Sam Bowie vs. David Thompson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of David Thompson and Sam Bowie, 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.

Sam Bowie played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than David Thompson, who played 8. Sam Bowie had the first of his seasons in 1984-85, while David Thompson had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Sam Bowie 10 5 1984-85 to 1994-95
David Thompson 8 5 1976-77 to 1983-84

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1984-851976-77
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf SemisNuggets 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 %
Sam Bowie 76 29.2 10.0 2.7 5.9 8.6 2.8 0.7 2.7 2.3 3.7 3.9 7.3 .537 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 3.0 .711
David Thompson 82 36.6 25.9 1.7 2.4 4.1 4.1 1.4 0.6 - 2.9 10.0 19.8 .507 - - - 5.8 7.6 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie 9 28.8 7.3 1.8 6.7 8.4 2.3 0.4 2.3 1.3 4.0 2.9 6.6 .441 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.8 .560
David Thompson 6 39.5 24.7 2.2 3.0 5.2 4.0 1.5 0.7 - 3.7 9.3 20.2 .463 - - - 6.0 8.8 .679

Season 2

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1985-861977-78
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets 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 %
Sam Bowie 38 29.8 11.8 2.4 6.2 8.6 2.6 0.6 2.5 2.3 3.7 4.4 9.1 .484 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 4.2 .708
David Thompson 80 37.8 27.2 2.0 2.9 4.9 4.5 1.2 1.2 3.1 2.7 10.3 19.8 .521 - - - 6.5 8.4 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie ------- --- ----------
David Thompson 13 37.0 25.2 1.4 2.7 4.1 4.0 0.7 1.6 3.0 2.6 10.1 22.4 .450 - - - 5.1 6.2 .825

Season 3

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1986-871978-79
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets 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 %
Sam Bowie 5 32.6 16.0 2.8 3.8 6.6 1.8 0.2 2.0 3.0 3.8 6.0 13.2 .455 0.0 0.0 - 4.0 6.0 .667
David Thompson 76 35.1 24.0 1.4 2.2 3.6 3.0 0.9 1.1 2.4 2.4 9.1 17.8 .512 - - - 5.8 7.7 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie ------- --- ----------
David Thompson 3 40.7 28.0 2.3 4.7 7.0 4.0 1.3 0.3 4.0 4.0 12.7 23.0 .551 - - - 2.7 3.7 .727

Note: Sam Bowie didn't play in 1987-88.

Season 4

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1988-891979-80
Team Portland Trail BlazersDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West 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 %
Sam Bowie 20 20.6 8.6 1.8 3.5 5.3 1.8 0.4 1.7 1.7 2.2 3.5 7.7 .451 0.3 0.4 .714 1.4 2.5 .571
David Thompson 39 31.8 21.5 1.4 3.0 4.5 3.2 1.0 1.0 3.0 2.7 7.4 15.8 .468 0.2 0.5 .368 6.5 8.6 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie 3 22.3 10.3 3.3 3.3 6.7 1.0 0.0 2.3 1.0 2.7 4.0 9.3 .429 0.3 0.7 .500 2.0 2.7 .750
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1989-901980-81
Team New Jersey NetsDenver Nuggets
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 %
Sam Bowie 68 32.5 14.7 3.0 7.1 10.1 1.3 0.6 1.8 1.8 3.1 5.1 12.3 .416 0.1 0.5 .323 4.3 5.6 .776
David Thompson 77 34.0 25.5 1.4 2.3 3.7 3.0 0.7 0.8 3.2 3.0 9.5 18.8 .506 0.1 0.5 .256 6.4 8.0 .795
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie ------- --- ----------
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1990-911981-82
Team New Jersey NetsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets 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 %
Sam Bowie 62 30.9 12.9 2.8 4.9 7.7 2.4 0.7 1.5 2.3 2.8 5.1 11.7 .434 0.1 0.4 .182 2.7 3.7 .732
David Thompson 61 20.4 14.9 0.9 1.5 2.4 1.9 0.6 0.5 2.3 2.4 5.1 10.6 .486 0.1 0.2 .286 4.5 5.6 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie ------- --- ----------
David Thompson 3 22.0 11.7 1.3 2.0 3.3 2.0 0.3 0.0 2.7 2.7 5.0 11.0 .455 0.3 1.0 .333 1.3 2.3 .571

Season 7

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1991-921982-83
Team New Jersey NetsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Nets Lost East Conf 1st RdSupersonics 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 %
Sam Bowie 71 30.7 15.0 2.9 5.3 8.1 2.6 0.6 1.7 2.1 3.0 5.9 13.3 .445 0.1 0.4 .320 3.0 3.9 .757
David Thompson 75 28.7 15.9 1.3 2.3 3.6 3.0 0.6 0.4 2.2 1.9 5.9 12.3 .481 0.0 0.1 .200 4.0 5.1 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie 4 28.0 9.3 2.0 2.8 4.8 2.3 0.8 0.8 1.3 4.8 3.5 8.3 .424 0.3 0.5 .500 2.0 3.0 .667
David Thompson 2 32.5 12.0 0.0 0.0 0 3.5 0.5 0.5 2.0 3.5 4.5 12.5 .360 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 5.0 .600

Season 8

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1992-931983-84
Team New Jersey NetsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Nets 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 %
Sam Bowie 79 26.5 9.1 2.0 5.0 7.0 1.6 0.4 1.6 1.5 2.9 3.6 8.1 .450 0.0 0.1 .333 1.8 2.3 .779
David Thompson 19 18.4 12.6 0.9 1.4 2.3 0.7 0.5 0.7 1.4 1.6 4.7 8.7 .539 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 3.8 .849
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie 3 23.7 3.3 0.7 3.3 4.0 0.7 2.0 0.3 1.3 3.0 1.3 3.0 .444 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.7 1.000
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1993-94-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
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 %
Sam Bowie 25 22.2 8.9 1.1 4.2 5.2 1.9 0.2 1.1 1.7 2.6 3.0 6.9 .436 0.0 0.2 .250 2.9 3.3 .867
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie ------- --- ----------
David Thompson ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Sam Bowie David Thompson
Season 1994-95-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers 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 %
Sam Bowie 67 18.3 4.6 1.1 3.2 4.3 1.8 0.3 1.2 1.4 2.7 1.8 4.0 .442 0.0 0.2 .182 1.0 1.3 .764
David Thompson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Sam Bowie 10 13.5 2.1 1.3 2.0 3.3 0.3 0.1 0.9 0.6 2.5 0.8 3.0 .267 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.5 1.000
David Thompson ------- --- ----------