Phil Jackson vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Phil Jackson, 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.

Phil Jackson played 12 years in the NBA, 2 more than Bill Walton, who played 10. Phil Jackson had the first of his seasons in 1967-68, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
Phil Jackson 12 8 1967-68 to 1979-80
Bill Walton 10 4 1974-75 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1967-681974-75
Team New York KnicksPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Div SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 75 14.6 6.2 - - 4.5 0.7 - - - 2.8 2.4 6.1 .400 - - - 1.3 2.2 .589
Bill Walton 35 32.9 12.8 2.6 10.0 12.6 4.8 0.8 2.7 - 3.3 5.1 9.9 .513 - - - 2.7 3.9 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 6 15.0 4.0 - - 4.2 0.3 - - - 3.8 1.7 5.8 .286 - - - 0.7 0.8 .800
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1968-691975-76
Team New York KnicksPortland Trail Blazers
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 %
Phil Jackson 47 19.7 7.1 - - 5.2 0.9 - - - 3.6 2.7 6.3 .429 - - - 1.7 2.5 .672
Bill Walton 51 33.1 16.1 2.6 10.8 13.4 4.3 1.0 1.6 - 2.8 6.8 14.4 .471 - - - 2.6 4.5 .583
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Note: Phil Jackson didn't play in 1969-70 (NBA ChampionNBA Champion).

Season 3

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1970-711976-77
Team New York KnicksPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 71 10.9 4.7 - - 3.4 0.4 - - - 2.4 1.7 3.7 .449 - - - 1.3 1.9 .714
Bill Walton 65 34.8 18.6 3.2 11.1 14.4 3.8 1.0 3.2 - 2.7 7.6 14.3 .528 - - - 3.5 5.0 .697
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 5 6.0 1.8 - - 2.0 0.4 - - - 1.6 0.8 2.8 .286 - - - 0.2 0.2 1.000
Bill Walton 19 39.7 18.2 2.9 12.2 15.2 5.5 1.1 3.4 - 4.2 8.1 15.9 .507 - - - 2.1 3.0 .684

Season 4

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1971-721977-78
Team New York KnicksPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Knicks Lost NBA FinalsTrail Blazers 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 %
Phil Jackson 80 15.9 7.2 - - 4.1 0.9 - - - 2.8 2.6 5.8 .440 - - - 2.1 2.9 .732
Bill Walton 58 33.3 18.9 2.0 11.2 13.2 5.0 1.0 2.5 3.6 2.5 7.9 15.2 .522 - - - 3.1 4.2 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 16 20.0 9.8 - - 5.1 0.9 - - - 3.2 3.6 7.5 .475 - - - 2.6 3.6 .737
Bill Walton 2 24.5 13.5 2.5 8.5 11.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 3.0 0.5 5.5 9.0 .611 - - - 2.5 3.5 .714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 5

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1972-731979-80
Team New York KnicksSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
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 %
Phil Jackson 80 17.4 8.1 - - 4.3 1.2 - - - 2.7 3.1 6.9 .443 - - - 1.9 2.4 .790
Bill Walton 14 24.1 13.9 2.0 7.0 9.0 2.4 0.6 2.7 2.6 2.6 5.8 11.5 .503 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .593
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 17 19.9 8.7 - - 4.2 1.4 - - - 3.5 3.5 7.1 .500 - - - 1.6 2.2 .737
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 6

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1973-741982-83
Team New York KnicksSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East 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 %
Phil Jackson 82 25.0 11.1 1.5 4.3 5.8 1.6 0.5 0.8 - 3.4 4.4 9.2 .477 - - - 2.3 3.0 .776
Bill Walton 33 33.3 14.1 2.3 7.5 9.8 3.6 1.0 3.6 3.2 3.4 6.1 11.5 .528 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.5 .556
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 12 24.8 11.3 1.3 3.5 4.8 1.3 0.8 0.4 - 3.3 4.5 9.7 .466 - - - 2.3 2.5 .900
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1974-751983-84
Team New York KnicksSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 78 29.3 10.8 1.8 5.9 7.7 1.7 1.1 0.7 - 4.2 4.2 9.1 .455 - - - 2.5 3.2 .763
Bill Walton 55 26.8 12.1 2.4 6.3 8.7 3.3 0.8 1.6 3.2 2.8 5.2 9.4 .556 0.0 0.0 .000 1.7 2.8 .597
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 3 26.0 9.0 1.7 6.7 8.3 0.7 1.3 1.0 - 5.0 3.3 7.0 .476 - - - 2.3 2.7 .875
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1975-761984-85
Team New York KnicksLos 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 %
Phil Jackson 80 18.3 6.0 1.0 3.3 4.3 1.3 0.5 0.3 - 3.4 2.3 4.8 .478 - - - 1.4 1.9 .733
Bill Walton 67 24.6 10.1 2.5 6.4 9.0 2.3 0.7 2.1 2.6 2.7 4.0 7.7 .521 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.0 .680
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1976-771985-86
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 76 13.6 3.4 1.0 2.0 3.0 1.1 0.4 0.2 - 2.4 1.3 3.1 .440 - - - 0.7 0.9 .718
Bill Walton 80 19.3 7.6 1.7 5.1 6.8 2.1 0.5 1.3 1.9 2.6 2.9 5.1 .562 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.5 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton 16 18.2 7.9 1.6 4.9 6.4 1.7 0.4 0.8 1.4 2.8 3.4 5.8 .581 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.4 .826

Season 10

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1977-781986-87
Team New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East Conf SemisCeltics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 63 10.4 2.4 0.5 1.3 1.7 0.7 0.5 0.2 0.7 1.7 0.9 1.8 .478 - - - 0.7 0.9 .768
Bill Walton 10 11.2 2.8 1.1 2.0 3.1 0.9 0.1 1.0 1.5 2.3 1.0 2.6 .385 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.5 .533
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 6 8.3 2.0 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.7 1.8 0.7 1.3 .500 - - - 0.7 1.0 .667
Bill Walton 12 8.5 2.4 0.8 1.8 2.6 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.7 1.9 1.0 2.1 .480 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.2 .357

Season 11

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1978-79-
Team New Jersey Nets-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Nets 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 %
Phil Jackson 59 18.1 6.3 1.0 2.0 3.0 1.4 0.8 0.4 1.3 2.8 2.4 5.1 .475 - - - 1.5 1.8 .819
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson 2 10.0 2.0 1.0 0.5 1.5 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 1.5 .333 - - - 1.0 1.0 1.000
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Phil Jackson Bill Walton
Season 1979-80-
Team New Jersey Nets-
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 %
Phil Jackson 16 12.1 4.1 0.8 0.8 1.5 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.6 2.2 1.8 2.9 .630 0.0 0.1 .000 0.4 0.6 .700
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Phil Jackson ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------