Karl Malone vs. Donovan Mitchell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Donovan Mitchell and Karl Malone, 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 / Stats Rankings

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.

Karl Malone played 19 years in the NBA, 11 more than Donovan Mitchell, who played 8. Karl Malone had the first of his seasons in 1985-86, while Donovan Mitchell had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
Karl Malone	19	19	1985-86 to 2003-04
Donovan Mitchell	8	8	2017-18 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season
Jump to season: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8


Rookie Season
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1985-86	2017-18
Team	Utah Jazz	Utah Jazz
Honors & Awards	All-Rookie First Team	All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Jazz Lost West Conf Semis

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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		%
Karl Malone	81	30.6	14.9	2.1	6.7	8.9	2.9	1.3	0.5	3.4	3.6	6.2	12.5	.496	0.0	0.0	-	2.4	5.0	.481
difference:	+2	+2.8	+5.6	+1.4	+3.6	+5.2	+0.8	+0.2	+0.2	-0.7	-0.9	+1.3	+4.7	+.059	+2.4	+7.0		+0.6	+1.2	+.324
Donovan Mitchell	79	33.4	20.5	0.7	3.1	3.7	3.7	1.5	0.3	2.7	2.7	7.5	17.2	.437	2.4	7.0	.340	3.0	3.8	.805

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	4	36.0	21.8	1.5	6.0	7.5	1.0	2.0	0.0	1.5	4.5	9.5	18.0	.528	0.0	0.0	-	2.8	6.5	.423
difference:	+7	+1.4	+2.6	+0.7	+0.9	+1.6	+3.2	+0.5	+0.4	-1.4	-1.3	+0.2	+4.1	+.108	+2.3	+7.3		+0.7	+2.6	+.484
Donovan Mitchell	11	37.4	24.4	0.8	5.1	5.9	4.2	1.5	0.4	2.9	3.2	9.3	22.1	.420	2.3	7.3	.313	3.5	3.9	.907


Season 2
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1986-87	2018-19
Team	Utah Jazz	Utah Jazz
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	82	34.8	21.7	3.4	7.0	10.4	1.9	1.3	0.7	2.9	3.9	8.9	17.3	.512	0.0	0.1	.000	3.9	6.6	.598
difference:	+5	+1.1	+2.1	+2.6	+3.7	+6.3	+2.3	+0.1	+0.3	-0.1	-1.2	+0.3	+2.6	+.080	+2.4	+6.6	+.362	+0.2	+1.5	+.208
Donovan Mitchell	77	33.7	23.8	0.8	3.3	4.1	4.2	1.4	0.4	2.8	2.7	8.6	19.9	.432	2.4	6.7	.362	4.1	5.1	.806

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	5	40.0	20.0	3.0	6.6	9.6	1.2	2.2	0.8	3.4	4.0	7.4	17.6	.420	0.0	0.0	-	5.2	7.2	.722
difference:		+1.4	+1.4	+1.6	+3.0	+4.6	+2.0	+0.6	+0.6	-0.8	-1.0	+0.2	+4.8	+.099	+2.2	+8.6		+0.4	+0.6	+.005
Donovan Mitchell	5	38.6	21.4	1.4	3.6	5.0	3.2	1.6	0.2	4.2	3.0	7.2	22.4	.321	2.2	8.6	.256	4.8	6.6	.727


Season 3
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1987-88	2019-20
Team	Utah Jazz	Utah Jazz
Honors & Awards	All-NBA Second Team	-
	All-Defensive Second Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf Semis	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	82	39.0	27.7	3.4	8.6	12.0	2.4	1.4	0.6	4.0	3.6	10.5	20.1	.520	0.0	0.1	.000	6.7	9.6	.700
difference:	+13	+4.7	+3.7	+2.6	+5.0	+7.6	+1.9	+0.4	+0.4	-1.3	-1.1	+1.8	+0.7	+.071	+2.5	+6.8	+.366	+2.7	+4.9	+.163
Donovan Mitchell	69	34.3	24.0	0.8	3.6	4.4	4.3	1.0	0.2	2.7	2.5	8.7	19.4	.449	2.5	6.9	.366	4.0	4.7	.863

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	11	44.9	29.7	3.0	8.8	11.8	1.5	1.2	0.6	3.5	3.2	11.2	23.2	.482	0.0	0.1	.000	7.4	10.2	.723
difference:	+4	+7.2	+6.6	+2.1	+4.7	+6.8	+3.4	+0.2	+0.3	-0.6	-1.6	+0.7	+0.8	+.047	+4.7	+9.0	+.516	+0.5	+1.9	+.225
Donovan Mitchell	7	37.7	36.3	0.9	4.1	5.0	4.9	1.0	0.3	4.1	1.6	11.9	22.4	.529	4.7	9.1	.516	7.9	8.3	.948


Season 4
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1988-89	2020-21
Team	Utah Jazz	Utah Jazz
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Jazz Lost West Conf Semis

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4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	80	39.1	29.1	3.2	7.4	10.7	2.7	1.8	0.9	3.6	3.6	10.1	19.5	.519	0.1	0.2	.313	8.8	11.5	.766
difference:	+27	+5.7	+2.7	+2.3	+3.9	+6.3	+2.5	+0.8	+0.6	-0.8	-1.4	+1.1	+1.1	+.081	+3.3	+8.5	+.073	+3.8	+5.5	+.079
Donovan Mitchell	53	33.4	26.4	0.9	3.5	4.4	5.2	1.0	0.3	2.8	2.2	9.0	20.6	.438	3.4	8.7	.386	5.0	6.0	.845

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	3	45.3	30.7	7.3	9.0	16.3	1.3	1.0	0.3	4.3	5.3	11.0	22.0	.500	0.0	0.0	-	8.7	10.7	.813
difference:	+7	+10.7	+1.6	+7.0	+5.1	+12.1	+4.2	+0.1	+0.1	-1.5	-3.3	+0.5	+1.5	+.053	+5.0	+11.5		+2.4	+3.1	+.016
Donovan Mitchell	10	34.6	32.3	0.3	3.9	4.2	5.5	1.1	0.2	2.8	2.0	10.5	23.5	.447	5.0	11.5	.435	6.3	7.6	.829


Season 5
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1989-90	2021-22
Team	Utah Jazz	Utah Jazz
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd

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5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	82	38.1	31.0	2.8	8.3	11.1	2.8	1.5	0.6	3.7	3.2	11.1	19.8	.562	0.2	0.5	.372	8.5	11.1	.762
difference:	+15	+4.3	+5.1	+2.0	+4.9	+6.9	+2.5		+0.4	-0.7	-0.8	+1.9	+0.7	+.114	+3.3	+9.3	+.017	+4.5	+6.4	+.091
Donovan Mitchell	67	33.8	25.9	0.8	3.4	4.2	5.3	1.5	0.2	3.0	2.4	9.2	20.5	.448	3.5	9.8	.355	4.0	4.7	.853

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	5	40.6	25.2	3.2	7.0	10.2	2.2	2.2	1.0	2.4	4.4	9.2	21.0	.438	0.0	0.2	.000	6.8	9.0	.756
difference:	+1	+2.4	+0.3	+2.2	+3.7	+5.9	+3.5	+1.5	+0.5	-0.3	-2.1	+0.4	+1.2	+.040	+1.7	+7.8	+.208	+0.6	+2.0	+.125
Donovan Mitchell	6	38.2	25.5	1.0	3.3	4.3	5.7	0.7	0.5	2.7	2.3	8.8	22.2	.398	1.7	8.0	.208	6.2	7.0	.881


Season 6
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1990-91	2022-23
Team	Utah Jazz	Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
	-	All-NBA Second Team
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf Semis	Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	82	40.3	29.0	2.9	8.9	11.8	3.3	1.1	1.0	3.0	3.3	10.3	19.6	.527	0.0	0.2	.286	8.3	10.8	.770
difference:	+14	+4.5	+0.7	+2.0	+5.6	+7.5	+1.1	+0.4	+0.6	-0.4	-0.8	+0.3	+1.0	+.043	+3.6	+9.1	+.100	+3.6	+5.4	+.097
Donovan Mitchell	68	35.8	28.3	0.9	3.3	4.3	4.4	1.5	0.4	2.6	2.5	10.0	20.6	.484	3.6	9.3	.386	4.7	5.4	.867

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	9	42.6	29.7	2.6	10.8	13.3	3.2	1.0	1.2	2.9	3.9	10.6	23.2	.455	0.0	0.9	.000	8.6	10.1	.846
difference:	+4	+1.2	+6.5	+2.0	+6.4	+8.3	+4.0	+1.0	+0.6	-0.9	-1.1	+1.6	+2.4	+.022	+2.6	+8.1	+.289	+6.0	+6.5	+.124
Donovan Mitchell	5	41.4	23.2	0.6	4.4	5.0	7.2	2.0	0.6	3.8	2.8	9.0	20.8	.433	2.6	9.0	.289	2.6	3.6	.722


Season 7
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1991-92	2023-24
Team	Utah Jazz	Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	-
Honors & Awards	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf Finals	Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis

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7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	81	37.7	28.0	2.8	8.4	11.2	3.0	1.3	0.6	3.1	2.8	9.9	18.7	.526	0.0	0.2	.176	8.3	10.7	.778
difference:	+26	+2.4	+1.4	+2.0	+4.1	+6.1	+3.1	+0.5	+0.1	-0.3	-0.7	+0.8	+1.1	+.064	+3.3	+8.8	+.192	+3.3	+4.9	+.087
Donovan Mitchell	55	35.3	26.6	0.8	4.3	5.1	6.1	1.8	0.5	2.8	2.1	9.1	19.8	.462	3.3	9.0	.368	5.0	5.8	.865

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	16	43.0	29.1	2.7	8.6	11.3	2.6	1.4	1.2	2.9	3.6	9.3	17.8	.521	0.0	0.1	.000	10.6	13.1	.805
difference:	+6	+4.8	+0.5	+2.1	+3.8	+5.9	+2.1	+0.1	+0.9	-0.1	-0.7	+1.4	+4.7	+.045	+2.9	+8.1	+.354	+5.3	+6.6	+.010
Donovan Mitchell	10	38.2	29.6	0.6	4.8	5.4	4.7	1.3	0.3	2.8	2.9	10.7	22.5	.476	2.9	8.2	.354	5.3	6.5	.815


Season 8
	Karl Malone	Donovan Mitchell
Season	1992-93	2024-25
Team	Utah Jazz	Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards	All-NBA First Team	All-NBA First Team
	All-Star Game	All-Star Game
	All-Star Game MVP	-
Playoffs	Jazz Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Cavaliers Lost East Conf Semis

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8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	82	37.8	27.0	2.8	8.4	11.2	3.8	1.5	1.0	2.9	3.2	9.7	17.6	.552	0.0	0.2	.200	7.5	10.2	.740
difference:	+11	+6.4	+3.0	+2.0	+4.7	+6.7	+1.2	+0.2	+0.8	-0.8	-1.2	+1.5	+1.0	+.109	+3.3	+8.7	+.168	+3.3	+5.1	+.083
Donovan Mitchell	71	31.4	24.0	0.8	3.7	4.5	5.0	1.3	0.2	2.1	2.0	8.2	18.6	.443	3.3	8.9	.368	4.2	5.1	.823

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Karl Malone	5	43.2	24.0	2.4	8.0	10.4	2.0	1.2	0.4	4.0	4.2	8.8	19.4	.454	0.2	0.4	.500	6.2	7.6	.816
difference:	+4	+11.2	+5.6	+1.2	+4.6	+5.7	+1.9	+0.7	+0.1	-2.1	-2.2	+0.8	+2.2	+.011	+2.9	+8.9	+.167	+1.1	+2.3	+.074
Donovan Mitchell	9	32.0	29.6	1.2	3.4	4.7	3.9	1.9	0.3	1.9	2.0	9.6	21.6	.443	3.1	9.3	.333	7.3	9.9	.742


Additional Years
* Karl Malone played 11 seasons more than Donovan Mitchell in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 9 to 19, from 1994 to 2004—Karl Malone played in 11 Playoffs. In those 11 extra years over Donovan Mitchell, Karl Malone got these achievements:
Honors & Awards	2 Season MVP 6 All-NBA First Team 1 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 3 All-Defensive First Team 8 All-Star Game

Karl Malone vs. Donovan Mitchell Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Donovan Mitchell and Karl Malone, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Rookie Season Stats Comparison

Season 2

2nd Season Stats Comparison

Season 3

3rd Season Stats Comparison

Season 4

4th Season Stats Comparison

Season 5

5th Season Stats Comparison

Season 6

6th Season Stats Comparison

Season 7

7th Season Stats Comparison

Season 8

8th Season Stats Comparison

Additional Years