Nikola Jokic vs. Tony Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Tony 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 Tony Smith both played 9 years in the NBA. Nikola Jokic had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Tony Smith had his rookie season in 1990-91. 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
Tony Smith 9 6 1990-91 to 2000-01

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2015-161990-91
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost NBA Finals
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
Tony Smith 64 10.9 3.7 0.4 0.7 1.1 2.1 0.4 0.2 1.1 1.3 1.5 3.4 .441 0.0 0.1 .000 0.6 0.9 .702
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Tony Smith 7 5.7 2.0 0.4 0.0 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.9 .462 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.4 .667

Season 2
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2016-171991-92
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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 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
Tony Smith 63 13.0 4.4 0.5 0.7 1.2 1.7 0.6 0.1 0.8 1.4 1.8 4.5 .399 0.0 0.2 .000 0.8 1.2 .653
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Tony Smith 4 10.0 1.8 0.3 0.3 0.5 1.3 1.0 0.0 0.8 1.3 0.8 2.5 .300 0.0 0.5 .000 0.3 0.5 .500

Season 3
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2017-181992-93
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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 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
Tony Smith 55 13.7 6.0 0.8 0.7 1.6 1.1 0.9 0.1 0.7 1.3 2.4 5.0 .484 0.0 0.2 .182 1.1 1.5 .756
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Nikola Jokic ------- --- ----------
Tony Smith 5 14.6 6.8 1.0 0.6 1.6 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.6 2.8 2.6 5.0 .520 0.4 0.8 .500 1.2 1.8 .667

Season 4
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2018-191993-94
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
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
Tony Smith 73 22.2 8.8 1.5 1.2 2.7 2.0 0.8 0.2 1.0 1.8 3.7 8.5 .441 0.2 0.7 .320 1.2 1.6 .714
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
Tony Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2019-201994-95
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf FinalsLakers 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 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
Tony Smith 61 16.8 5.6 0.7 1.0 1.8 1.7 0.8 0.1 0.8 1.8 2.2 5.1 .427 0.5 1.5 .352 0.7 1.0 .698
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
Tony Smith 6 4.5 1.5 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.2 0.5 2.2 .231 0.5 1.7 .300 0.0 0.3 .000

Season 6
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2020-211995-96
Team Denver NuggetsPhoenix Suns, Miami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisHeat 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 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
Tony Smith 59 15.9 5.1 0.5 1.1 1.6 2.6 0.6 0.2 1.1 1.8 2.0 4.6 .423 0.6 2.0 .328 0.5 0.8 .609
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
Tony Smith 3 20.3 7.3 1.0 0.3 1.3 2.7 1.3 0.0 1.0 2.3 3.0 6.3 .474 1.3 3.3 .400 0.0 0.0 -

Season 7
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2021-221996-97
Team Denver NuggetsCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st RdHornets 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
Tony Smith 69 18.7 5.0 0.6 0.8 1.4 2.2 0.7 0.3 1.1 1.6 2.0 4.9 .409 0.5 1.4 .323 0.6 0.9 .644
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
Tony Smith 2 4.5 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 1.5 0.5 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 0.5 .000 0.5 1.0 .500

Season 8
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2022-231997-98
Team Denver NuggetsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement Finals MVP-
Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid 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 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
Tony Smith 7 11.4 2.7 0.6 0.4 1.0 1.4 0.7 0.3 1.3 1.0 1.1 3.4 .333 0.0 0.6 .000 0.4 0.6 .750
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
Tony Smith ------- --- ----------

Note: Tony Smith didn't play in 1998-99 and 1999-00.

Season 9
Nikola Jokic Tony Smith
Season 2023-242000-01
Team Denver NuggetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
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 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
Tony Smith 6 13.0 2.8 0.3 0.2 0.5 1.7 1.2 0.0 1.5 2.0 1.3 3.8 .348 0.0 0.3 .000 0.2 0.3 .500
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
Tony Smith ------- --- ----------
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