Is AJ Hammons Better Than Austin Rivers? NBA Stats Decide

Few NBA comparisons generate more debate than AJ Hammons vs Austin Rivers. The numbers reveal a genuinely competitive matchup — AJ Hammons takes 5 categories while Austin Rivers claims 3, making this one of the closer head to head comparisons at the C position. Every statistical category matters in a matchup this tight.

AJ Hammons's Points Per Game of 48 compared to Austin Rivers's 8.5 represents a 464.7% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. Austin Rivers falls 25.4% below the career average of 11.4 in this category while AJ Hammons exceeds it. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for AJ Hammons's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Field Goal %, where AJ Hammons posts 40.5% against Austin Rivers's 41.9% — a gap of just 3.5%. Austin Rivers can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 5-3 tally suggests. In any debate, Field Goal % is the statistical ammunition for the Austin Rivers side.

Centers have evolved dramatically across NBA eras — from dominant low-post scorers to modern stretch bigs. Career statistics must be evaluated with positional evolution and era context in mind.

The verdict favors AJ Hammons — 5 categories to 3 — but Austin Rivers makes this far from a one-sided debate. Anyone building the case for Austin Rivers has real statistical ammunition particularly in Field Goal % where the gap narrows to just 3.5%. The numbers have spoken, but the argument will continue.