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NBA player comparison

Monta Ellis vs. Randy Smith: Career comparison

hussEyquationCareer impact · regular season
Regular-season verdict

Randy Smith 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.

#987Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#438Leads
+1.7LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.5
+0.9Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.0Leads
68.7Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better43.3Leads
+1,066 ptsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+1,526 ptsLeads
146.1Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better72.3Leads

Career Impact Rank places Randy Smith #438 and Monta Ellis #987. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three. Monta Ellis had the higher single-season impact estimate.

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/monta-ellis/randy-smith/career
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedMonta Ellis92.953 · No. 987Randy Smith51.007 · No. 438

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.

Monta Ellis

92.953 composite · No. 987 all-time

Monta Ellis's Career Composite windows
Window and finishes usedAverage finishWeightContribution
Best 3No. 652012–13Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 692010–11Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 722007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate68.66750%34.333
Best 5No. 652012–13Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 692010–11Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 722007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1402011–12Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1442015–16Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate98.00030%29.400
Best 10No. 652012–13Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 692010–11Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 722007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1402011–12Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1442015–16Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1752006–07Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1832013–14Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1952009–10Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 2062005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 2122014–15Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate146.10020%29.220

34.333 + 29.400 + 29.220= 92.953

Randy Smith

51.007 composite · No. 438 all-time

Randy Smith's Career Composite windows
Window and finishes usedAverage finishWeightContribution
Best 3No. 381975–76Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 411976–77Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 511977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate43.33350%21.667
Best 5No. 381975–76Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 411976–77Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 511977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 531972–73Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 651973–74Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate49.60030%14.880
Best 10No. 381975–76Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 411976–77Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 511977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 531972–73Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 651973–74Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 661971–72Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 731980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 771974–75Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1251979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1341978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate72.30020%14.460

21.667 + 14.880 + 14.460= 51.007

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: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#987#438Better result for this metric.
Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better68.743.3Better result for this metric.
Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better98.049.6Better result for this metric.
Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better146.172.3Better result for this metric.
Show more stats: Impact
Impact: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement#430#268Better result for this metric.
Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.7Better 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.+1.3
Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+0.9+1.0Better result for this metric.
Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better-0.0+0.4Better result for this metric.
Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,066 pts+1,526 ptsBetter result for this metric.
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: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Games833976
Minutes29,01131,444

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: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
True shooting percentage52.3%Better result for this metric.51.3%
True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile52.1%Better result for this metric.51.2%
Show more stats: Shooting
Shooting: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Field-goal percentage45.1%47.0%Better result for this metric.
Three-point percentage31.4%Better result for this metric.15.5%
Free-throw percentage77.2%78.1%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: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile21.7%Better result for this metric.20.9%
Assists per game4.64.6
Show more stats: Passing
Passing: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile13.6%13.1%Better result for this metric.

Rebounding

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

Rebounding: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile5.5%6.1%Better result for this metric.
Rebounds per game3.53.7Better result for this metric.

Defense

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

Defense: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile2.4%2.4%
Show more stats: Defense
Defense: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile0.7%Better result for this metric.0.1%

Scoring

Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.

Scoring: Monta Ellis and Randy Smith
MetricMonta EllisRandy Smith
Points per game17.8Better result for this metric.16.7

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

Randy Smith ranks higher in career impact.

Monta EllisMetricRandy Smith
#987Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#438Leads
+1.7LeadsPeak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.5
+0.9Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+1.0Leads
+1,066 ptsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,526 ptsLeads

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

Context

Team Success

The advantages are split across the available measures.

Monta EllisMetricRandy Smith
493Listed-team regular-season wins676Leads
47.7%LeadsListed-team winning percentage0.7%
150-win team seasons5Leads
060-win team seasons5Leads
6LeadsPlayoff team seasons4

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

Monta Ellis leads every available measure below.

Monta EllisMetricRandy Smith
6LeadsPlayoff appearances4
38LeadsPlayoff games24
12LeadsTeam playoff wins10
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.

Context

Awards

Randy Smith leads every available measure below.

Monta EllisMetricRandy Smith
0All-Star2Leads
0MVP0
0All-NBA1Leads
0All-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
Monta EllisRandy 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

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.