Arinze Onuaku vs Larry Bird: Who Wins on NBA Stats?

This is as close as it gets. Arinze Onuaku and Larry Bird split the statistical categories evenly — 4 apiece — making this one of the most genuinely contested PF comparisons in NBA history. When the numbers are this balanced, the debate comes down to which statistics matter most to you.

Larry Bird's Rebounds Per Game of 10.0 compared to Arinze Onuaku's 1.8 represents a 455.6% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. Arinze Onuaku falls 73.5% below the career average of 6.8 in this category while Larry Bird exceeds it. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Larry Bird's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Field Goal %, where Arinze Onuaku posts 65.2% against Larry Bird's 49.0% — a gap of just 33.1%. Larry Bird can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 4-4 tally suggests. In any debate, Field Goal % is the statistical ammunition for the Larry Bird side.

The forward position in professional basketball demands versatility — the ability to score, rebound and defend at an elite level. The most decorated forwards in NBA history have excelled across multiple statistical categories.

With categories split evenly, this comparison ultimately comes down to which statistics matter most to you. Larry Bird claims the tiebreaker through Rebounds Per Game advantage — a 455.6% edge — but reasonable people can, and do, argue both sides of this NBA debate.