Bronny James vs. Karl Malone Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Karl Malone and Bronny James, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.
Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.
Bronny James played 1 year in the NBA, 18 less than Karl Malone, who played 19. Bronny James had his first NBA Season in 2024-25, while Karl Malone had his rookie season in 1985-86. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achievements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.
Their Careers | |||
| Player | Total Seasons | Playoffs Played | NBA Years |
| Bronny James | 1 | 1 | 2024-25 |
| Karl Malone | 19 | 19 | 1985-86 to 2003-04 |
Comparison Season by Season |
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Jump to season: | ||
Rookie Season |
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| Bronny James | Karl Malone | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 1985-86 |
| Team | Los Angeles Lakers | Utah Jazz |
| Honors & Awards | - |  All-Rookie First Team |
| Playoffs | Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd |
Rookie Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Bronny James | 27 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.5 | .313 | 0.3 | 1.2 | .281 | 0.4 | 0.5 | .786 |
| difference: | +54 | +23.9 | +12.6 | +2.0 | +6.2 | +8.2 | +2.1 | +1.0 | +0.4 | -2.9 | -3.1 | +5.4 | +10.0 | +.183 | +0.3 | +1.2 | +2.0 | +4.5 | +.305 | |
| Karl Malone | 81 | 30.6 | 14.9 | 2.1 | 6.7 | 8.9 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 6.2 | 12.5 | .496 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | 2.4 | 5.0 | .481 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Bronny James | 2 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 1.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - |
| difference: | +2 | +34.0 | +21.8 | +1.5 | +6.0 | +7.5 | +1.0 | +2.0 | -1.5 | -4.5 | +9.5 | +17.0 | +.528 | +1.0 | +2.8 | +6.5 | ||||
| Karl Malone | 4 | 36.0 | 21.8 | 1.5 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 4.5 | 9.5 | 18.0 | .528 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | 2.8 | 6.5 | .423 |
Additional Years |
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* Karl Malone played 18 seasons more than Bronny James in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 2 to 19, from 1987 to 2004—Karl Malone played in 18 Playoffs. In those 18 extra years over Bronny James, Karl Malone got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 2 Season MVP 11 All-NBA First Team 2 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 3 All-Defensive First Team 1 All-Defensive Second Team 14 All-Star Game 2 All-Star Game MVP |