Toni Kukoc vs. Yao Ming Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Yao Ming and Toni Kukoc, 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 / Games against each other

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.

Toni Kukoc played 13 years in the NBA, 5 more than Yao Ming, who played 8. Toni Kukoc had the first of his seasons in 1993-94, while Yao Ming had his rookie season in 2002-03. 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
Toni Kukoc 13 9 1993-94 to 2005-06
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1993-942002-03
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Bulls 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 %
Toni Kukoc 75 24.1 10.9 1.3 2.7 4.0 3.4 1.1 0.4 2.2 1.6 4.2 9.7 .431 0.4 1.6 .271 2.1 2.8 .743
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 .500 3.7 4.5 .811
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 10 19.4 9.3 1.1 2.9 4.0 3.6 0.5 0.3 1.7 1.5 3.0 6.7 .448 0.8 1.9 .421 2.5 3.4 .735
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1994-952003-04
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf SemisRockets 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 %
Toni Kukoc 81 31.9 15.7 1.9 3.5 5.4 4.6 1.3 0.2 2.0 2.0 6.0 11.9 .504 0.8 2.4 .313 2.9 3.9 .748
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 .000 4.4 5.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 10 37.2 13.8 2.0 4.8 6.8 5.7 1.0 0.2 1.9 2.3 5.3 11.1 .477 1.4 3.2 .438 1.8 2.6 .692
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765

Season 3

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1995-962004-05
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement Sixth Man of the Year-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionRockets 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 %
Toni Kukoc 81 26.0 13.1 1.4 2.6 4.0 3.5 0.8 0.3 1.4 1.9 4.8 9.7 .490 1.1 2.7 .403 2.5 3.3 .772
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 15 29.3 10.8 1.3 2.9 4.2 3.9 0.9 0.3 1.7 2.2 3.9 10.1 .391 0.9 4.5 .191 2.1 2.5 .838
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727

Season 4

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1996-972005-06
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third 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 %
Toni Kukoc 57 28.2 13.2 1.6 2.9 4.6 4.5 1.1 0.5 1.6 1.7 5.0 10.6 .471 0.9 2.6 .331 2.4 3.1 .770
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 .000 5.9 6.9 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 19 22.3 7.9 0.7 2.2 2.8 2.8 0.7 0.2 0.9 1.6 2.4 6.6 .360 1.0 2.8 .358 2.2 3.1 .707
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1997-982006-07
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionRockets 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 %
Toni Kukoc 74 30.2 13.3 1.6 2.8 4.4 4.2 1.0 0.5 2.1 2.0 5.2 11.4 .455 0.9 2.4 .362 2.1 3.0 .708
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 .000 7.4 8.6 .862
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 21 30.3 13.1 1.1 2.7 3.9 2.9 1.2 0.5 1.3 2.7 5.0 10.4 .486 1.1 2.9 .377 1.9 3.0 .645
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880

Season 6

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1998-992007-08
Team Chicago BullsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-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 %
Toni Kukoc 44 37.6 18.8 1.5 5.6 7.0 5.3 1.1 0.3 2.8 1.9 7.2 17.0 .420 0.9 3.1 .285 3.6 4.9 .740
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 .000 6.3 7.4 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 1999-002008-09
Team Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ersHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisRockets 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 %
Toni Kukoc 56 31.9 14.8 1.3 3.5 4.9 4.7 1.4 0.5 2.6 2.0 5.3 13.0 .408 0.8 3.0 .262 3.4 4.7 .725
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 1.000 4.9 5.7 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 10 25.8 9.3 0.7 3.0 3.7 1.7 1.0 0.3 1.5 2.6 3.6 9.3 .387 1.1 3.4 .324 1.0 1.7 .588
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 2000-012010-11
Team Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta HawksHouston 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 %
Toni Kukoc 65 24.6 11.1 1.0 3.0 4.0 3.1 0.7 0.2 1.7 1.5 4.2 9.0 .473 1.1 2.4 .446 1.6 2.5 .631
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 2001-02-
Team Atlanta Hawks-
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 %
Toni Kukoc 59 25.3 9.9 0.7 3.0 3.7 3.6 0.8 0.3 1.9 1.5 3.6 8.5 .419 0.9 2.9 .310 1.8 2.6 .712
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 2002-03-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Toni Kukoc 63 27.0 11.6 1.1 3.2 4.2 3.7 1.3 0.5 1.9 2.1 4.0 9.2 .432 1.5 4.2 .361 2.2 3.1 .706
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 6 30.8 14.8 1.0 3.2 4.2 3.7 2.2 0.2 1.8 2.0 5.3 10.8 .492 1.8 4.8 .379 2.3 3.3 .700
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 2003-04-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Toni Kukoc 73 20.8 8.4 0.8 2.9 3.7 2.7 0.8 0.3 1.5 1.5 2.9 6.9 .417 0.7 2.3 .292 2.0 2.7 .729
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 5 21.0 8.4 0.8 2.0 2.8 0.8 0.6 0.4 1.2 2.2 3.4 6.8 .500 0.8 2.4 .333 0.8 1.6 .500
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 2004-05-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
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 %
Toni Kukoc 53 20.7 5.6 0.6 2.4 3.0 3.0 0.7 0.2 1.2 1.3 2.0 4.8 .410 0.8 2.2 .362 0.8 1.2 .721
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc ------- --- ----------
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Toni Kukoc Yao Ming
Season 2005-06-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Bucks 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 %
Toni Kukoc 65 15.7 4.9 0.4 1.9 2.3 2.1 0.5 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.8 4.6 .389 0.7 2.3 .306 0.6 0.9 .714
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Toni Kukoc 3 17.7 7.3 0.0 1.7 1.7 3.0 0.3 0.0 1.0 2.7 2.7 4.7 .571 1.7 2.7 .625 0.3 0.7 .500
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------