Deandre Ayton vs. D'Angelo Russell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of D'Angelo Russell and Deandre Ayton, 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 / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

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.

Deandre Ayton played 8 years in the NBA, 3 less than D'Angelo Russell, who played 11. Deandre Ayton had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while D'Angelo Russell had his rookie season in 2015-16. 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
Deandre Ayton 8 3 2018-19 to 2025-26
D'Angelo Russell 11 4 2015-16 to 2025-26

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2018-192015-16
Team Phoenix SunsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Did not playDid not play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 71 30.7 16.3 3.1 7.1 10.3 1.8 0.9 0.9 1.8 2.9 7.2 12.3 .585 0.0 0.1 .000 2.0 2.7 .746
difference:+9+2.5+3.1+2.5+4.3+6.9+1.5+0.3+0.7-0.7-1.1+2.3+0.3+.175+1.6+4.5+.351+0.2+0.3+.009
D'Angelo Russell 80 28.2 13.2 0.6 2.8 3.4 3.3 1.2 0.2 2.5 1.8 4.9 12.0 .410 1.6 4.6 .351 1.8 2.4 .737
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Deandre Ayton nor D'Angelo Russell played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2019-202016-17
Team Phoenix SunsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did not playDid not play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 38 32.5 18.2 3.9 7.6 11.5 1.9 0.7 1.5 2.1 3.1 8.2 14.9 .546 0.1 0.3 .231 1.8 2.3 .753
difference:+25+3.8+2.6+3.4+4.6+8.0+2.9+0.7+1.2-0.7-1.0+2.6+1.1+.141+2.0+5.8+.121+0.5+0.7+.029
D'Angelo Russell 63 28.7 15.6 0.5 3.0 3.5 4.8 1.4 0.3 2.8 2.1 5.6 13.8 .405 2.1 6.1 .352 2.3 3.0 .782
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Deandre Ayton nor D'Angelo Russell played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2020-212017-18
Team Phoenix SunsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost NBA FinalsDid not play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 69 30.7 14.4 3.3 7.2 10.5 1.4 0.6 1.2 1.5 2.8 6.2 10.0 .626 0.1 0.3 .200 1.9 2.5 .769
difference:+21+5.0+1.1+2.7+3.9+6.6+3.8+0.2+0.8-1.6-0.9+0.4+4.0+.212+1.8+5.5+.124+0.1+0.2+.029
D'Angelo Russell 48 25.7 15.5 0.6 3.3 3.9 5.2 0.8 0.4 3.1 1.9 5.8 14.0 .414 1.9 5.8 .324 2.0 2.7 .740
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 22 36.4 15.8 3.0 8.8 11.8 1.1 0.8 1.1 1.3 2.9 7.0 10.6 .658 0.0 0.0 - 1.8 2.4 .736
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2021-222018-19
Team Phoenix SunsBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisNets Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 58 29.5 17.2 2.6 7.7 10.2 1.4 0.7 0.7 1.6 2.4 7.6 12.0 .634 0.1 0.3 .368 1.8 2.4 .746
difference:+23+0.7+3.9+1.9+4.5+6.3+5.6+0.5+0.5-1.5-0.7+0.5+6.7+.200+2.8+7.5+.001+0.2+0.1+.034
D'Angelo Russell 81 30.2 21.1 0.7 3.2 3.9 7.0 1.2 0.2 3.1 1.7 8.1 18.7 .434 2.9 7.8 .369 2.0 2.5 .780
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 13 30.5 17.9 2.5 6.4 8.9 1.7 0.4 0.8 1.5 2.6 8.1 12.6 .640 0.2 0.3 .500 1.6 2.5 .636
difference:+8+0.9+1.5+2.1+3.2+5.3+1.9+1.0+0.6-1.3-0.2+0.7+8.0+.281+2.2+7.1+.176+0.6+0.1+.210
D'Angelo Russell 5 29.6 19.4 0.4 3.2 3.6 3.6 1.4 0.2 2.8 2.4 7.4 20.6 .359 2.4 7.4 .324 2.2 2.6 .846

Season 5
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2022-232019-20
Team Phoenix SunsGolden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisDid not play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 67 30.4 18.0 2.6 7.4 10.0 1.7 0.6 0.8 1.8 2.8 7.8 13.2 .589 0.1 0.4 .292 2.3 3.0 .760
difference:+22+1.9+5.1+2.2+3.8+6.1+4.6+0.5+0.5-1.5-0.9+0.2+5.6+.163+3.4+9.2+.075+1.3+1.4+.049
D'Angelo Russell 45 32.3 23.1 0.4 3.6 3.9 6.3 1.1 0.3 3.3 1.9 8.0 18.8 .426 3.5 9.6 .367 3.6 4.4 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 10 31.9 13.4 2.9 6.8 9.7 1.0 0.6 0.7 1.7 3.5 6.1 11.1 .550 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 2.3 .522
D'Angelo Russell DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2023-242020-21
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did not playDid not play
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 55 32.4 16.7 3.2 7.9 11.1 1.6 1.0 0.8 1.8 2.0 7.8 13.6 .570 0.0 0.2 .100 1.2 1.4 .823
difference:+13+3.9+2.3+2.8+5.6+8.5+4.2+0.1+0.4-0.9-0.4+1.1+1.9+.139+2.9+7.2+.287+1.5+2.1+.058
D'Angelo Russell 42 28.5 19.0 0.4 2.3 2.6 5.8 1.1 0.4 2.7 1.6 6.7 15.5 .431 2.9 7.4 .387 2.7 3.5 .765
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Deandre Ayton nor D'Angelo Russell played in the postseason in their season 6

Season 7
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2024-252021-22
Team Portland Trail BlazersMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did not playTimberwolves Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 40 30.2 14.4 3.1 7.1 10.2 1.6 0.8 1.0 1.7 2.2 6.6 11.7 .566 0.2 0.8 .188 1.0 1.5 .667
difference:+25+1.8+3.7+2.7+4.2+6.9+5.5+0.2+0.7-0.8-0.2+0.4+3.3+.155+2.5+7.2+.152+2.0+2.2+.158
D'Angelo Russell 65 32.0 18.1 0.4 2.9 3.3 7.1 1.0 0.3 2.5 2.0 6.2 15.0 .411 2.7 8.0 .340 3.0 3.7 .825
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton DNP------ --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 6 32.7 12.0 0.0 2.5 2.5 6.7 1.5 0.0 2.8 2.8 4.0 12.0 .333 2.0 5.2 .387 2.0 2.7 .750

Season 8
Deandre Ayton D'Angelo Russell
Season 2025-262022-23
Team Los Angeles LakersMinnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did not play
(season in progress)		Lakers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton 26 29.6 14.8 2.8 6.0 8.8 0.9 0.8 1.0 1.8 2.6 6.9 9.8 .709 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.6 .610
difference:+45+2.9+3.0+2.3+3.5+5.8+5.3+0.2+0.6-0.8-0.6+0.6+3.6+.240+2.7+6.9+1.5+1.4+.219
D'Angelo Russell 71 32.5 17.8 0.5 2.5 3.0 6.2 1.0 0.4 2.6 2.0 6.3 13.4 .469 2.7 6.9 .396 2.5 3.0 .829
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton DNP------ --- ----------
D'Angelo Russell 16 29.6 13.3 0.6 2.3 2.9 4.6 0.7 0.3 1.8 2.0 5.2 12.2 .426 1.7 5.4 .310 1.3 1.6 .769

Additional Years

* D'Angelo Russell played 3 seasons more than Deandre Ayton in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 11, from 2024 to 2026—D'Angelo Russell played in one postseason and one NBA Cup.

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