LaMelo Ball vs. DeMarcus Cousins Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of DeMarcus Cousins 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, 6 less than DeMarcus Cousins, who played 11. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while DeMarcus Cousins had his rookie season in 2010-11. 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 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 11 | 3 | 2010-11 to 2021-22 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | DeMarcus Cousins | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2010-11 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Sacramento Kings |
| Honors & Awards |  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: | +30 | +0.3 | +1.6 | +1.5 | +1.3 | +2.7 | +3.6 | +0.6 | +0.4 | -0.5 | -1.4 | +0.4 | +0.8 | +.006 | +1.8 | +4.9 | +.185 | +0.9 | +1.8 | +.071 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 81 | 28.5 | 14.1 | 2.7 | 6.0 | 8.6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 5.3 | 12.4 | .430 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .167 | 3.4 | 5.0 | .687 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor DeMarcus Cousins played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | DeMarcus Cousins | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2011-12 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Sacramento Kings |
| Honors & Awards | All-Star Game | - |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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: | +11 | +1.8 | +2.0 | +2.7 | +1.6 | +4.3 | +6.0 | +0.1 | +0.8 | -0.6 | -0.8 | +0.2 | +1.1 | +.019 | +2.9 | +7.3 | +.246 | +1.3 | +2.6 | +.170 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 64 | 30.5 | 18.1 | 4.1 | 6.8 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 15.6 | .448 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .143 | 4.1 | 5.8 | .702 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor DeMarcus Cousins played in the postseason in their season 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | DeMarcus Cousins | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2012-13 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Sacramento Kings |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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: | +39 | +4.7 | +6.2 | +1.8 | +1.7 | +3.5 | +5.7 | +0.1 | +0.4 | -0.6 | -0.3 | +1.8 | +6.2 | +.054 | +3.9 | +10.3 | +.194 | +1.4 | +2.2 | +.098 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 75 | 30.5 | 17.1 | 3.0 | 7.0 | 9.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 6.4 | 13.8 | .465 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .182 | 4.2 | 5.6 | .738 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor DeMarcus Cousins played in the postseason in their season 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | DeMarcus Cousins | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2013-14 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Sacramento Kings |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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: | +49 | +0.1 | +1.2 | +1.8 | +4.8 | +6.6 | +5.1 | +0.3 | +1.1 | -0.3 | -0.2 | +2.4 | +.063 | +3.2 | +8.9 | +.355 | +2.0 | +3.7 | +.139 | |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 71 | 32.4 | 22.7 | 3.1 | 8.6 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 8.3 | 16.8 | .496 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 6.1 | 8.4 | .726 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor DeMarcus Cousins played in the postseason in their season 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | DeMarcus Cousins | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2014-15 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Sacramento Kings |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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: | +12 | +2.1 | +1.1 | +2.1 | +5.6 | +7.8 | +3.8 | +0.4 | +1.4 | -0.7 | -0.8 | +0.2 | +3.2 | +.062 | +3.8 | +11.1 | +.089 | +3.1 | +4.3 | +.061 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 59 | 34.1 | 24.1 | 3.1 | 9.5 | 12.7 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 8.4 | 18.1 | .467 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .250 | 7.2 | 9.2 | .782 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor DeMarcus Cousins played in the postseason in their season 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Additional Years |
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* DeMarcus Cousins played 6 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 11, from 2016 to 2022—DeMarcus Cousins played in 3 Playoffs. In those 6 extra years over LaMelo Ball, DeMarcus Cousins got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 All-NBA Second Team 3 All-Star Game |