Damian Lillard vs. Vern Mikkelsen Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Vern Mikkelsen and Damian Lillard, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

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.

Damian Lillard played 12 years in the NBA, 2 more than Vern Mikkelsen, who played 10. Damian Lillard had the first of his seasons in 2012-13, while Vern Mikkelsen had his rookie season in 1949-50. 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 achivements, 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
Damian Lillard 12 9 2012-13 to 2023-24
Vern Mikkelsen 10 9 1949-50 to 1958-59

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2012-131949-50
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 82 38.6 19.0 0.5 2.6 3.1 6.5 0.9 0.2 3.0 2.1 6.7 15.7 .429 2.3 6.1 .368 3.3 3.9 .844
Vern Mikkelsen 68 - 11.6 - - - 1.8 - - - 3.3 4.2 10.6 .399 - - - 3.2 4.2 .752
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard ------- --- ----------
Vern Mikkelsen 12 - 13.0 - - - 1.5 - - - 4.3 4.6 12.4 .369 - - - 3.8 5.0 .767

Season 2

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2013-141950-51
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf SemisLakers Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 82 35.8 20.7 0.4 3.1 3.5 5.6 0.8 0.3 2.4 2.4 6.7 15.9 .424 2.7 6.8 .394 4.5 5.2 .871
Vern Mikkelsen 64 - 14.1 - - 10.2 2.8 - - - 4.1 5.6 14.0 .402 - - - 2.9 4.3 .676
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 11 42.4 22.9 1.1 4.0 5.1 6.5 1.0 0.1 2.7 2.6 7.5 17.2 .439 2.5 6.4 .386 5.4 6.0 .894
Vern Mikkelsen 7 - 15.6 - - 9.6 2.4 - - - 5.0 5.6 13.7 .406 - - - 4.4 6.7 .660

Season 3

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2014-151951-52
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 82 35.7 21.0 0.6 4.0 4.6 6.2 1.2 0.3 2.7 2.0 7.2 16.6 .434 2.4 7.0 .343 4.2 4.9 .864
Vern Mikkelsen 66 35.5 15.3 - - 10.3 2.7 - - - 4.3 5.5 13.1 .419 - - - 4.3 5.6 .761
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 5 40.2 21.6 0.4 3.6 4.0 4.6 0.4 0.6 2.4 3.0 7.8 19.2 .406 1.0 6.2 .161 5.0 6.4 .781
Vern Mikkelsen 13 38.1 13.3 - - 8.5 1.5 - - - 5.1 4.6 10.7 .432 - - - 4.1 4.9 .828

Season 4

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2015-161952-53
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second TeamAchievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 75 35.7 25.1 0.6 3.4 4.0 6.8 0.9 0.4 3.2 2.2 8.2 19.7 .419 3.1 8.1 .375 5.5 6.2 .892
Vern Mikkelsen 70 35.2 15.0 - - 9.3 2.1 - - - 4.1 5.4 12.4 .435 - - - 4.2 5.5 .752
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 11 39.7 26.5 1.1 3.2 4.3 6.3 1.3 0.3 3.0 2.1 8.1 22.0 .368 3.8 9.7 .393 6.5 7.1 .910
Vern Mikkelsen 12 33.3 12.0 - - 8.7 2.0 - - - 4.9 3.7 11.1 .331 - - - 4.7 5.5 .848

Season 5

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2016-171953-54
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 75 35.9 27.0 0.6 4.3 4.9 5.9 0.9 0.3 2.6 2.0 8.8 19.8 .444 2.9 7.7 .370 6.5 7.3 .895
Vern Mikkelsen 72 31.2 11.1 - - 8.5 1.7 - - - 3.7 4.0 10.7 .374 - - - 3.1 4.1 .742
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 4 37.8 27.8 1.0 3.5 4.5 3.3 1.3 0.5 3.3 2.8 9.8 22.5 .433 2.3 8.0 .281 6.0 6.3 .960
Vern Mikkelsen 13 28.8 10.2 - - 5.6 1.3 - - - 4.0 3.9 8.5 .459 - - - 2.4 2.8 .861

Season 6

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2017-181954-55
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdLakers Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 73 36.6 26.9 0.8 3.6 4.5 6.6 1.1 0.4 2.8 1.6 8.5 19.4 .439 3.1 8.6 .361 6.8 7.4 .916
Vern Mikkelsen 71 36.0 18.7 - - 10.2 2.0 - - - 4.5 6.2 14.7 .422 - - - 6.3 8.4 .747
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 4 40.5 18.5 0.8 3.8 4.5 4.8 1.3 0.0 4.0 2.0 6.3 17.8 .352 2.3 7.5 .300 3.8 4.3 .882
Vern Mikkelsen 7 29.9 13.7 - - 11.1 1.9 - - - 5.1 4.3 12.1 .353 - - - 5.1 6.6 .783

Season 7

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2018-191955-56
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf FinalsLakers Lost West Div Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 80 35.5 25.8 0.9 3.8 4.6 6.9 1.1 0.4 2.7 1.9 8.5 19.2 .444 3.0 8.0 .369 5.9 6.4 .912
Vern Mikkelsen 72 29.2 13.4 - - 8.4 2.4 - - - 4.4 4.4 11.4 .386 - - - 4.6 5.7 .804
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 16 40.6 26.9 0.5 4.3 4.8 6.6 1.7 0.3 3.8 2.5 8.6 20.6 .418 3.7 9.9 .373 5.9 7.1 .833
Vern Mikkelsen 3 30.0 13.3 - - 5.7 0.7 - - - 4.7 3.7 8.7 .423 - - - 6.0 6.7 .900

Season 8

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2019-201956-57
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdLakers Lost West Div Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 66 37.5 30.0 0.5 3.8 4.3 8.0 1.1 0.3 2.9 1.7 9.5 20.4 .463 4.1 10.2 .401 7.0 7.8 .888
Vern Mikkelsen 72 30.5 13.7 - - 8.8 1.7 - - - 4.3 4.5 11.9 .377 - - - 4.8 5.9 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 4 35.8 24.3 0.3 3.3 3.5 4.3 0.5 0.3 3.5 1.0 6.5 16.0 .406 3.3 8.3 .394 8.0 8.3 .970
Vern Mikkelsen 5 32.4 17.6 - - 8.6 3.4 - - - 5.8 6.6 16.6 .398 - - - 4.4 6.8 .647

Season 9

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2020-211957-58
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 67 35.8 28.8 0.5 3.7 4.2 7.5 0.9 0.3 3.0 1.5 9.0 19.9 .451 4.1 10.5 .391 6.7 7.2 .928
Vern Mikkelsen 72 33.2 17.3 - - 11.2 2.3 - - - 4.2 6.1 14.9 .410 - - - 5.1 6.5 .786
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 6 41.3 34.3 0.2 4.2 4.3 10.2 1.0 0.7 2.2 1.5 10.3 22.3 .463 5.8 13.0 .449 7.8 8.3 .940
Vern Mikkelsen ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2021-221958-59
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 29 36.4 24.0 0.4 3.7 4.1 7.3 0.6 0.4 2.9 1.3 7.7 19.0 .402 3.2 9.8 .324 5.5 6.2 .878
Vern Mikkelsen 72 29.7 13.8 - - 7.9 2.2 - - - 3.4 4.9 12.6 .390 - - - 4.0 4.9 .806
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard ------- --- ----------
Vern Mikkelsen 13 28.5 15.5 - - 7.2 1.8 - - - 4.2 5.6 13.6 .412 - - - 4.3 5.6 .767

Season 11

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2022-23-
Team Portland Trail Blazers-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 58 36.3 32.2 0.8 4.0 4.8 7.3 0.9 0.3 3.3 1.9 9.6 20.7 .463 4.2 11.3 .371 8.8 9.6 .914
Vern Mikkelsen ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard ------- --- ----------
Vern Mikkelsen ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Damian Lillard Vern Mikkelsen
Season 2023-24-
Team Milwaukee Bucks-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Achievement All-Star Game NVP-
Playoffs Bucks Lost East Conf 1st Rd-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 73 35.3 24.3 0.5 3.9 4.4 7.0 1.0 0.2 2.6 1.8 7.4 17.5 .424 3.0 8.5 .354 6.5 7.0 .920
Vern Mikkelsen ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Damian Lillard 4 39.0 31.3 0.5 2.8 3.3 5.0 1.0 0.0 2.3 2.0 8.5 20.3 .420 5.0 12.0 .417 9.3 9.5 .974
Vern Mikkelsen ------- --- ----------