David Thompson
1976–77 to 1983–84 · 8 seasons
NBA player comparison
David Thompson vs. Steve Francis: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
David Thompson ranks higher in career impact
Steve Francis
1999–00 to 2007–08 · 9 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.
#317LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#477
+4.7LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+4.1
+2.8LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.5
14.7LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better30.0
+1,491 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+1,470 pts
1LeadsTop-10 impact seasons0
Career Impact Rank places David Thompson #317 and Steve Francis #477. 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 RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedDavid Thompson39.813 · No. 317Steve Francis54.800 · No. 477
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.
David Thompson
39.813 composite · No. 317 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 61977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221976–77Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 14.667 | 50% | 7.333 |
| Best 5No. 61977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221976–77Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 261979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 781980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 29.600 | 30% | 8.880 |
| Best 10No. 61977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221976–77Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 261979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 781980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 941982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 2031981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate3 open slots × No. 245 | 118.000 | 20% | 23.600 |
7.333 + 8.880 + 23.600= 39.813
Open-season rule: every unfilled slot uses No. 245, this player's stored replacement finish.
Steve Francis
54.800 composite · No. 477 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 192000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 292002–03Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 422001–02Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 30.000 | 50% | 15.000 |
| Best 5No. 192000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 292002–03Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 422001–02Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 511999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 822004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 44.600 | 30% | 13.380 |
| Best 10No. 192000–01Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 292002–03Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 422001–02Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 511999–00Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 822004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1132003–04Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1332006–07Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1932005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate2 open slots × No. 329.5 | 132.100 | 20% | 26.420 |
15.000 + 13.380 + 26.420= 54.800
Open-season rule: every unfilled slot uses No. 329.5, this player's stored replacement finish.
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 | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank | #317Better result for this metric. | #477 |
| Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 14.7Better result for this metric. | 30.0 |
| Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 29.6Better result for this metric. | 44.6 |
| Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 118.0Better result for this metric. | 132.1 |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #282Better result for this metric. | #294 |
| Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +4.7Better result for this metric. | +4.1 |
| Best 3 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +3.5Better result for this metric. | +3.2 |
| Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.8Better result for this metric. | +2.5 |
| Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +1,491 ptsBetter result for this metric. | +1,470 pts |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Top-five impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 1Better result for this metric. | 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 | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 509 | 576 |
| Minutes | 16,305 | 21,632 |
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 | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 56.6%Better result for this metric. | 53.3% |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 56.3%Better result for this metric. | 53.6% |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 50.4%Better result for this metric. | 42.9% |
| Three-point percentage | 27.7% | 34.1%Better result for this metric. |
| Free-throw percentage | 77.8% | 79.7%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.
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 15.2% | 28.0%Better result for this metric. |
| Assists per game | 3.2 | 6.0Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.7%Better result for this metric. | 17.4% |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 6.2% | 8.5%Better result for this metric. |
| Rebounds per game | 3.8 | 5.6Better result for this metric. |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.2% | 2.0%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.3%Better result for this metric. | 0.7% |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | David Thompson | Steve Francis |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 22.1Better result for this metric. | 18.1 |
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
David Thompson ranks higher in career impact.
David ThompsonMetricSteve Francis
#317LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#477
+4.7LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+4.1
+2.8LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.5
+1,491 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,470 pts
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
The advantages are split across the available measures.
David ThompsonMetricSteve Francis
348Listed-team regular-season wins378Leads
53.0%LeadsListed-team winning percentage46.1%
150-win team seasons1
060-win team seasons0
6LeadsPlayoff team seasons2
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
David Thompson leads every available measure below.
David ThompsonMetricSteve Francis
5LeadsPlayoff appearances1
27LeadsPlayoff games5
10LeadsTeam playoff wins1
0Finals appearances0
0Championships0
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
The advantages are split across the available measures.
David ThompsonMetricSteve Francis
4LeadsAll-Star3
0MVP0
2LeadsAll-NBA0
0All-Defense0
0DPOY0
0Rookie of the Year1Leads
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.
David ThompsonSteve FrancisPeak 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.
David ThompsonNBA seasonSteve Francis
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
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.