Nikola Jokic vs. Steve Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Steve 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 played 9 years in the NBA, 5 less than Steve Smith, who played 14. Nikola Jokic had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Steve Smith had his rookie season in 1991-92. 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
Steve Smith 14 13 1991-92 to 2004-05

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14

Rookie Season

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2015-161991-92
Team Denver NuggetsMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayHeat 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 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
Steve Smith 61 29.6 12.0 1.3 1.8 3.1 4.6 1.0 0.3 2.5 2.7 4.9 10.7 .454 0.7 2.0 .320 1.6 2.1 .748
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 3 33.3 16.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 5.0 1.3 0.3 1.0 0.7 6.0 11.3 .529 2.3 3.7 .636 1.7 2.0 .833

Season 2

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2016-171992-93
Team Denver NuggetsMiami Heat
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
Steve Smith 48 33.5 16.0 1.2 2.9 4.1 5.6 1.0 0.3 2.7 3.1 5.8 12.9 .451 1.1 2.8 .402 3.2 4.1 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2017-181993-94
Team Denver NuggetsMiami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayHeat 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 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
Steve Smith 78 35.6 17.3 2.0 2.5 4.5 5.1 1.1 0.4 2.6 2.8 6.3 13.8 .456 1.2 3.4 .347 3.5 4.2 .835
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 5 38.4 19.2 3.4 2.6 6.0 2.2 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.4 6.6 16.0 .413 1.8 4.4 .409 4.2 5.0 .840

Season 4

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2018-191994-95
Team Denver NuggetsMiami Heat, Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisHawks 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 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
Steve Smith 80 33.3 16.3 1.3 2.2 3.5 3.4 0.8 0.4 1.9 2.8 5.4 12.6 .426 1.7 5.2 .329 3.9 4.6 .841
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
Steve Smith 3 36.0 19.0 0.3 2.3 2.7 2.0 2.0 0.3 1.0 4.7 5.7 14.3 .395 2.3 6.0 .389 5.3 6.3 .842

Season 5

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2019-201995-96
Team Denver NuggetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf FinalsHawks 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 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
Steve Smith 80 35.7 18.1 1.6 2.5 4.1 2.8 0.9 0.2 1.9 2.6 6.2 14.3 .432 1.8 5.3 .331 4.0 4.8 .826
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
Steve Smith 10 42.1 21.7 1.5 2.6 4.1 3.2 1.3 1.3 1.6 3.1 7.5 17.1 .439 2.5 6.1 .410 4.2 5.2 .808

Season 6

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2020-211996-97
Team Denver NuggetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisHawks 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 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
Steve Smith 72 39.1 20.1 1.3 2.1 3.3 4.2 0.9 0.3 2.4 2.4 6.8 15.9 .429 1.8 5.4 .335 4.6 5.5 .847
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
Steve Smith 10 42.0 18.9 1.2 2.7 3.9 1.7 0.4 0.1 2.8 3.8 5.5 13.9 .396 1.8 5.5 .327 6.1 7.4 .824

Season 7

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2021-221997-98
Team Denver NuggetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st RdHawks 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
Steve Smith 73 39.1 20.1 1.8 2.4 4.2 4.0 1.0 0.4 2.4 3.0 6.7 15.1 .444 1.3 3.8 .351 5.3 6.2 .855
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
Steve Smith 4 40.0 24.8 0.5 2.3 2.8 2.3 0.5 0.8 1.3 4.3 9.8 17.0 .574 2.5 5.0 .500 2.8 4.0 .688

Season 8

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2022-231998-99
Team Denver NuggetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionHawks 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
Steve Smith 36 36.5 18.7 1.4 2.8 4.2 3.3 1.0 0.3 2.8 2.8 6.0 15.0 .402 1.3 3.9 .338 5.3 6.3 .849
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
Steve Smith 9 39.6 17.3 1.6 1.9 3.4 3.3 1.6 0.2 2.3 3.6 6.0 17.0 .353 1.0 3.7 .273 4.3 4.8 .907

Season 9

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season 2023-241999-00
Team Denver NuggetsPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets TBDTrail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals
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
Steve Smith 82 32.8 14.9 1.5 2.3 3.8 2.5 0.9 0.4 1.4 2.6 5.1 11.0 .467 1.2 2.9 .398 3.5 4.1 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic 11 39.5 28.2 3.4 9.5 12.9 8.8 1.5 0.6 3.4 2.7 10.9 19.6 .556 1.1 3.9 .279 5.3 5.8 .906
Steve Smith 16 37.8 17.1 0.8 1.7 2.5 2.8 1.2 0.3 1.7 2.8 5.5 11.3 .486 1.8 3.3 .547 4.3 4.9 .885

Season 10

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season -2000-01
Team -Portland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Trail Blazers 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 %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 81 31.4 13.6 1.1 2.3 3.4 2.6 0.6 0.3 1.7 2.5 4.4 9.7 .456 1.0 2.8 .339 3.8 4.3 .890
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 3 40.7 17.0 1.7 2.7 4.3 2.3 0.7 0.3 3.3 1.0 5.3 11.3 .471 1.3 3.7 .364 5.0 5.3 .938

Season 11

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season -2001-02
Team -San Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Spurs 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 %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 77 28.7 11.6 0.6 1.9 2.5 2.0 0.7 0.2 1.4 2.1 4.0 8.9 .455 1.5 3.2 .472 2.1 2.4 .878
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 10 29.8 10.3 1.4 2.0 3.4 1.7 0.8 0.1 0.7 2.0 3.2 8.7 .368 1.0 3.8 .263 2.9 3.0 .967

Season 12

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season -2002-03
Team -San Antonio Spurs
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 %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 53 19.5 6.8 0.4 1.5 1.9 1.3 0.5 0.2 0.8 1.5 2.1 5.5 .388 0.7 2.2 .331 1.8 2.2 .833
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 9 7.4 1.8 0.1 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.6 2.7 .208 0.2 1.3 .167 0.4 0.4 1.000

Season 13

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season -2003-04
Team -New Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Hornets 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 ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 71 13.1 5.0 0.4 0.8 1.1 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.6 1.3 1.7 4.1 .406 0.6 1.5 .402 1.1 1.2 .928
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 5 9.0 6.4 0.4 1.2 1.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.6 1.0 2.4 5.2 .462 1.2 2.2 .545 0.4 0.6 .667

Season 14

Nikola Jokic Steve Smith
Season -2004-05
Team -Charlotte Bobcats, Miami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Heat 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 %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 50 15.0 6.3 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.4 0.3 0.1 0.5 1.6 2.0 5.0 .411 0.8 2.1 .390 1.4 1.6 .863
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Steve Smith 3 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -