Norm Nixon vs. Fred VanVleet Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Fred VanVleet and Norm Nixon, 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.

Norm Nixon played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than Fred VanVleet, who played 8. Norm Nixon had the first of his seasons in 1977-78, while Fred VanVleet had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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
Norm Nixon 10 6 1977-78 to 1988-89
Fred VanVleet 8 5 2016-17 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1977-782016-17
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdRaptors 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 %
Norm Nixon 81 34.3 13.7 0.5 2.4 3.0 6.8 1.7 0.1 3.1 3.2 6.1 12.3 .497 - - - 1.4 2.0 .714
Fred VanVleet 37 7.9 2.9 0.1 1.0 1.1 0.9 0.4 0.1 0.4 1.0 1.1 3.0 .351 0.3 0.8 .379 0.5 0.6 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 3 30.7 8.0 1.3 1.7 3.0 5.3 1.3 0.3 1.7 4.3 3.7 8.0 .458 - - - 0.7 1.0 .667
Fred VanVleet 7 4.1 2.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.9 1.3 .667 0.3 0.7 .400 0.0 0.0 -

Season 2
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1978-792017-18
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisRaptors 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 %
Norm Nixon 82 38.4 17.1 0.6 2.2 2.8 9.0 2.5 0.2 2.8 3.0 7.6 14.0 .542 - - - 1.9 2.5 .775
Fred VanVleet 76 20.0 8.6 0.3 2.1 2.4 3.2 0.9 0.3 1.0 1.7 3.1 7.2 .426 1.4 3.4 .414 1.1 1.3 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 8 40.9 15.4 0.8 2.8 3.5 11.8 1.4 0.0 3.0 4.6 7.0 14.9 .471 - - - 1.4 1.9 .733
Fred VanVleet 6 19.0 6.8 0.0 1.7 1.7 2.2 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.3 2.2 6.5 .333 1.3 4.7 .286 1.2 1.3 .875

Season 3
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1979-802018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 82 39.3 17.6 0.6 2.2 2.8 7.8 1.8 0.2 3.5 2.9 7.6 14.7 .516 0.0 0.1 .125 2.4 3.1 .779
Fred VanVleet 64 27.5 11.0 0.3 2.3 2.6 4.8 0.9 0.3 1.3 1.7 3.8 9.4 .410 1.8 4.6 .378 1.5 1.8 .843
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 16 40.5 16.9 0.8 2.7 3.5 7.8 2.0 0.2 3.1 3.7 7.1 14.9 .477 0.1 0.3 .200 2.6 3.2 .804
Fred VanVleet 24 24.7 8.0 0.3 1.4 1.7 2.6 0.8 0.3 0.9 2.0 2.7 6.9 .392 1.6 4.1 .388 1.0 1.3 .774

Season 4
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1980-812019-20
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdRaptors 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 %
Norm Nixon 79 37.5 17.1 0.8 2.1 2.9 8.8 1.8 0.1 3.6 2.9 7.3 15.3 .476 0.0 0.2 .167 2.5 3.2 .778
Fred VanVleet 54 35.7 17.6 0.3 3.4 3.8 6.6 1.9 0.3 2.2 2.4 5.9 14.3 .413 2.7 6.9 .390 3.1 3.7 .848
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 3 44.3 19.3 0.3 3.3 3.7 8.7 0.3 0.3 1.7 3.0 8.3 16.3 .510 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 3.3 .800
Fred VanVleet 11 39.1 19.6 0.5 3.9 4.4 6.9 1.6 0.6 2.0 2.5 6.9 17.3 .400 3.9 10.0 .391 1.9 2.3 .840

Season 5
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1981-822020-21
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards 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 %
Norm Nixon 82 36.9 17.6 0.5 1.7 2.1 8.0 1.6 0.1 2.9 3.2 7.7 15.5 .493 0.0 0.1 .250 2.2 2.7 .808
Fred VanVleet 52 36.5 19.6 0.6 3.6 4.2 6.3 1.7 0.7 1.8 2.3 6.5 16.7 .389 3.3 9.2 .366 3.3 3.7 .885
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 14 39.2 20.4 0.9 2.1 3.1 8.1 1.6 0.1 2.4 3.1 8.6 18.1 .478 0.1 0.2 .333 3.1 4.1 .754
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1982-832021-22
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsRaptors 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 %
Norm Nixon 79 34.3 15.1 0.8 1.8 2.6 7.2 1.3 0.1 3.0 2.2 6.7 14.2 .475 0.0 0.2 .000 1.6 2.1 .744
Fred VanVleet 65 37.9 20.3 0.7 3.8 4.4 6.7 1.7 0.5 2.6 2.5 6.8 16.9 .403 3.7 9.9 .377 3.0 3.4 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon 14 38.4 19.0 0.9 2.5 3.4 6.4 1.3 0.1 2.4 2.9 8.1 16.9 .477 0.2 0.5 .429 2.6 3.6 .740
Fred VanVleet 4 35.0 13.8 0.5 2.5 3.0 6.3 1.8 1.0 1.0 3.0 4.8 13.5 .352 3.0 9.0 .333 1.3 1.5 .833

Season 7
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1983-842022-23
Team San Diego ClippersToronto 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 %
Norm Nixon 82 37.2 17.0 0.7 1.8 2.5 11.1 1.1 0.0 3.1 2.2 7.2 15.5 .462 0.1 0.6 .239 2.5 3.3 .760
Fred VanVleet 69 36.7 19.3 0.4 3.6 4.1 7.2 1.8 0.6 2.0 2.8 6.3 16.1 .393 3.0 8.8 .342 3.7 4.1 .898
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1984-852023-24
Team Los Angeles ClippersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Norm Nixon 81 35.7 17.2 0.7 2.0 2.7 8.8 1.2 0.0 3.4 2.2 7.4 15.8 .465 0.4 1.2 .333 2.1 2.7 .780
Fred VanVleet 73 36.8 17.4 0.5 3.4 3.8 8.1 1.4 0.8 1.7 2.5 5.8 13.9 .416 3.1 8.0 .387 2.7 3.1 .860
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1985-86-
Team Los Angeles Clippers-
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 %
Norm Nixon 67 31.9 14.6 0.7 2.0 2.7 8.6 1.3 0.0 2.8 2.1 6.0 13.7 .438 0.6 1.8 .347 2.0 2.4 .809
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------

Note: Norm Nixon didn't play in 1986-87 and 1987-88.

Season 10
Norm Nixon Fred VanVleet
Season 1988-89-
Team Los Angeles Clippers-
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 %
Norm Nixon 53 24.9 6.8 0.2 1.2 1.5 6.4 0.9 0.0 2.2 1.3 2.9 7.0 .414 0.2 0.5 .276 0.9 1.2 .738
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Norm Nixon ------- --- ----------
Fred VanVleet ------- --- ----------
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