LaMelo Ball vs. Bob McAdoo Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Bob McAdoo and LaMelo Ball, 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

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.

LaMelo Ball played 5 years in the NBA, 9 less than Bob McAdoo, who played 14. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Bob McAdoo had his rookie season in 1972-73. 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
LaMelo Ball 5 0 2020-21 to 2024-25
Bob McAdoo 14 9 1972-73 to 1985-86

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5

Rookie Season
LaMelo Ball Bob McAdoo
Season 2020-211972-73
Team Charlotte HornetsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the YearAchievement Rookie of the Year
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%
LaMelo Ball 51 28.8 15.7 1.2 4.7 5.9 6.1 1.6 0.4 2.8 2.7 5.7 13.2 .436 1.8 5.1 .352 2.5 3.2 .758
difference:+29+3.2+2.3+3.2+4.4-0.5+1.6+3.0+.016+0.9+1.2+.016
Bob McAdoo 80 32.0 18.0 - - 9.1 1.7 - - - 3.2 7.3 16.2 .452 - - - 3.4 4.4 .774
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Bob McAdoo played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
LaMelo Ball Bob McAdoo
Season 2021-221973-74
Team Charlotte HornetsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBraves Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball 75 32.3 20.1 1.4 5.2 6.7 7.6 1.6 0.4 3.3 3.2 7.2 16.7 .429 2.9 7.5 .389 2.8 3.2 .872
difference:+1+10.7+10.5+2.4+6.1+8.4+5.3+0.4+2.9-0.2+5.0+5.6+.118+3.4+4.6+.079
Bob McAdoo 74 43.0 30.6 3.8 11.3 15.1 2.3 1.2 3.3 - 3.4 12.2 22.3 .547 - - - 6.2 7.8 .793
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Bob McAdoo 6 45.2 31.7 2.3 11.3 13.7 1.5 1.0 2.2 - 4.2 12.7 26.5 .478 - - - 6.3 7.8 .809

Season 3
LaMelo Ball Bob McAdoo
Season 2022-231974-75
Team Charlotte HornetsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBraves Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball 36 35.2 23.3 1.2 5.3 6.4 8.4 1.3 0.3 3.6 3.3 8.2 20.0 .411 4.0 10.6 .376 2.8 3.4 .836
difference:+46+8.0+11.2+2.5+5.0+7.7+6.2+0.2+1.8-0.1+5.2+6.1+.101+5.0+6.3+.031
Bob McAdoo 82 43.2 34.5 3.7 10.3 14.1 2.2 1.1 2.1 - 3.4 13.4 26.1 .512 - - - 7.8 9.7 .805
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Bob McAdoo 7 46.7 37.4 3.6 9.9 13.4 1.4 0.9 2.7 - 4.1 14.9 30.9 .481 - - - 7.7 10.4 .740

Season 4
LaMelo Ball Bob McAdoo
Season 2023-241975-76
Team Charlotte HornetsBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards -Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBraves Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball 22 32.3 23.9 1.3 3.8 5.1 8.0 1.8 0.2 3.8 3.6 8.3 19.2 .433 3.2 9.0 .355 4.1 4.7 .865
difference:+56+10.4+7.2+1.8+5.5+7.3+4.0+0.6+1.9-0.2+3.7+5.4+.054+3.1+4.7+.103
Bob McAdoo 78 42.7 31.1 3.1 9.3 12.4 4.0 1.2 2.1 - 3.8 12.0 24.6 .487 - - - 7.2 9.4 .762
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Bob McAdoo 9 45.1 28.0 3.4 10.8 14.2 3.2 0.8 2.0 - 4.1 10.8 23.9 .451 - - - 6.4 9.1 .707

Season 5
LaMelo Ball Bob McAdoo
Season 2024-251976-77
Team Charlotte HornetsBuffalo Braves, New York Knicks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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%
LaMelo Ball 47 32.0 25.2 1.0 3.9 4.9 7.4 1.1 0.3 3.6 3.3 8.6 21.3 .405 3.8 11.2 .339 4.1 4.9 .843
difference:+25+6.9+0.6+1.8+6.2+8.0+4.6+1.1-0.3+1.7+1.2+.107+1.2+2.3+.105
Bob McAdoo 72 38.9 25.8 2.8 10.1 12.9 2.8 1.1 1.4 - 3.6 10.3 20.1 .512 - - - 5.3 7.2 .738
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Bob McAdoo played in the postseason in their season 5

Additional Years

* Bob McAdoo played 9 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 6 to 14, from 1978 to 1986—Bob McAdoo played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 9 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Bob McAdoo got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-Star Game
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