LaMelo Ball vs. Dave Cowens Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dave Cowens 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, 6 less than Dave Cowens, who played 11. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Dave Cowens had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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
Dave Cowens 11 7 1970-71 to 1982-83

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5

Rookie Season
LaMelo Ball Dave Cowens
Season 2020-211970-71
Team Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics
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:+30+9.2+1.3+9.1+3.3-1.6+1.1+2.9+.014+0.9+1.4+.026
Dave Cowens 81 38.0 17.0 - - 15.0 2.8 - - - 4.3 6.8 16.1 .422 - - - 3.4 4.6 .732
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Dave Cowens played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2
LaMelo Ball Dave Cowens
Season 2021-221971-72
Team Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+4+8.0+1.3+8.5+4.5-0.8+1.1+0.5+.055+0.6+0.1+.152
Dave Cowens 79 40.3 18.8 - - 15.2 3.1 - - - 4.0 8.3 17.2 .484 - - - 2.2 3.1 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Dave Cowens 11 40.1 15.5 - - 13.8 3.0 - - - 4.5 6.5 14.2 .455 - - - 2.5 4.3 .596

Season 3
LaMelo Ball Dave Cowens
Season 2022-231972-73
Team Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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+6.6+2.8+9.8+4.3-0.5+0.8+.041+0.3+0.2+.057
Dave Cowens 82 41.8 20.5 - - 16.2 4.1 - - - 3.8 9.0 20.0 .452 - - - 2.5 3.2 .779
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Dave Cowens 13 46.0 21.9 - - 16.6 3.7 - - - 4.2 9.9 21.0 .473 - - - 2.1 3.2 .659

Season 4
LaMelo Ball Dave Cowens
Season 2023-241973-74
Team Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
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:+58+9.6+4.9+2.0+8.6+10.6+3.6+0.6+1.1-0.1+0.2+0.8+.004+1.2+1.3+.033
Dave Cowens 80 41.9 19.0 3.3 12.4 15.7 4.4 1.2 1.3 - 3.7 8.1 18.4 .437 - - - 2.9 3.4 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Dave Cowens 18 42.9 20.5 3.3 10.0 13.3 3.7 1.2 0.9 - 4.7 8.9 20.6 .435 - - - 2.6 3.3 .797

Season 5
LaMelo Ball Dave Cowens
Season 2024-251974-75
Team Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayCeltics Lost East Conf Finals
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:+18+8.5+4.8+2.5+7.3+9.8+2.8+0.2+0.8-0.4+0.2+2.9+.070+1.2+1.1+.060
Dave Cowens 65 40.5 20.4 3.5 11.2 14.7 4.6 1.3 1.1 - 3.7 8.8 18.4 .475 - - - 2.9 3.8 .783
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
LaMelo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Dave Cowens 11 43.5 20.5 4.5 12.0 16.5 4.2 1.6 0.5 - 4.5 9.2 21.5 .428 - - - 2.1 2.4 .885

Additional Years

* Dave Cowens played 6 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 6 to 11, from 1976 to 1983—Dave Cowens played in 3 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

In those 6 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Dave Cowens got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 1 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 1 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 4 All-Star Game
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