Desmond Bane vs. James Harden Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of James Harden and Desmond Bane, 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / 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.
Desmond Bane played 5 years in the NBA, 11 less than James Harden, who played 16. Desmond Bane had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while James Harden had his rookie season in 2009-10. 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 |
| Desmond Bane | 5 | 4 | 2020-21 to 2024-25 |
| James Harden | 16 | 16 | 2009-10 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| Desmond Bane | James Harden | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2009-10 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Honors & Awards |  All-Rookie Second Team | All-Rookie Second Team |
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Thunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd |
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Rookie Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 68 | 22.3 | 9.2 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 7.3 | .469 | 1.7 | 4.0 | .432 | 0.6 | 0.7 | .816 |
| difference: | +8 | +0.6 | +0.7 | +0.1 | +0.1 | +0.1 | +0.5 | +0.1 | -0.5 | -0.8 | +0.3 | +0.3 | +.066 | +0.5 | +0.7 | +.057 | +2.0 | +2.5 | +.008 | |
| James Harden | 76 | 22.9 | 9.9 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 7.6 | .403 | 1.2 | 3.3 | .375 | 2.6 | 3.2 | .808 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 5 | 19.8 | 5.6 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 3.8 | .579 | 1.2 | 2.4 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - |
| difference: | +1 | +0.2 | +2.1 | +0.2 | +0.7 | +0.9 | +0.2 | +0.2 | +0.2 | -0.1 | -1.1 | +0.2 | +1.4 | +.192 | +0.2 | +0.3 | +.125 | +2.7 | +3.2 | |
| James Harden | 6 | 20.0 | 7.7 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 5.2 | .387 | 1.0 | 2.7 | .375 | 2.7 | 3.2 | .842 |
Season 2 |
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| Desmond Bane | James Harden | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2010-11 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf Semis | Thunder Lost West Conf Finals |
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 76 | 29.8 | 18.2 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 6.7 | 14.5 | .461 | 3.0 | 6.9 | .436 | 1.8 | 2.0 | .903 |
| difference: | +6 | +3.1 | +6.0 | +0.1 | +1.2 | +1.3 | +0.6 | +0.1 | +0.1 | -0.2 | -0.1 | +3.1 | +6.2 | +.025 | +1.6 | +2.9 | +.087 | +1.7 | +2.2 | +.060 |
| James Harden | 82 | 26.7 | 12.2 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 8.3 | .436 | 1.4 | 4.0 | .349 | 3.5 | 4.2 | .843 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 12 | 35.7 | 18.8 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 6.3 | 13.3 | .478 | 3.6 | 7.3 | .489 | 2.5 | 2.9 | .857 |
| difference: | +5 | +4.1 | +5.8 | +0.2 | +1.5 | +1.6 | +1.4 | +0.3 | -0.3 | -0.9 | +2.4 | +5.1 | +.003 | +2.2 | +2.8 | +.186 | +1.4 | +1.8 | +.032 | |
| James Harden | 17 | 31.6 | 13.0 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 8.2 | .475 | 1.4 | 4.5 | .303 | 3.9 | 4.7 | .825 |
Season 3 |
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| Desmond Bane | James Harden | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2011-12 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Honors & Awards | - | Sixth Man of the Year |
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Thunder Lost NBA Finals |
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 58 | 31.8 | 21.5 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 7.8 | 16.2 | .479 | 2.9 | 7.0 | .408 | 3.1 | 3.5 | .883 |
| difference: | +4 | +0.4 | +4.7 | +0.2 | +0.7 | +0.9 | +0.7 | +0.2 | -0.2 | +2.8 | +6.1 | +.012 | +1.1 | +2.3 | +.018 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +.037 | ||
| James Harden | 62 | 31.4 | 16.8 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 5.0 | 10.1 | .491 | 1.8 | 4.7 | .390 | 5.0 | 6.0 | .846 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 6 | 38.5 | 23.5 | 1.2 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 19.3 | .422 | 2.7 | 8.3 | .320 | 4.5 | 4.8 | .931 |
| difference: | +14 | +7.0 | +7.2 | +0.5 | +0.3 | +0.9 | +0.2 | +1.1 | +0.1 | -0.7 | -0.2 | +3.5 | +8.6 | +.013 | +1.1 | +4.4 | +.090 | +0.9 | +1.5 | +.074 |
| James Harden | 20 | 31.5 | 16.3 | 0.7 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 10.7 | .435 | 1.6 | 3.9 | .410 | 5.4 | 6.3 | .857 |
Season 4 |
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| Desmond Bane | James Harden | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2012-13 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Houston Rockets |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Third Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd |
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 42 | 34.4 | 23.7 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 8.6 | 18.5 | .464 | 3.3 | 8.6 | .381 | 3.3 | 3.8 | .870 |
| difference: | +36 | +3.9 | +2.2 | +0.1 | +0.6 | +0.5 | +0.3 | +0.8 | -1.1 | -0.6 | +1.1 | +1.4 | +.026 | +1.0 | +2.4 | +.013 | +5.3 | +6.4 | +.019 | |
| James Harden | 78 | 38.3 | 25.9 | 0.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 17.1 | .438 | 2.3 | 6.2 | .368 | 8.6 | 10.2 | .851 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| James Harden | 6 | 40.5 | 26.3 | 0.8 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 7.5 | 19.2 | .391 | 2.5 | 7.3 | .341 | 8.8 | 11.0 | .803 |
Season 5 |
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| Desmond Bane | James Harden | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2013-14 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Houston Rockets |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Rockets Lost West Conf 1st Rd |
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Regular Season Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 69 | 32.0 | 19.2 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 7.1 | 14.8 | .484 | 2.4 | 6.1 | .392 | 2.6 | 2.9 | .894 |
| difference: | +4 | +6.0 | +6.2 | +0.1 | +1.3 | +1.4 | +0.8 | +0.4 | -1.2 | +0.4 | +1.7 | +.028 | +0.5 | +.026 | +5.3 | +6.2 | +.028 | |||
| James Harden | 73 | 38.0 | 25.4 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 6.1 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 7.5 | 16.5 | .456 | 2.4 | 6.6 | .366 | 7.9 | 9.1 | .866 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | 4 | 34.8 | 15.3 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 6.8 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 15.8 | .317 | 1.8 | 8.0 | .219 | 3.5 | 3.8 | .933 |
| difference: | +2 | +9.0 | +11.5 | +0.5 | +1.7 | +2.1 | +2.5 | +1.2 | +0.3 | -0.3 | -1.2 | +3.3 | +6.4 | +.059 | +0.9 | +1.0 | +.077 | +4.0 | +4.5 | +.033 |
| James Harden | 6 | 43.8 | 26.8 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 8.3 | 22.2 | .376 | 2.7 | 9.0 | .296 | 7.5 | 8.3 | .900 |
Additional Years |
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* James Harden played 11 seasons more than Desmond Bane in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 16, from 2015 to 2025—James Harden played in 11 Playoffs. In those 11 extra years over Desmond Bane, James Harden got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 Season MVP 5 All-NBA First Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 3 Scoring Leader 2 Assists Leader 9 All-Star Game |