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NBA player comparison

Dan Majerle vs. Steve Smith: Career comparison

hussEyquationCareer impact · regular season
Regular-season verdict

Dan Majerle ranks higher in career impact

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.

#369LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#462
+2.8LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.5
+2.1LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.9
38.7LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better47.0
+1,983 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+1,529 pts
58.3LeadsBest 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better72.1

Career Impact Rank places Dan Majerle #369 and Steve Smith #462. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three.

Regular season only. Impact figures are estimates; small gaps are not exact. Playoffs, awards and titles do not determine the verdict.

Career impact · regular seasonhusseyquation.com/compare/dan-majerle/steve-smith/career
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedDan Majerle44.253 · No. 369Steve Smith53.340 · No. 462

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.

Dan Majerle

44.253 composite · No. 369 all-time

Dan Majerle's Career Composite windows
Window and finishes usedAverage finishWeightContribution
Best 3No. 241991–92Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 451995–96Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 471992–93Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate38.66750%19.333
Best 5No. 241991–92Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 451995–96Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 471992–93Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 481990–91Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 571999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate44.20030%13.260
Best 10No. 241991–92Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 451995–96Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 471992–93Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 481990–91Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 571999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 591994–95Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 601996–97Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 701997–98Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 791993–94Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 942000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate58.30020%11.660

19.333 + 13.260 + 11.660= 44.253

Steve Smith

53.340 composite · No. 462 all-time

Steve Smith's Career Composite windows
Window and finishes usedAverage finishWeightContribution
Best 3No. 431998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 461994–95Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 521993–94Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate47.00050%23.500
Best 5No. 431998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 461994–95Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 521993–94Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 541999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 621997–98Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate51.40030%15.420
Best 10No. 431998–99Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 461994–95Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 521993–94Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 541999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 621997–98Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 741996–97Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 831992–93Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 881995–96Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1052000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1142004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate72.10020%14.420

23.500 + 15.420 + 14.420= 53.340

Averages, contributions, and totals are displayed to three decimal places. The ranking calculation keeps full source precision. Read the full method →

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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.

Impact: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#369Better result for this metric.#462
Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better38.7Better result for this metric.47.0
Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better44.2Better result for this metric.51.4
Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better58.3Better result for this metric.72.1
Show more stats: Impact
Impact: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement#184Better result for this metric.#267
Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.8Better result for this metric.+2.5
Best 3 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.4Better result for this metric.+2.1
Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.1Better result for this metric.+1.9
Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.7Better result for this metric.+1.3
Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,983 ptsBetter result for this metric.+1,529 pts
Seasons ranked No. 100
Top-five impact seasons00
Top-ten impact seasons00

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.

Playing time and workload: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Games955942
Minutes30,20628,855

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.

Shooting: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
True shooting percentage53.8%55.6%Better result for this metric.
True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile54.3%55.7%Better result for this metric.
Show more stats: Shooting
Shooting: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Field-goal percentage43.1%44.0%Better result for this metric.
Three-point percentage35.8%35.8%
Free-throw percentage74.1%84.5%Better result for this metric.

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.

Passing: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile13.6%18.0%Better result for this metric.
Assists per game2.93.1Better result for this metric.
Show more stats: Passing
Passing: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile10.3%Better result for this metric.12.0%

Rebounding

Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.

Rebounding: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile8.0%Better result for this metric.6.3%
Rebounds per game4.5Better result for this metric.3.2

Defense

Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.

Defense: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile2.0%Better result for this metric.1.3%
Show more stats: Defense
Defense: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile0.8%Better result for this metric.0.7%

Scoring

Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.

Scoring: Dan Majerle and Steve Smith
MetricDan MajerleSteve Smith
Points per game11.414.3Better result for this metric.

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.

Ranking result

Regular Season Impact

Dan Majerle ranks higher in career impact.

Dan MajerleMetricSteve Smith
#369LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#462
+2.8LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.5
+2.1LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.9
+1,983 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,529 pts

This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.

Context

Team Success

Dan Majerle leads every available measure below.

Dan MajerleMetricSteve Smith
728LeadsListed-team regular-season wins718
65.2%LeadsListed-team winning percentage56.1%
11Leads50-win team seasons7
2Leads60-win team seasons1
13Playoff team seasons13

Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Final records for every listed team-season. A traded season can include more than one team.

Context

Playoff Résumé

The advantages are split across the available measures.

Dan MajerleMetricSteve Smith
13Playoff appearances13
123LeadsPlayoff games90
64LeadsTeam playoff wins58
1Finals appearances1
0Championships1Leads

Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.

Context

Awards

Dan Majerle leads every available measure below.

Dan MajerleMetricSteve Smith
3LeadsAll-Star1
0MVP0
0All-NBA0
2LeadsAll-Defense0
0DPOY0
0Rookie of the Year0

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.

View
Align careers by
Dan MajerleSteve SmithPeak seasonHistorical source qualification

Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11
S12
S13
S14

Striped bars mark seasons with fewer than 40 games. A dashed mark means that player had no season at the aligned point.

S means NBA season number; A means player age. Peak labels identify each player's accepted best season. Hover or focus any pair for season detail, or open Season timeline for the complete evidence ledger.