Kawhi Leonard vs. Kel'el Ware Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kel'el Ware and Kawhi Leonard, 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 / 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.

Kawhi Leonard played 14 years in the NBA, 12 more than Kel'el Ware, who played 2. Kawhi Leonard had the first of his seasons in 2011-12, while Kel'el Ware had his rookie season in 2024-25. 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
Kawhi Leonard 14 12 2011-12 to 2025-26
Kel'el Ware 2 1 2024-25 to 2025-26

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2

Rookie Season
Kawhi Leonard Kel'el Ware
Season 2011-122024-25
Team San Antonio SpursMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Spurs Lost West Conf FinalsHeat Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kawhi Leonard 64 24.0 7.9 1.6 3.5 5.1 1.1 1.3 0.4 0.7 1.4 3.1 6.3 .493 0.6 1.7 .376 1.1 1.4 .773
difference:+1.8+1.4+0.2+2.1+2.3+0.2+0.7+0.7-0.2-0.3+0.9+1.0+.061+0.1+.061+0.4+0.4+.086
Kel'el Ware 64 22.2 9.3 1.8 5.6 7.4 0.9 0.6 1.1 0.9 1.7 4.0 7.3 .554 0.5 1.7 .315 0.7 1.0 .687
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kawhi Leonard 14 27.1 8.6 1.3 4.6 5.9 0.6 1.2 0.4 0.9 1.6 3.2 6.4 .500 1.3 2.9 .450 0.9 1.1 .813
difference:+10+8.8+3.8+0.3+0.8+1.1+0.4+0.9+0.1-0.4-0.8+1.2+1.9+.056+0.5+0.1+.177+0.9+1.1
Kel'el Ware 4 18.3 4.8 1.0 3.8 4.8 1.0 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.8 2.0 4.5 .444 0.8 2.8 .273 0.0 0.0 -

Season 2
Kawhi Leonard Kel'el Ware
Season 2012-132025-26
Team San Antonio SpursMiami Heat
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Spurs Lost NBA FinalsDid 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%
Kawhi Leonard 58 31.2 11.9 1.1 4.9 6.0 1.6 1.7 0.6 1.1 1.7 4.5 9.1 .494 1.1 3.0 .374 1.8 2.2 .825
difference:+37+6.8+0.1+2.1+2.5+4.6+1.1+0.7+0.7-0.1-0.3+0.1+0.3+.033+0.1+0.6+.026+0.2+0.2+.020
Kel'el Ware 21 24.4 11.8 3.2 7.4 10.6 0.5 1.0 1.3 1.0 2.0 4.6 8.8 .527 1.0 2.4 .400 1.6 2.0 .805
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Kawhi Leonard 21 36.9 13.5 2.4 6.7 9.0 1.0 1.8 0.5 1.1 1.9 5.5 10.0 .545 1.1 2.8 .390 1.5 2.3 .633
Kel'el Ware DNP------ --- ----------

Additional Years

* Kawhi Leonard played 12 seasons more than Kel'el Ware in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 3 to 14, from 2014 to 2026—Kawhi Leonard played in 10 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 12 extra years over Kel'el Ware, Kawhi Leonard got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 2 Finals MVP
Achievement 3 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 3 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 3 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 4 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 2 Defensive Player of the Year
Achievement 1 Steals Leader
Achievement 6 All-Star Game
Achievement 1 All-Star Game MVP
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