Spencer Haywood vs. Lonnie Shelton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Lonnie Shelton and Spencer Haywood, 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.

Spencer Haywood played 12 years in the NBA, 2 more than Lonnie Shelton, who played 10. Spencer Haywood had the first of his seasons in 1970-71, while Lonnie Shelton 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
Spencer Haywood 12 4 1970-71 to 1982-83
Lonnie Shelton 10 6 1976-77 to 1985-86

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1970-711976-77
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
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 %
Spencer Haywood 33 35.2 20.6 - - 12.0 1.5 - - - 2.5 7.9 17.5 .449 - - - 4.8 6.6 .734
Lonnie Shelton 82 25.7 11.6 2.7 5.0 7.7 1.8 1.5 1.2 - 4.4 4.9 10.2 .476 - - - 1.9 2.7 .707
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1971-721977-78
Team Seattle SupersonicsNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayKnicks 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 %
Spencer Haywood 73 43.4 26.2 - - 12.7 2.0 - - - 2.8 9.8 21.3 .461 - - - 6.6 8.0 .819
Lonnie Shelton 82 28.3 14.9 2.5 4.6 7.1 2.4 1.3 1.4 2.8 4.3 6.2 12.0 .514 - - - 2.5 3.4 .736
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 6 25.2 11.0 3.0 4.3 7.3 2.8 0.3 0.8 2.3 4.8 5.0 9.3 .536 - - - 1.0 1.3 .750

Season 3

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1972-731978-79
Team Seattle SupersonicsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
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 %
Spencer Haywood 77 42.3 29.2 - - 12.9 2.5 - - - 2.8 11.5 24.3 .476 - - - 6.1 7.3 .839
Lonnie Shelton 76 28.4 13.5 2.4 3.8 6.2 1.4 1.0 1.0 2.5 3.5 5.9 11.3 .519 - - - 1.7 2.5 .693
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 17 33.3 12.9 3.6 4.8 8.4 2.0 1.1 1.1 1.8 4.7 5.9 12.3 .483 - - - 1.1 1.5 .692

Season 4

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1973-741979-80
Team Seattle SupersonicsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics 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 %
Spencer Haywood 75 40.5 23.5 4.2 9.2 13.4 3.2 0.9 1.4 - 2.6 9.3 20.3 .457 - - - 5.0 6.1 .814
Lonnie Shelton 76 29.5 13.6 2.6 5.0 7.7 1.9 1.2 1.0 2.2 3.8 5.6 10.6 .530 0.0 0.1 .200 2.4 3.2 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 15 31.3 12.0 2.3 6.0 8.3 1.7 1.5 0.8 2.5 3.6 4.9 9.7 .507 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 3.4 .627

Season 5

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1974-751980-81
Team Seattle SupersonicsSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Supersonics 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 %
Spencer Haywood 68 37.2 22.4 2.9 6.4 9.3 2.0 0.8 1.6 - 2.5 8.9 19.5 .459 - - - 4.5 5.6 .811
Lonnie Shelton 14 31.4 13.0 2.2 3.4 5.6 2.5 1.6 0.2 2.9 3.4 5.2 12.4 .420 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.9 .655
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 9 37.4 15.7 2.2 6.8 9.0 2.0 0.8 1.2 - 3.2 5.2 14.6 .359 - - - 5.2 6.8 .770
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1975-761981-82
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics 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 %
Spencer Haywood 78 37.1 19.9 3.0 8.3 11.3 1.2 0.7 1.0 - 3.3 7.8 17.4 .445 - - - 4.3 5.7 .757
Lonnie Shelton 81 32.9 14.9 2.0 4.3 6.3 3.1 1.2 0.5 2.5 3.9 6.3 12.9 .486 0.0 0.1 .000 2.3 3.0 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 8 33.3 12.8 3.0 4.4 7.4 2.0 0.6 0.9 2.5 4.8 5.0 10.6 .471 0.0 0.0 - 2.8 4.0 .688

Season 7

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1976-771982-83
Team New York KnicksSeattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySupersonics 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 %
Spencer Haywood 31 32.9 16.5 2.5 6.5 9.0 1.6 0.5 0.9 - 2.3 6.5 14.5 .450 - - - 3.5 4.2 .832
Lonnie Shelton 82 31.4 12.4 1.9 4.1 6.0 2.9 0.9 0.9 2.1 3.8 5.3 11.2 .478 0.0 0.1 .167 1.7 2.3 .754
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 2 26.5 5.0 6.5 4.0 10.5 2.5 0.5 0.0 1.0 3.5 2.0 11.5 .174 0.0 1.5 .000 1.0 2.5 .400

Season 8

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1977-781983-84
Team New York KnicksCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Knicks Lost East 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 %
Spencer Haywood 67 26.3 13.7 2.1 4.5 6.6 1.9 0.6 1.1 2.1 2.8 6.1 12.7 .484 - - - 1.4 2.0 .711
Lonnie Shelton 79 26.6 10.8 1.8 3.1 4.8 2.3 1.0 0.7 2.1 3.5 4.7 9.9 .476 0.0 0.1 .200 1.4 1.8 .764
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 6 29.5 16.2 3.2 3.8 7.0 2.0 0.3 0.8 1.7 4.0 7.2 14.2 .506 - - - 1.8 1.8 1.000
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1978-791984-85
Team New York Knicks, New Orleans JazzCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
Spencer Haywood 68 34.7 20.9 2.5 5.3 7.8 1.9 0.6 1.2 2.9 3.5 8.8 17.7 .494 - - - 3.4 4.3 .791
Lonnie Shelton 57 21.8 6.4 1.4 3.2 4.7 1.7 0.8 0.3 1.3 3.3 2.8 6.4 .435 0.0 0.1 .000 0.9 1.4 .662
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton 4 26.5 11.5 1.5 4.0 5.5 1.0 0.5 0.3 1.5 5.0 4.8 8.5 .559 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .800

Season 10

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1979-801985-86
Team Los Angeles LakersCleveland Cavaliers
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 %
Spencer Haywood 76 20.3 9.7 1.7 2.8 4.6 1.2 0.5 0.8 1.8 2.6 3.8 7.8 .487 0.0 0.1 .250 2.1 2.7 .772
Lonnie Shelton 44 15.5 4.5 0.9 2.4 3.3 1.4 0.5 0.1 1.1 2.9 2.1 4.3 .489 0.0 0.0 .000 0.3 0.4 .875
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 11 13.2 5.7 1.3 1.1 2.4 0.4 0.0 0.5 1.8 1.5 2.3 4.8 .472 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.5 .813
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Note: Spencer Haywood didn't play in 1980-81.

Season 11

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1981-82-
Team Washington Bullets-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bullets 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 %
Spencer Haywood 76 27.4 13.3 1.9 3.7 5.6 0.8 0.6 0.9 2.3 3.3 5.2 10.9 .476 0.0 0.0 .000 2.9 3.4 .842
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood 7 33.0 20.0 2.3 3.3 5.6 1.0 0.6 2.0 2.1 4.0 8.1 16.4 .496 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 5.0 .743
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Spencer Haywood Lonnie Shelton
Season 1982-83-
Team Washington Bullets-
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 %
Spencer Haywood 38 20.4 8.2 2.0 2.8 4.8 0.8 0.3 0.7 1.8 2.5 3.3 8.2 .401 0.0 0.0 .000 1.7 2.3 .724
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Spencer Haywood ------- --- ----------
Lonnie Shelton ------- --- ----------