Yao Ming vs. Clifford Ray Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Clifford Ray and Yao Ming, 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.

Yao Ming played 8 years in the NBA, 2 less than Clifford Ray, who played 10. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Clifford Ray had his rookie season in 1971-72. 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
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11
Clifford Ray 10 6 1971-72 to 1980-81

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2002-031971-72
Team Houston RocketsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 82 22.8 7.0 - - 10.6 3.1 - - - 3.6 2.7 5.4 .499 - - - 1.6 2.7 .615
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray 4 40.3 15.3 - - 16.5 4.0 - - - 3.8 6.8 12.8 .529 - - - 1.8 2.3 .778

Season 2
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2003-041972-73
Team Houston RocketsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdBulls 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 73 27.5 8.6 - - 10.9 3.7 - - - 3.2 3.5 7.1 .492 - - - 1.6 2.6 .619
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Clifford Ray 5 7.2 1.2 - - 1.8 0.2 - - - 0.4 0.6 1.6 .375 - - - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 3
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2004-051973-74
Team Houston RocketsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdBulls 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 80 32.9 9.3 3.6 8.7 12.2 3.1 0.7 2.2 - 3.5 3.9 7.7 .511 - - - 1.5 2.5 .608
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Clifford Ray 11 32.9 9.7 4.0 7.1 11.1 3.2 1.3 1.9 - 4.1 4.6 9.3 .500 - - - 0.5 1.4 .333

Season 4
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2005-061974-75
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 82 30.7 9.4 3.2 7.5 10.6 2.2 1.2 1.4 - 3.7 3.6 7.0 .522 - - - 2.1 3.5 .602
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray 17 29.1 6.1 3.2 6.5 9.8 2.2 0.8 1.2 - 3.5 2.1 4.1 .522 - - - 1.9 3.1 .604

Season 5
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2006-071975-76
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdWarriors 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 82 26.6 6.9 3.3 6.2 9.5 1.8 1.0 1.0 - 3.0 2.6 4.9 .525 - - - 1.7 2.8 .609
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Clifford Ray 13 29.0 9.1 3.3 6.7 10.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 - 3.6 3.7 6.1 .608 - - - 1.7 2.6 .647

Season 6
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2007-081976-77
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 77 26.2 8.2 2.6 5.4 8.0 1.5 1.0 1.1 - 3.1 3.4 5.8 .584 - - - 1.4 2.6 .528
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray 10 30.4 10.0 5.4 6.1 11.5 1.5 0.4 0.9 - 3.7 4.2 7.6 .553 - - - 1.6 2.8 .571

Season 7
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2008-091977-78
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
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
Clifford Ray 79 28.7 8.8 3.0 6.6 9.6 1.9 0.9 1.1 1.9 3.7 3.4 6.0 .571 - - - 1.9 3.1 .609
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Clifford Ray ------- --- ----------

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

Season 8
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season 2010-111978-79
Team Houston RocketsGolden State Warriors
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 %
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
Clifford Ray 82 23.4 6.9 2.6 4.8 7.4 1.7 0.6 0.6 1.9 3.2 2.8 5.4 .526 - - - 1.3 2.3 .558
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray ------- --- ----------

Season 9
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season -1979-80
Team -Golden State Warriors
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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray 81 20.8 6.0 1.5 4.2 5.8 2.3 0.6 0.4 1.9 3.3 2.5 4.7 .530 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.8 .564
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Yao Ming Clifford Ray
Season -1980-81
Team -Golden State Warriors
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 %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray 66 12.7 2.4 1.1 2.2 3.3 0.8 0.4 0.2 1.1 2.9 1.0 2.3 .421 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 0.9 .468
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Clifford Ray ------- --- ----------
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