Yao Ming vs. Pooh Richardson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Pooh Richardson 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 Pooh Richardson, who played 10. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while Pooh Richardson had his rookie season in 1989-90. 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
Pooh Richardson 10 2 1989-90 to 1998-99

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2002-031989-90
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards 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
Pooh Richardson 82 31.5 11.4 0.7 2.0 2.6 6.8 1.6 0.3 1.7 1.7 5.2 11.3 .461 0.3 1.0 .277 0.8 1.3 .589
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2003-041990-91
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
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
Pooh Richardson 82 38.5 17.1 1.0 2.5 3.5 9.0 1.6 0.2 2.1 1.4 7.7 16.5 .470 0.5 1.6 .328 1.1 2.0 .539
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
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2004-051991-92
Team Houston RocketsMinnesota Timberwolves
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
Pooh Richardson 82 35.6 16.5 1.1 2.6 3.7 8.4 1.5 0.3 2.5 1.9 7.2 15.4 .466 0.6 1.9 .342 1.5 2.2 .691
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
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

Season 4
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2005-061992-93
Team Houston RocketsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayPacers 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 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
Pooh Richardson 74 32.4 10.4 0.9 2.8 3.6 7.7 1.3 0.2 2.3 1.8 4.6 9.5 .479 0.0 0.4 .103 1.2 1.7 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson 4 23.8 4.3 0.3 2.5 2.8 5.8 0.5 0.0 1.5 1.8 1.5 3.8 .400 0.3 0.3 1.000 1.0 1.5 .667

Season 5
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2006-071993-94
Team Houston RocketsIndiana Pacers
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
Pooh Richardson 37 27.6 10.0 0.8 2.2 3.0 6.4 0.9 0.1 2.4 2.1 4.3 9.6 .452 0.1 0.3 .250 1.3 2.1 .610
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
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

Season 6
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2007-081994-95
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Clippers
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
Pooh Richardson 80 35.8 10.9 0.5 2.8 3.3 7.9 1.6 0.2 2.1 2.7 4.4 11.2 .394 1.1 3.1 .357 1.0 1.6 .648
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

Season 7
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2008-091995-96
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Clippers
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
Pooh Richardson 63 32.0 11.7 0.6 2.0 2.5 5.4 1.2 0.2 1.5 2.1 4.5 10.5 .423 1.5 3.9 .384 1.2 1.7 .743
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
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

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

Season 8
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season 2010-111996-97
Team Houston RocketsLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayClippers 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 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
Pooh Richardson 59 18.1 5.6 0.4 1.2 1.7 2.9 0.9 0.1 1.1 1.4 2.2 5.8 .381 0.7 2.2 .328 0.4 0.7 .605
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson 2 9.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0 1.5 0.5 0.0 0.5 2.0 1.0 2.0 .500 0.0 0.5 .000 0.0 0.5 .000

Season 9
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season -1997-98
Team -Los Angeles Clippers
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 ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson 69 18.1 4.2 0.2 1.1 1.4 3.3 0.6 0.0 0.8 1.0 1.8 4.8 .372 0.2 0.8 .193 0.4 0.6 .698
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Yao Ming Pooh Richardson
Season -1998-99
Team -Los Angeles Clippers
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 ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson 11 11.8 2.5 0.1 1.1 1.2 2.7 0.4 0.0 0.8 0.5 1.1 3.3 .333 0.0 0.5 .000 0.4 0.4 1.000
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Yao Ming ------- --- ----------
Pooh Richardson ------- --- ----------
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