Yao Ming vs. Keith Van Horn Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Keith Van Horn 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, 1 less than Keith Van Horn, who played 9. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Keith Van Horn had his rookie season in 1997-98. 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
Keith Van Horn 9 6 1997-98 to 2005-06

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2002-031997-98
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNets 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 %
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
Keith Van Horn 62 37.5 19.7 2.3 4.3 6.6 1.7 1.0 0.4 2.6 3.5 7.2 16.9 .426 1.1 3.6 .308 4.2 4.9 .846
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Keith Van Horn 3 25.7 12.7 0.7 2.3 3.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.7 2.3 4.3 9.7 .448 0.0 0.7 .000 4.0 5.0 .800

Season 2

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2003-041998-99
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
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
Keith Van Horn 42 37.5 21.8 2.7 5.8 8.5 1.5 1.0 1.3 3.2 3.2 7.7 17.9 .428 0.4 1.3 .302 6.1 7.1 .859
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
Keith Van Horn ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2004-051999-00
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
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
Keith Van Horn 80 34.8 19.2 2.5 6.0 8.5 2.0 0.8 0.8 3.1 3.2 7.0 15.7 .445 1.1 2.9 .368 4.2 4.9 .847
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
Keith Van Horn ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2005-062000-01
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
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
Keith Van Horn 49 35.4 17.0 1.6 5.5 7.1 1.7 0.8 0.4 2.1 3.1 6.3 14.4 .435 1.3 3.5 .382 3.1 3.8 .806
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Keith Van Horn ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2006-072001-02
Team Houston RocketsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdNets Lost NBA 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
Keith Van Horn 81 30.4 14.8 1.7 5.8 7.5 2.0 0.8 0.5 1.8 2.7 5.8 13.4 .433 1.2 3.6 .345 1.9 2.4 .800
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
Keith Van Horn 20 32.2 13.3 1.6 5.1 6.7 2.1 1.0 0.5 1.8 2.8 4.9 12.1 .402 1.9 4.2 .440 1.8 2.5 .714

Season 6

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2007-082002-03
Team Houston RocketsPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers 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 %
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
Keith Van Horn 74 31.6 15.9 2.1 4.9 7.1 1.3 0.9 0.4 2.0 3.4 6.2 12.9 .482 0.9 2.4 .369 2.6 3.2 .804
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Keith Van Horn 12 33.5 10.4 2.0 5.5 7.5 0.8 0.8 0.2 2.2 3.4 3.5 9.2 .382 1.2 2.7 .438 2.3 2.5 .900

Season 7

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2008-092003-04
Team Houston RocketsNew York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisBucks 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 %
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
Keith Van Horn 72 32.5 16.1 2.1 4.9 7.0 1.7 0.9 0.5 2.3 3.0 5.7 12.5 .454 1.3 3.2 .399 3.5 4.0 .859
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
Keith Van Horn 5 27.6 8.0 1.0 3.6 4.6 1.4 1.4 0.6 2.0 3.0 3.2 9.6 .333 0.8 2.2 .364 0.8 1.2 .667

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

Season 8

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season 2010-112004-05
Team Houston RocketsMilwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayMavericks 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 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
Keith Van Horn 62 24.2 11.2 1.4 3.3 4.7 1.2 0.6 0.3 1.3 2.7 4.1 9.1 .456 0.9 2.3 .380 2.1 2.5 .815
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Keith Van Horn 3 11.3 7.3 1.0 1.0 2.0 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 2.0 2.3 5.0 .467 0.0 1.3 .000 2.7 3.0 .889

Season 9

Yao Ming Keith Van Horn
Season -2005-06
Team -Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Mavericks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Keith Van Horn 53 20.6 8.9 1.0 2.6 3.6 0.7 0.6 0.2 1.3 2.3 3.1 7.3 .424 0.9 2.6 .368 1.8 2.1 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Keith Van Horn 14 12.3 3.6 0.6 1.7 2.3 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.4 1.7 1.4 4.2 .339 0.6 2.0 .286 0.2 0.2 1.000