Deandre Ayton vs. Ricky Rubio Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Ricky Rubio 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, 4 less than Ricky Rubio, who played 12. Deandre Ayton had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Ricky Rubio had his rookie season in 2011-12. 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
Ricky Rubio 12 3 2011-12 to 2022-23

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

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

Rookie Season
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2018-192011-12
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First 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:+30+3.5+5.7+2.6+3.4+6.1+6.4+1.3+0.7-1.4-0.5+3.8+2.8+.228+0.8+2.2+.340+1.1+1.1+.057
Ricky Rubio 41 34.2 10.6 0.5 3.7 4.2 8.2 2.2 0.2 3.2 2.4 3.4 9.5 .357 0.8 2.3 .340 3.1 3.8 .803
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Deandre Ayton nor Ricky Rubio played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2019-202012-13
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
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:+19+2.8+7.5+3.1+4.4+7.5+5.4+1.7+1.4-0.9-0.6+5.0+5.9+.186+0.4+1.3+.062+1.9+2.3+.046
Ricky Rubio 57 29.7 10.7 0.8 3.2 4.0 7.3 2.4 0.1 3.0 2.5 3.2 9.0 .360 0.5 1.6 .293 3.7 4.6 .799
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Deandre Ayton nor Ricky Rubio played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2020-212013-14
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
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:+13+1.5+4.9+2.6+3.8+6.3+7.2+1.7+1.1-1.2-0.1+3.1+1.8+.245+0.4+1.3+.131+0.9+1.0+.033
Ricky Rubio 82 32.2 9.5 0.7 3.4 4.2 8.6 2.3 0.1 2.7 2.7 3.1 8.2 .381 0.5 1.6 .331 2.8 3.5 .802
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
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2021-222014-15
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota Timberwolves
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Suns Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
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:+36+2.0+6.9+1.7+2.9+4.5+7.4+1.0+0.7-1.3-0.3+4.1+2.0+.278+0.5+2.0+.113+0.8+0.8+.057
Ricky Rubio 22 31.5 10.3 0.9 4.8 5.7 8.8 1.7 0.0 2.9 2.7 3.5 10.0 .356 0.6 2.3 .255 2.6 3.2 .803
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
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2022-232015-16
Team Phoenix SunsMinnesota 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:+9+0.2+7.9+2.1+3.6+5.7+7.0+1.5+0.7-0.7-0.2+4.9+5.5+.215+0.7+2.1+.034+1.2+1.1+.087
Ricky Rubio 76 30.6 10.1 0.5 3.8 4.3 8.7 2.1 0.1 2.5 2.6 2.9 7.7 .374 0.8 2.5 .326 3.5 4.1 .847
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
Ricky Rubio DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2023-242016-17
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:+20+0.5+5.6+2.3+4.7+7.0+7.5+0.7+0.7-0.8-0.7+4.3+4.9+.168+0.8+2.4+.206+2.2+2.4+.068
Ricky Rubio 75 32.9 11.1 0.9 3.2 4.1 9.1 1.7 0.1 2.6 2.7 3.5 8.7 .402 0.8 2.6 .306 3.4 3.8 .891
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Deandre Ayton nor Ricky Rubio played in the postseason in their season 6

Season 7
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2024-252017-18
Team Portland Trail BlazersUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayJazz Lost West Conf Semis
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:+37+0.9+1.3+2.5+3.1+5.6+3.7+0.8+0.9-1.0-0.5+2.1+1.0+.148+1.0+2.7+.164+1.9+1.8+.199
Ricky Rubio 77 29.3 13.1 0.6 4.0 4.6 5.3 1.6 0.1 2.7 2.7 4.5 10.7 .418 1.2 3.5 .352 2.9 3.3 .866
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton DNP------ --- ----------
Ricky Rubio 6 30.2 14.0 0.8 6.5 7.3 7.0 1.3 0.5 3.0 2.2 4.7 13.2 .354 1.7 5.3 .313 3.0 3.8 .783

Season 8
Deandre Ayton Ricky Rubio
Season 2025-262018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersUtah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayJazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd
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 20 29.4 15.4 2.8 5.9 8.7 0.9 0.7 1.1 2.1 2.6 7.1 10.2 .696 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 1.7 .676
difference:+48+1.5+2.7+2.3+2.8+5.1+5.2+0.6+1.0-0.5+2.8+0.5+.292+1.2+3.7+1.7+1.7+.179
Ricky Rubio 68 27.9 12.7 0.5 3.1 3.6 6.1 1.3 0.1 2.6 2.6 4.3 10.7 .404 1.2 3.7 .311 2.9 3.4 .855
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Deandre Ayton DNP------ --- ----------
Ricky Rubio 5 33.6 15.4 0.6 2.6 3.2 8.6 2.4 0.2 3.0 2.8 5.6 13.2 .424 0.8 4.0 .200 3.4 4.0 .850

Additional Years

* Ricky Rubio played 4 seasons more than Deandre Ayton in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 12, from 2020 to 2023—Ricky Rubio played in one postseason.

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