Deandre Ayton vs. Don Carlson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Don Carlson 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

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 6 years in the NBA, 2 more than Don Carlson, who played 4. Deandre Ayton had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Don Carlson had his rookie season in 1946-47. 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
Deandre Ayton 6 3 2018-19 to 2023-24
Don Carlson 4 3 1946-47 to 1950-51

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6

Rookie Season

Deandre Ayton Don Carlson
Season 2018-191946-47
Team Phoenix SunsChicago Stags
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayStags Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson 59 - 10.7 - - - 1.0 - - - 3.1 4.6 14.3 .322 - - - 1.5 2.7 .541
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton ------- --- ----------
Don Carlson 11 - 12.3 - - - 0.5 - - - 2.8 4.9 18.2 .270 - - - 2.5 4.0 .614

Note: Don Carlson didn't play in 1947-48.

Season 2

Deandre Ayton Don Carlson
Season 2019-201948-49
Team Phoenix SunsMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards
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 %
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
Don Carlson 55 - 9.2 - - - 3.1 - - - 3.3 3.8 11.5 .334 - - - 1.6 2.4 .662
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton ------- --- ----------
Don Carlson 10 - 6.0 - - - 2.8 - - - 3.0 2.3 9.5 .242 - - - 1.4 2.5 .560

Season 3

Deandre Ayton Don Carlson
Season 2020-211949-50
Team Phoenix SunsMinneapolis Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost NBA FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson 57 - 4.7 - - - 1.3 - - - 2.2 1.7 5.1 .341 - - - 1.2 1.7 .726
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson 10 - 5.4 - - - 1.1 - - - 1.9 2.1 3.7 .568 - - - 1.2 1.5 .800

Season 4

Deandre Ayton Don Carlson
Season 2021-221950-51
Team Phoenix SunsBaltimore Bullets (1st)
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson 9 - 4.7 - - 1.7 2.1 - - - 2.6 1.9 5.1 .370 - - - 0.9 1.8 .500
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Deandre Ayton Don Carlson
Season 2022-23-
Team Phoenix Suns-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf Semis-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Don Carlson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Deandre Ayton Don Carlson
Season 2023-24-
Team Portland Trail Blazers-
Honors & Awards
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 %
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
Don Carlson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Deandre Ayton ------- --- ----------
Don Carlson ------- --- ----------