LaMelo Ball vs. Damian Lillard Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Damian Lillard 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 / 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.
LaMelo Ball played 5 years in the NBA, 8 less than Damian Lillard, who played 13. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Damian Lillard had his rookie season in 2012-13. 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 |
| Damian Lillard | 13 | 10 | 2012-13 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Damian Lillard | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2012-13 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Honors & Awards |  Rookie of the Year | Rookie of the Year |
| All-Rookie First Team | All-Rookie First Team | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | 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 | % | ||||
| 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: | +31 | +9.8 | +3.3 | +0.7 | +2.1 | +2.8 | +0.4 | +0.7 | +0.2 | -0.2 | -0.6 | +1.0 | +2.5 | +.007 | +0.5 | +1.0 | +.016 | +0.8 | +0.7 | +.086 |
| Damian Lillard | 82 | 38.6 | 19.0 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 6.7 | 15.7 | .429 | 2.3 | 6.1 | .368 | 3.3 | 3.9 | .844 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Damian Lillard played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Damian Lillard | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2013-14 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Third Team |
| All-Star Game | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis |
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 | % | ||||
| 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: | +7 | +3.5 | +0.6 | +1.0 | +2.1 | +3.2 | +2.0 | +0.8 | +0.1 | -0.9 | -0.8 | +0.5 | +0.8 | +.005 | +0.2 | +0.7 | +.005 | +1.7 | +2.0 | +.001 |
| Damian Lillard | 82 | 35.8 | 20.7 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 6.7 | 15.9 | .424 | 2.7 | 6.8 | .394 | 4.5 | 5.2 | .871 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Damian Lillard | 11 | 42.4 | 22.9 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 7.5 | 17.2 | .439 | 2.5 | 6.4 | .386 | 5.4 | 6.0 | .894 |
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Damian Lillard | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2014-15 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd |
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 | % | ||||
| 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 | +0.5 | +2.3 | +0.6 | +1.3 | +1.8 | +2.2 | +0.1 | -0.9 | -1.3 | +1.0 | +3.4 | +.023 | +1.6 | +3.6 | +.033 | +1.4 | +1.5 | +.028 | |
| Damian Lillard | 82 | 35.7 | 21.0 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 7.2 | 16.6 | .434 | 2.4 | 7.0 | .343 | 4.2 | 4.9 | .864 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Damian Lillard | 5 | 40.2 | 21.6 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 19.2 | .406 | 1.0 | 6.2 | .161 | 5.0 | 6.4 | .781 |
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Damian Lillard | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2015-16 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Trail Blazers 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 | % | ||||
| 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: | +53 | +3.4 | +1.2 | +0.7 | +0.4 | +1.1 | +1.2 | +0.9 | +0.2 | -0.6 | -1.4 | +0.1 | +0.5 | +.014 | +0.1 | +0.9 | +.020 | +1.4 | +1.5 | +.027 |
| Damian Lillard | 75 | 35.7 | 25.1 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 8.2 | 19.7 | .419 | 3.1 | 8.1 | .375 | 5.5 | 6.2 | .892 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Damian Lillard | 11 | 39.7 | 26.5 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 8.1 | 22.0 | .368 | 3.8 | 9.7 | .393 | 6.5 | 7.1 | .910 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Damian Lillard | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2016-17 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Trail Blazers 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 | % | ||||
| 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: | +28 | +3.9 | +1.8 | +0.4 | +0.4 | +1.5 | +0.2 | -1.0 | -1.3 | +0.2 | +1.5 | +.039 | +0.9 | +3.5 | +.031 | +2.4 | +2.4 | +.052 | ||
| Damian Lillard | 75 | 35.9 | 27.0 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 8.8 | 19.8 | .444 | 2.9 | 7.7 | .370 | 6.5 | 7.3 | .895 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Damian Lillard | 4 | 37.8 | 27.8 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 9.8 | 22.5 | .433 | 2.3 | 8.0 | .281 | 6.0 | 6.3 | .960 |
Additional Years |
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* Damian Lillard played 8 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 13, from 2018 to 2025—Damian Lillard played in 6 Playoffs and one NBA Cup. In those 8 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Damian Lillard got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 All-NBA First Team 3 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-NBA Third Team 1 Cup All-Tournament Team 7 All-Star Game 1 All-Star Game MVP |