Larry Bird
1979–80 to 1991–92 · 13 seasons
NBA player comparison
Larry Bird vs. Nikola Jokić: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
Nikola Jokić ranks higher in career impact so far
Nikola Jokić
2015–16 to 2025–26 · 11 seasons · active
Impact comparison
#9Career Impact Rank to datePeak-weighted regular-season rank#8Leads
+8.8Peak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average+13.8Leads
+8.5Best 5 average impact+13.3Leads
4Seasons ranked No. 15Leads
+6,247 ptsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+6,557 ptsLeads
10LeadsTop-10 impact seasons9
Career Impact Rank places Nikola Jokić #8 and Larry Bird #9. 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 calculatedLarry Bird1.600 · No. 9Nikola Jokić1.600 · No. 8
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.
Larry Bird
1.600 composite · No. 9 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 11982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.000 | 50% | 0.500 |
| Best 5No. 11982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 21986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.200 | 30% | 0.360 |
| Best 10No. 11982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 11985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 21986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 31981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 31987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 61991–92Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 91980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 101979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 3.700 | 20% | 0.740 |
0.500 + 0.360 + 0.740= 1.600
Nikola Jokić
1.600 composite · No. 8 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 12020–21No. 12021–22No. 12022–23 | 1.000 | 50% | 0.500 |
| Best 5No. 12020–21No. 12021–22No. 12022–23No. 12024–25No. 12025–26 | 1.000 | 30% | 0.300 |
| Best 10No. 12020–21No. 12021–22No. 12022–23No. 12024–25No. 12025–26No. 22023–24No. 42018–19Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 82017–18Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 92019–20Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 122016–17Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 4.000 | 20% | 0.800 |
0.500 + 0.300 + 0.800= 1.600
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 | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact Rank to datePeak-weighted regular-season rank | #9 | #8Better result for this metric. |
| Best 3 average finish | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Best 5 average finish | 1.2 | 1.0Better result for this metric. |
| Best 10 average finish | 3.7Better result for this metric. | 4.0 |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #20 | #12Better result for this metric. |
| Peak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average | +8.8 | +13.8Better result for this metric. |
| Best 3 average impact | +8.7 | +13.5Better result for this metric. |
| Best 5 average impact | +8.5 | +13.3Better result for this metric. |
| Best 10 average impact | +7.2 | +10.8Better result for this metric. |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +6,247 pts | +6,557 ptsBetter result for this metric. |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 4 | 5Better result for this metric. |
| Top-five impact seasons | 7 | 7 |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 10Better result for this metric. | 9 |
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 | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 897 | 810 |
| Minutes | 34,443 | 25,914 |
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 | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 56.4% | 64.1%Better result for this metric. |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 56.8% | 64.3%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 49.6% | 56.1%Better result for this metric. |
| Three-point percentage | 37.6%Better result for this metric. | 36.2% |
| Free-throw percentage | 88.6%Better result for this metric. | 82.5% |
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 | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 25.9% | 39.7%Better result for this metric. |
| Assists per game | 6.3 | 7.5Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.5%Better result for this metric. | 14.9% |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 14.2% | 19.4%Better result for this metric. |
| Rebounds per game | 10.0 | 11.1Better result for this metric. |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 2.1%Better result for this metric. | 1.9% |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.3% | 2.0%Better result for this metric. |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Larry Bird | Nikola Jokić |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 24.3Better result for this metric. | 22.2 |
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.
Career to date. At least one player is active. Every total below stops after the latest completed season in this data; nothing is projected.
Regular Season Impact
Nikola Jokić ranks higher in career impact so far.
Larry BirdMetricNikola Jokić
#9Career Impact Rank to datePeak-weighted regular-season rank#8Leads
+8.8Peak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average+13.8Leads
+8.5Best 5 average impact+13.3Leads
+6,247 ptsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+6,557 ptsLeads
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
Larry Bird leads every available measure below.
Larry BirdMetricNikola Jokić
751LeadsListed-team regular-season wins528
70.5%LeadsListed-team winning percentage59.8%
12Leads50-win team seasons5
6Leads60-win team seasons0
13LeadsPlayoff team seasons8
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
Larry Bird leads every available measure below.
Larry BirdMetricNikola Jokić
12LeadsPlayoff appearances8
164LeadsPlayoff games100
104LeadsTeam playoff wins53
5LeadsFinals appearances1
3LeadsChampionships1
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
Larry Bird leads every available measure below.
Larry BirdMetricNikola Jokić
12LeadsAll-Star8
3MVP3
10LeadsAll-NBA8
3LeadsAll-Defense0
0DPOY0
1LeadsRookie 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. Active-career totals are results to date through the latest completed season in the source.
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.
Larry BirdNikola JokićPeak seasonHistorical source qualification
Career to date. Active careers stop at the latest completed season; no future seasons are projected.
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.
Larry BirdNBA seasonNikola Jokić
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12
No season
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.