9 9.8 4.9 0.8 0.8 2.3 2.9 6.8 11.7 .578 0.6 1.9 .324 2.6 3.1 .825
Derek Smith 61 21.3 9.8 0.9 1.9 2.8 1.3 0.5 0.4 1.3 2.7 3.9 7.1 .546 0.0 0.1 .167 2.0 2.7 .755
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Derek Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2017-181984-85
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Clippers
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 %
Nikola Jokic 75 32.6 18.5 2.6 8.1 10.7 6.1 1.2 0.8 2.8 2.8 6.7 13.5 .499 1.5 3.7 .396 3.5 4.2 .850
Derek Smith 80 34.5 22.1 2.2 3.2 5.3 2.7 1.0 0.7 2.9 4.0 8.5 15.9 .537 0.0 0.2 .158 5.0 6.3 .794
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Derek Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 4
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2018-191985-86
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets 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 %
Nikola Jokic 80 31.3 20.1 2.9 8.0 10.8 7.3 1.4 0.7 3.1 2.9 7.7 15.1 .511 1.0 3.4 .307 3.6 4.4 .821
Derek Smith 11 30.8 23.5 1.8 1.9 3.7 2.8 0.8 1.2 3.0 3.2 9.1 16.5 .552 0.1 0.2 .500 5.3 7.6 .690
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 14 39.8 25.1 3.9 9.1 13.0 8.4 1.1 0.9 2.6 3.9 9.4 18.6 .506 1.6 4.0 .393 4.7 5.6 .846
Derek Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2019-201986-87
Team Denver NuggetsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 73 32.0 19.9 2.3 7.5 9.7 7.0 1.2 0.6 3.1 3.0 7.7 14.7 .528 1.1 3.5 .314 3.4 4.1 .817
Derek Smith 52 31.9 16.6 1.2 2.3 3.5 3.9 0.9 0.4 2.4 3.5 6.5 14.6 .446 0.2 0.6 .273 3.4 4.4 .781
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 19 36.5 24.4 1.9 7.9 9.8 5.7 1.1 0.8 3.3 3.6 9.4 18.1 .519 2.2 5.2 .429 3.5 4.2 .835
Derek Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2020-211987-88
Team Denver NuggetsSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets 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 %
Nikola Jokic 72 34.6 26.4 2.8 8.0 10.8 8.3 1.3 0.7 3.1 2.7 10.2 18.0 .566 1.3 3.3 .388 4.8 5.5 .868
Derek Smith 35 25.7 12.7 1.0 1.9 2.9 2.5 0.6 0.5 1.4 3.1 5.0 10.4 .478 0.2 0.7 .348 2.5 3.2 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 10 34.5 29.8 3.7 7.9 11.6 5.0 0.6 0.9 2.4 2.3 11.6 22.8 .509 2.0 5.3 .377 4.6 5.5 .836
Derek Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2021-221988-89
Team Denver NuggetsSacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd76ers 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 %
Nikola Jokic 74 33.5 27.1 2.8 11.0 13.8 7.9 1.5 0.9 3.8 2.6 10.3 17.7 .583 1.3 3.9 .337 5.1 6.3 .810
Derek Smith 65 19.9 8.7 0.9 1.6 2.6 2.0 0.7 0.4 1.4 2.5 3.3 7.6 .435 0.1 0.5 .226 2.0 2.9 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 5 34.2 31.0 3.4 9.8 13.2 5.8 1.6 1.0 4.8 4.0 12.2 21.2 .575 1.0 3.6 .278 5.6 6.6 .848
Derek Smith 3 16.0 6.3 0.7 1.7 2.3 1.0 0.3 0.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 4.7 .643 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.7 .500

Season 8
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2022-231989-90
Team Denver NuggetsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion76ers 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 %
Nikola Jokic 69 33.7 24.5 2.4 9.4 11.8 9.8 1.3 0.7 3.6 2.5 9.4 14.8 .632 0.8 2.2 .383 4.9 6.0 .822
Derek Smith 75 18.7 8.9 0.8 1.5 2.3 1.5 0.5 0.3 1.1 2.6 3.5 6.9 .508 0.2 0.5 .444 1.7 2.5 .699
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 20 39.5 30.0 3.5 10.0 13.5 9.5 1.1 1.0 3.5 3.5 11.4 20.7 .548 1.8 3.8 .461 5.6 7.0 .799
Derek Smith 1 15.0 11.0 0.0 0.0 0 1.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 5.0 8.0 .625 0.0 1.0 .000 1.0 2.0 .500

Season 9
Nikola Jokic Derek Smith
Season 2023-241990-91
Team Denver NuggetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisCeltics 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 %
Nikola Jokic 79 34.6 26.4 2.8 9.5 12.4 9.0 1.4 0.9 3.0 2.5 10.4 17.9 .583 1.1 2.9 .359 4.5 5.5 .817
Derek Smith 2 8.0 2.5 0.0 0.0 0 2.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.5 0.5 2.0 .250 0.0 0.5 .000 1.5 2.0 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 12 40.2 28.7 3.6 9.8 13.4 8.7 1.4 0.7 3.3 2.7 11.1 20.3 .545 1.2 4.4 .264 5.3 5.9 .901
Derek Smith 10 8.6 2.9 0.2 0.7 0.9 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.8 2.0 0.9 2.1 .429 0.0 0.1 .000 1.1 1.4 .786
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