Bill Cartwright
1979–80 to 1994–95 · 15 seasons
NBA player comparison
Bill Cartwright vs. Kurt Rambis: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
Bill Cartwright ranks higher in career impact
Kurt Rambis
1981–82 to 1994–95 · 14 seasons
Impact comparison
Box impact estimates points per 100 possessions above each season's league average. Higher is better. Career ranks and average league finishes work the other way: lower is better.
#598LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#784
+2.2LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.5
+1.2LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+0.6
47.3LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better68.7
+648 ptsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+662 ptsLeads
116.1Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better103.2Leads
Career Impact Rank places Bill Cartwright #598 and Kurt Rambis #784. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three. Kurt Rambis had more total career value.
Regular season only. Impact figures are estimates; small gaps are not exact. Playoffs, awards and titles do not determine the verdict.
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedBill Cartwright63.987 · No. 598Kurt Rambis78.313 · No. 784
Only the three league-finish windows below determine Career Impact Rank. Career Value and peak impact are separate measures; neither adds points to this calculation. Lower composite scores rank higher.
Bill Cartwright
63.987 composite · No. 598 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 331982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 531983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 561987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 47.333 | 50% | 23.667 |
| Best 5No. 331982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 531983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 561987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 691980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 741979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 57.000 | 30% | 17.100 |
| Best 10No. 331982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 531983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 561987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 691980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 741979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 841986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 971981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 2101989–90Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 2311990–91Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 2541988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 116.100 | 20% | 23.220 |
23.667 + 17.100 + 23.220= 63.987
Kurt Rambis
78.313 composite · No. 784 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 471988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 791981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 801987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 68.667 | 50% | 34.333 |
| Best 5No. 471988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 791981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 801987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 861982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 971989–90Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 77.800 | 30% | 23.340 |
| Best 10No. 471988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 791981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 801987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 861982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 971989–90Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1141985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1161984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1271993–94Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1431986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1431992–93Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 103.200 | 20% | 20.640 |
34.333 + 23.340 + 20.640= 78.313
Averages, contributions, and totals are displayed to three decimal places. The ranking calculation keeps full source precision. Read the full method →
Full comparison · Career comparison
Understand the numbers
Start with impact, then compare playing time and skills. Team results add context. These are not categories to tally into a winner.
1 · Ranking evidence
Impact: who ranks higher, and why?
Career Impact Rank compares entire regular-season careers across NBA history. It combines average league places across the best three, five, and ten seasons, weighted 50%, 30%, and 20%. A lower rank or average place is better.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank | #598Better result for this metric. | #784 |
| Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 47.3Better result for this metric. | 68.7 |
| Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 57.0Better result for this metric. | 77.8 |
| Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 116.1 | 103.2Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #661 | #653Better result for this metric. |
| Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.2Better result for this metric. | +1.5 |
| Best 3 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +1.5Better result for this metric. | +0.8 |
| Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +1.2Better result for this metric. | +0.6 |
| Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | -0.2 | +0.1Better result for this metric. |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +648 pts | +662 ptsBetter result for this metric. |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Top-five impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
2 · Playing time and responsibility
How much did each player take on?
Read games and minutes alongside impact. Offensive usage is the share of team plays a player ends with a shot, free throws, or a turnover while on court. More usage is not automatically better.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 963 | 880 |
| Minutes | 27,491 | 16,299 |
3 · Individual skills
Where does each player have an advantage?
These are each player's averages across up to ten best seasons. Career Impact Rank gives the Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights, giving the most weight to the highest peak. The model accounts for position, role, pace, playing time, and team results. Green marks the better result for a metric, including lower turnover rates. Workload and shot-selection measures stay neutral. These rows are not votes toward the ranking.
Shooting
True shooting includes two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 58.8%Better result for this metric. | 57.3% |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 59.8%Better result for this metric. | 57.6% |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 52.5% | 53.4%Better result for this metric. |
| Three-point percentage | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Free-throw percentage | 77.1%Better result for this metric. | 68.9% |
Passing
Assist rate is the share of teammates’ made shots assisted while the player is on court. Read turnovers alongside offensive workload; lower turnover rate is generally better.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 7.5%Better result for this metric. | 6.9% |
| Assists per game | 1.4Better result for this metric. | 1.1 |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 15.2%Better result for this metric. | 20.3% |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.9% | 16.9%Better result for this metric. |
| Rebounds per game | 6.3Better result for this metric. | 5.6 |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 0.9% | 2.3%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.5% | 1.7%Better result for this metric. |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Bill Cartwright | Kurt Rambis |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 13.2Better result for this metric. | 5.2 |
4 · Team context, not ranking inputs
What happened with and without them?
A verified with/without comparison is unavailable for this scope. We do not substitute another season’s observations.
Four separate questions
Impact, winning, playoffs, and awards
These are different ways to understand a career. Only Regular Season Impact determines the hussEyquation verdict. The other three sections add basketball context without adding points or changing the rank.
Regular Season Impact
Bill Cartwright ranks higher in career impact.
Bill CartwrightMetricKurt Rambis
#598LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#784
+2.2LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.5
+1.2LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+0.6
+648 ptsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+662 ptsLeads
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
Kurt Rambis leads every available measure below.
Bill CartwrightMetricKurt Rambis
697Listed-team regular-season wins789Leads
56.7%Listed-team winning percentage60.1%Leads
750-win team seasons11Leads
260-win team seasons5Leads
11Playoff team seasons12Leads
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Final records for every listed team-season. A traded season can include more than one team.
Playoff Résumé
The advantages are split across the available measures.
Bill CartwrightMetricKurt Rambis
10LeadsPlayoff appearances9
124Playoff games139Leads
79Team playoff wins97Leads
3Finals appearances6Leads
3Championships4Leads
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
No recorded measure separates these careers.
Bill CartwrightMetricKurt Rambis
1All-StarNot available
0MVPNot available
0All-NBANot available
0All-DefenseNot available
0DPOYNot available
0Rookie of the YearNot available
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Major regular-season honors are recognition, not inputs to the impact ranking.
How each context field is counted
- Listed-team regular-season wins
- The sum of each listed team's final wins in every season the player represented that team.
- Listed-team winning percentage
- Those team wins divided by those teams' total regular-season games.
- 50- and 60-win team seasons
- Listed team-seasons that finished with at least 50 or 60 wins. Shortened seasons are not projected to 82 games.
- Team seasons reaching playoffs
- Listed team-seasons in which that team qualified for the playoffs.
- Playoff appearances and games
- Postseasons and games in which the player appeared.
- Team playoff wins
- Team wins from those postseasons. They describe team results, not individual credit.
- Finals appearances and championships
- Seasons when the player appeared in the playoffs for the finalist or champion.
- Awards
- Recorded NBA selections and major regular-season honors. A zero means the source records none; Not available means the source field is missing.
Source and scope Basketball Reference, NBA seasons 1950–51 through 2025–26, accessed 2026-10-09.
Career Shape Explorer
How the careers developed
Follow every regular season by NBA experience or age. This view describes the path; it does not create another verdict.
Bill CartwrightKurt RambisPeak seasonHistorical source qualification
Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average
Striped bars mark seasons with fewer than 40 games. A dashed mark means that player had no season at the aligned point.
Season-by-season evidenceRead both careers at the same stage
Every observed season keeps its age, era-centered impact estimate, league rank when qualified, career-stage label, and exact evidence link. A missing career point stays missing.
Bill CartwrightNBA seasonKurt Rambis
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12
Season 13
Season 14
Observed values come from the accepted season comparison record. Historical source qualifications stay attached to affected seasons. Missing means no NBA season exists at that aligned point; it is never interpolated. Missing is not the same as estimated.