Tom Heinsohn
1956–57 to 1964–65 · 9 seasons
NBA player comparison
Tom Heinsohn vs. Tom Sanders: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
Tom Heinsohn ranks higher in career impact
Tom Sanders
1960–61 to 1972–73 · 13 seasons
Impact comparison
#133LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#181
+1.9LeadsPeak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average+0.9
+1.3LeadsBest 5 average impact+0.6
15.3LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place; closer to No. 1 is better19.7
+1,565 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+1,050 pts
25.4LeadsBest 10 average finishAverage league place; closer to No. 1 is better38.5
Career Impact Rank places Tom Heinsohn #133 and Tom Sanders #181. 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 calculatedTom Heinsohn17.547 · No. 133Tom Sanders24.193 · No. 181
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.
Tom Heinsohn
17.547 composite · No. 133 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 141961–62Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161959–60Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161960–61Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 15.333 | 50% | 7.667 |
| Best 5No. 141961–62Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161959–60Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161960–61Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 171958–59Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 171963–64Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 16.000 | 30% | 4.800 |
| Best 10No. 141961–62Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161959–60Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 161960–61Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 171958–59Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 171963–64Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 191956–57Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 191962–63Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 211957–58Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 331964–65Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimate1 open slot × No. 82 | 25.400 | 20% | 5.080 |
7.667 + 4.800 + 5.080= 17.547
Open-season rule: every unfilled slot uses No. 82, this player's stored replacement finish.
Tom Sanders
24.193 composite · No. 181 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 181962–63Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 191963–64Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221961–62Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 19.667 | 50% | 9.833 |
| Best 5No. 181962–63Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 191963–64Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221961–62Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 231960–61Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 291964–65Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 22.200 | 30% | 6.660 |
| Best 10No. 181962–63Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 191963–64Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221961–62Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 231960–61Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 291964–65Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 391965–66Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 461968–69Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 561966–67Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 661969–70Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 671967–68Reconstructed historical estimateIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 38.500 | 20% | 7.700 |
9.833 + 6.660 + 7.700= 24.193
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 | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank | #133Better result for this metric. | #181 |
| Best 3 average finish | 15.3Better result for this metric. | 19.7 |
| Best 5 average finish | 16.0Better result for this metric. | 22.2 |
| Best 10 average finish | 25.4Better result for this metric. | 38.5 |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #261Better result for this metric. | #436 |
| Peak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average | +1.9Better result for this metric. | +0.9 |
| Best 3 average impact | +1.5Better result for this metric. | +0.8 |
| Best 5 average impact | +1.3Better result for this metric. | +0.6 |
| Best 10 average impact | Unavailable | +0.0 |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +1,565 ptsBetter result for this metric. | +1,050 pts |
| 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 | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 654 | 916 |
| Minutes | 19,254 | 22,164 |
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. Statistics that were not recorded in earlier eras are left out. 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 | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 46.0% | 48.2%Better result for this metric. |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 46.2% | 48.6%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 40.5% | 42.8%Better result for this metric. |
| Three-point percentage | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Free-throw percentage | 79.0%Better result for this metric. | 76.7% |
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 | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.9%Better result for this metric. | 6.3% |
| Assists per game | 2.0Better result for this metric. | 1.1 |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Rebounds per game | 8.8Better result for this metric. | 6.3 |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Tom Heinsohn | Tom Sanders |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 18.6Better result for this metric. | 9.6 |
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
Tom Heinsohn ranks higher in career impact.
Tom HeinsohnMetricTom Sanders
#133LeadsCareer Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#181
+1.9LeadsPeak era-centered impactEstimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average+0.9
+1.3LeadsBest 5 average impact+0.6
+1,565 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,050 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.
Tom HeinsohnMetricTom Sanders
518Listed-team regular-season wins967Leads
2.6%LeadsListed-team winning percentage0.5%
750-win team seasons13Leads
260-win team seasons10Leads
9Playoff team seasons11Leads
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.
Tom HeinsohnMetricTom Sanders
9Playoff appearances11Leads
104Playoff games130Leads
69Team playoff wins91Leads
9LeadsFinals appearances8
8Championships8
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.
Tom HeinsohnMetricTom Sanders
6LeadsAll-Star0
0MVP0
4LeadsAll-NBA0
0All-Defense1Leads
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.
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.
Tom HeinsohnTom SandersPeak 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.
Tom HeinsohnNBA seasonTom Sanders
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
No season
Season 10No season
Season 11No season
Season 12Observed 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.