Yao Ming vs. Emeka Okafor Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Emeka Okafor 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 / 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.

Yao Ming played 8 years in the NBA, 2 less than Emeka Okafor, who played 10. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Emeka Okafor had his rookie season in 2004-05. 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
Emeka Okafor 10 2 2004-05 to 2017-18

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2002-032004-05
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Bobcats
Honors & Awards -Achievement Rookie of the Year
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First 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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 73 35.6 15.1 3.8 7.1 10.9 0.9 0.8 1.7 1.7 2.9 6.1 13.7 .447 0.0 0.0 .000 2.9 4.7 .609
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2003-042005-06
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Bobcats
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 26 33.6 13.2 3.6 6.4 10.0 1.2 0.8 1.9 2.0 3.4 5.0 12.2 .415 0.0 0.0 - 3.2 4.8 .656
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
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2004-052006-07
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Bobcats
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 67 34.8 14.4 3.9 7.4 11.3 1.2 0.9 2.6 1.7 3.1 5.9 11.0 .532 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 4.4 .593
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
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2005-062007-08
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Bobcats
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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 82 33.1 13.8 3.1 7.6 10.7 0.9 0.8 1.7 2.0 2.9 5.6 10.5 .535 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 4.6 .570
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2006-072008-09
Team Houston RocketsCharlotte Bobcats
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets 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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 82 32.8 13.2 3.4 6.7 10.1 0.6 0.6 1.7 1.8 3.0 5.3 9.4 .561 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 4.5 .593
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
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2007-082009-10
Team Houston RocketsNew Orleans Hornets
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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 82 28.9 10.4 3.1 6.0 9.0 0.7 0.7 1.5 1.4 2.7 4.2 8.0 .530 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.3 .562
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2008-092010-11
Team Houston RocketsNew Orleans Hornets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisHornets 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 %
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
Emeka Okafor 72 31.8 10.3 3.2 6.3 9.5 0.6 0.6 1.8 1.7 3.2 4.2 7.3 .573 0.0 0.0 .000 2.0 3.6 .562
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
Emeka Okafor 6 31.3 7.3 2.8 2.7 5.5 0.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 4.7 3.3 5.2 .645 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.8 .364

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season 2010-112011-12
Team Houston RocketsNew Orleans Hornets
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
Emeka Okafor 27 28.9 9.9 2.6 5.3 7.9 0.9 0.6 1.0 1.4 2.7 4.2 7.9 .533 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.7 .514
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season -2012-13
Team -Washington Wizards
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 ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor 79 26.0 9.7 2.5 6.2 8.8 1.2 0.6 1.0 1.4 1.8 4.2 8.7 .477 0.0 0.0 - 1.4 2.4 .571
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor ------- --- ----------

Note: Emeka Okafor didn't play in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Season 10

Yao Ming Emeka Okafor
Season -2017-18
Team -New Orleans Pelicans
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Pelicans 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 ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor 26 13.6 4.4 1.8 2.8 4.6 0.3 0.3 1.0 0.5 1.2 1.8 3.7 .505 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 0.8 .818
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Emeka Okafor 1 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -