Desmond Bane vs. Nikola Jokic Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nikola Jokic 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, 5 less than Nikola Jokic, who played 10. Desmond Bane had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Nikola Jokic 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 |
| Desmond Bane | 5 | 4 | 2020-21 to 2024-25 |
| Nikola Jokic | 10 | 7 | 2015-16 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| Desmond Bane | Nikola Jokic | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2015-16 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Denver Nuggets |
| Honors & Awards | - |  All-Rookie First Team |
| All-Rookie Second Team | - | |
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Did Not Play |
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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: | +12 | +0.6 | +0.8 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +3.9 | +0.7 | +0.4 | +0.4 | -0.4 | -0.8 | +0.4 | +0.2 | +.043 | +1.3 | +2.9 | +.099 | +1.3 | +1.7 | +.005 |
| Nikola Jokic | 80 | 21.7 | 10.0 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 7.5 | .512 | 0.4 | 1.1 | .333 | 1.9 | 2.4 | .811 |
| 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 | - |
| Nikola Jokic | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 2 |
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| Desmond Bane | Nikola Jokic | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2016-17 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Denver Nuggets |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf Semis | Did Not Play |
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: | +3 | +1.9 | +1.5 | +2.3 | +3.1 | +5.4 | +2.2 | +0.4 | +0.4 | -0.8 | -0.3 | +0.1 | +2.8 | +.117 | +2.4 | +5.0 | +.112 | +0.8 | +1.1 | +.078 |
| Nikola Jokic | 73 | 27.9 | 16.7 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 6.8 | 11.7 | .578 | 0.6 | 1.9 | .324 | 2.6 | 3.1 | .825 |
| 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 |
| Nikola Jokic | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 3 |
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| Desmond Bane | Nikola Jokic | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2017-18 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Denver Nuggets |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Did Not Play |
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: | +17 | +0.8 | +3.0 | +1.9 | +3.8 | +5.7 | +1.7 | +0.2 | +0.4 | -0.6 | -0.2 | +1.1 | +2.7 | +.020 | +1.4 | +3.3 | +.012 | +0.4 | +0.7 | +.033 |
| Nikola Jokic | 75 | 32.6 | 18.5 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 6.7 | 13.5 | .499 | 1.5 | 3.7 | .396 | 3.5 | 4.2 | .850 |
| 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 |
| Nikola Jokic | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Season 4 |
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| Desmond Bane | Nikola Jokic | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2018-19 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Denver Nuggets |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Nuggets Lost West Conf Semis |
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: | +38 | +3.1 | +3.6 | +2.0 | +4.5 | +6.4 | +1.8 | +0.4 | +0.2 | -0.4 | +0.9 | +3.4 | +.047 | +2.3 | +5.2 | +.074 | +0.3 | +0.6 | +.049 | |
| Nikola Jokic | 80 | 31.3 | 20.1 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 7.7 | 15.1 | .511 | 1.0 | 3.4 | .307 | 3.6 | 4.4 | .821 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| Desmond Bane | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Nikola Jokic | 14 | 39.8 | 25.1 | 3.9 | 9.1 | 13.0 | 8.4 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 9.4 | 18.6 | .506 | 1.6 | 4.0 | .393 | 4.7 | 5.6 | .846 |
Season 5 |
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| Desmond Bane | Nikola Jokic | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2019-20 |
| Team | Memphis Grizzlies | Denver Nuggets |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Grizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd | Nuggets Lost West Conf Finals |
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 | +0.7 | +1.4 | +2.3 | +3.6 | +1.7 | +0.2 | -0.7 | -0.6 | +0.6 | +0.1 | +.044 | +1.3 | +2.6 | +.078 | +0.8 | +1.2 | +.077 | ||
| Nikola Jokic | 73 | 32.0 | 19.9 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 7.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 7.7 | 14.7 | .528 | 1.1 | 3.5 | .314 | 3.4 | 4.1 | .817 |
| 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: | +15 | +1.7 | +9.1 | +0.6 | +2.4 | +3.0 | +2.4 | +0.3 | +0.3 | -0.5 | -1.3 | +4.4 | +2.3 | +.202 | +0.4 | +2.8 | +.210 | +0.4 | +.098 | |
| Nikola Jokic | 19 | 36.5 | 24.4 | 1.9 | 7.9 | 9.8 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 9.4 | 18.1 | .519 | 2.2 | 5.2 | .429 | 3.5 | 4.2 | .835 |
Additional Years |
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* Nikola Jokic played 5 seasons more than Desmond Bane in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 10, from 2021 to 2025—Nikola Jokic played in 5 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 5 extra years over Desmond Bane, Nikola Jokic got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 Finals MVP 3 Season MVP 4 All-NBA First Team 1 All-NBA Second Team 5 All-Star Game |