Joel Embiid vs. Bill Walton Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bill Walton and Joel Embiid, 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.

Joel Embiid played 8 years in the NBA, 2 less than Bill Walton, who played 10. Joel Embiid had the first of his seasons in 2016-17, while Bill Walton had his rookie season in 1974-75. 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
Joel Embiid 8 7 2016-17 to 2023-24
Bill Walton 10 4 1974-75 to 1986-87

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2016-171974-75
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
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 %
Joel Embiid 31 25.4 20.2 2.0 5.9 7.8 2.1 0.9 2.5 3.8 3.6 6.5 13.8 .466 1.2 3.2 .367 6.2 7.9 .783
Bill Walton 35 32.9 12.8 2.6 10.0 12.6 4.8 0.8 2.7 - 3.3 5.1 9.9 .513 - - - 2.7 3.9 .686
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2017-181975-76
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 63 30.3 22.9 2.3 8.7 11.0 3.2 0.6 1.8 3.7 3.3 8.1 16.8 .483 1.0 3.4 .308 5.7 7.4 .769
Bill Walton 51 33.1 16.1 2.6 10.8 13.4 4.3 1.0 1.6 - 2.8 6.8 14.4 .471 - - - 2.6 4.5 .583
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 8 34.8 21.4 2.9 9.8 12.6 3.0 0.9 1.8 3.6 3.9 7.5 17.3 .435 1.0 3.6 .276 5.4 7.6 .705
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2018-191976-77
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement Rebounds Leader
-Achievement Blocks Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 64 33.7 27.5 2.5 11.1 13.6 3.7 0.7 1.9 3.5 3.3 9.1 18.7 .484 1.2 4.1 .300 8.2 10.1 .804
Bill Walton 65 34.8 18.6 3.2 11.1 14.4 3.8 1.0 3.2 - 2.7 7.6 14.3 .528 - - - 3.5 5.0 .697
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 11 30.4 20.2 1.9 8.5 10.5 3.4 0.7 2.3 3.6 3.1 6.2 14.5 .428 1.1 3.5 .308 6.7 8.2 .822
Bill Walton 19 39.7 18.2 2.9 12.2 15.2 5.5 1.1 3.4 - 4.2 8.1 15.9 .507 - - - 2.1 3.0 .684

Season 4

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2019-201977-78
Team Philadelphia 76ersPortland Trail Blazers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf 1st RdTrail Blazers 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 %
Joel Embiid 51 29.5 23.0 2.8 8.9 11.6 3.0 0.9 1.3 3.1 3.4 7.5 15.7 .477 1.1 3.4 .331 6.9 8.5 .807
Bill Walton 58 33.3 18.9 2.0 11.2 13.2 5.0 1.0 2.5 3.6 2.5 7.9 15.2 .522 - - - 3.1 4.2 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 4 36.3 30.0 2.8 9.5 12.3 1.3 1.5 1.3 3.8 4.5 8.5 18.5 .459 1.0 4.0 .250 12.0 14.8 .814
Bill Walton 2 24.5 13.5 2.5 8.5 11.0 2.0 1.5 1.5 3.0 0.5 5.5 9.0 .611 - - - 2.5 3.5 .714

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1978-79.

Season 5

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2020-211979-80
Team Philadelphia 76ersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 51 31.1 28.5 2.2 8.4 10.6 2.8 1.0 1.4 3.1 2.4 9.0 17.6 .513 1.1 3.0 .377 9.2 10.7 .859
Bill Walton 14 24.1 13.9 2.0 7.0 9.0 2.4 0.6 2.7 2.6 2.6 5.8 11.5 .503 0.0 0.0 - 2.3 3.9 .593
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 11 32.5 28.1 1.5 9.1 10.5 3.4 1.0 1.5 3.8 3.0 9.2 17.9 .513 1.5 3.7 .390 8.3 9.9 .835
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Note: Bill Walton didn't play in 1980-81 and 1981-82.

Season 6

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2021-221982-83
Team Philadelphia 76ersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 68 33.8 30.6 2.1 9.6 11.7 4.2 1.1 1.5 3.1 2.7 9.8 19.6 .499 1.4 3.7 .371 9.6 11.8 .814
Bill Walton 33 33.3 14.1 2.3 7.5 9.8 3.6 1.0 3.6 3.2 3.4 6.1 11.5 .528 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.5 .556
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 10 38.5 23.6 2.1 8.6 10.7 2.1 0.4 0.8 3.2 3.4 7.8 16.1 .484 0.7 3.3 .212 7.3 8.9 .820
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 7

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2022-231983-84
Team Philadelphia 76ersSan Diego Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement Season MVP-
Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers 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 %
Joel Embiid 66 34.6 33.1 1.7 8.4 10.2 4.2 1.0 1.7 3.4 3.1 11.0 20.1 .548 1.0 3.0 .330 10.0 11.7 .857
Bill Walton 55 26.8 12.1 2.4 6.3 8.7 3.3 0.8 1.6 3.2 2.8 5.2 9.4 .556 0.0 0.0 .000 1.7 2.8 .597
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 9 37.3 23.7 1.8 8.0 9.8 2.7 0.7 2.8 3.9 3.0 7.3 17.0 .431 0.6 3.1 .179 8.4 9.3 .905
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season 2023-241984-85
Team Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East 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 %
Joel Embiid 39 33.6 34.7 2.4 8.6 11.0 5.6 1.2 1.7 3.8 2.9 11.5 21.8 .529 1.4 3.6 .388 10.2 11.6 .883
Bill Walton 67 24.6 10.1 2.5 6.4 9.0 2.3 0.7 2.1 2.6 2.7 4.0 7.7 .521 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 3.0 .680
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid 6 41.3 33.0 3.2 7.7 10.8 5.7 1.2 1.5 4.2 3.3 9.8 22.2 .444 2.2 6.5 .333 11.2 13.0 .859
Bill Walton ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season -1985-86
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Sixth Man of the Year
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton 80 19.3 7.6 1.7 5.1 6.8 2.1 0.5 1.3 1.9 2.6 2.9 5.1 .562 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.5 .713
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton 16 18.2 7.9 1.6 4.9 6.4 1.7 0.4 0.8 1.4 2.8 3.4 5.8 .581 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.4 .826

Season 10

Joel Embiid Bill Walton
Season -1986-87
Team -Boston Celtics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Celtics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton 10 11.2 2.8 1.1 2.0 3.1 0.9 0.1 1.0 1.5 2.3 1.0 2.6 .385 0.0 0.0 - 0.8 1.5 .533
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Joel Embiid ------- --- ----------
Bill Walton 12 8.5 2.4 0.8 1.8 2.6 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.7 1.9 1.0 2.1 .480 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.2 .357