LaMelo Ball vs. Doc Rivers Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Doc Rivers 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 4 years in the NBA, 9 less than Doc Rivers, who played 13. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Doc Rivers had his rookie season in 1983-84. 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 achivements, 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 4 0 2020-21 to 2023-24
Doc Rivers 13 10 1983-84 to 1995-96

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13

Rookie Season

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season 2020-211983-84
Team Charlotte HornetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
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
Doc Rivers 81 23.9 9.3 0.9 1.8 2.7 3.9 1.6 0.4 2.1 3.5 3.1 6.7 .462 0.0 0.1 .167 3.1 4.0 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 26.0 13.6 1.4 0.6 2.0 3.2 2.4 0.8 1.8 3.2 3.2 6.4 .500 0.0 0.6 .000 7.2 8.2 .878

Season 2

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season 2021-221984-85
Team Charlotte HornetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
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
Doc Rivers 69 30.8 14.1 1.0 2.1 3.1 5.9 2.4 0.8 2.6 3.6 4.8 10.2 .476 0.2 0.5 .417 4.2 5.5 .770
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------

Season 3

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season 2022-231985-86
Team Charlotte HornetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
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
Doc Rivers 53 29.6 11.5 0.9 2.1 3.1 8.4 2.3 0.2 2.7 3.5 4.2 8.8 .474 0.0 0.3 .000 3.2 5.3 .608
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 9 29.1 12.7 1.1 3.6 4.7 8.7 2.0 0.0 2.9 4.2 4.4 10.2 .435 0.3 0.7 .500 3.4 4.7 .738

Season 4

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season 2023-241986-87
Team Charlotte HornetsAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayHawks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
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
Doc Rivers 82 31.6 12.8 1.0 2.6 3.6 10.0 2.1 0.4 2.6 3.5 4.2 9.2 .451 0.0 0.3 .190 4.5 5.4 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 8 30.6 7.8 0.8 2.6 3.4 11.3 1.1 0.4 3.1 4.0 2.3 5.9 .383 0.0 0.0 - 3.3 6.5 .500

Season 5

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1987-88
Team -Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Hawks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 80 31.3 14.2 1.0 3.5 4.6 9.3 1.8 0.5 2.6 3.4 5.0 11.1 .453 0.1 0.4 .273 4.0 5.3 .758
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 12 34.1 15.7 0.7 4.3 4.9 9.6 2.1 0.2 2.1 3.3 5.9 11.6 .511 0.6 1.8 .318 3.3 3.6 .907

Season 6

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1988-89
Team -Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Hawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 76 32.4 13.6 1.2 2.6 3.8 6.9 2.4 0.5 2.1 3.5 4.9 10.7 .455 0.6 1.6 .347 3.3 3.8 .861
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 38.2 13.4 0.8 4.0 4.8 6.8 1.4 0.4 2.4 4.4 4.4 11.4 .386 1.2 3.8 .316 3.4 4.8 .708

Season 7

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1989-90
Team -Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 48 31.8 12.5 1.0 3.2 4.2 5.5 2.4 0.5 2.0 3.1 4.5 10.0 .454 0.5 1.4 .364 2.9 3.5 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------

Season 8

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1990-91
Team -Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Hawks Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 79 32.7 15.2 0.6 2.6 3.2 4.3 1.9 0.6 1.6 2.7 5.6 12.9 .435 1.1 3.3 .336 2.8 3.3 .844
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 34.6 15.6 1.2 2.8 4.0 3.0 1.0 0.4 0.8 2.8 6.0 12.8 .469 0.2 2.2 .091 3.4 3.8 .895

Season 9

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1991-92
Team -Los Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Clippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 59 28.1 10.9 0.4 2.1 2.5 3.9 1.9 0.3 1.6 2.8 3.8 9.0 .424 0.4 1.6 .283 2.8 3.3 .832
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 5 37.4 15.2 0.8 3.0 3.8 4.2 1.2 0.0 0.6 3.2 5.0 11.2 .446 0.8 1.6 .500 4.4 5.4 .815

Season 10

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1992-93
Team -New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Knicks Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 77 24.5 7.8 0.3 2.2 2.5 5.3 1.6 0.1 1.5 2.8 2.8 6.4 .437 0.5 1.6 .317 1.7 2.1 .821
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 15 30.5 10.2 0.4 2.2 2.6 5.7 1.9 0.1 2.0 2.9 3.2 7.1 .453 0.7 2.1 .355 3.1 4.0 .767

Season 11

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1993-94
Team -New York Knicks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 19 26.3 7.5 0.2 1.8 2.1 5.3 1.3 0.3 1.5 2.3 2.9 6.7 .433 1.0 2.7 .365 0.7 1.2 .636
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers ------- --- ----------

Season 12

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1994-95
Team -New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Spurs Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 63 15.7 5.1 0.2 1.5 1.7 2.6 1.0 0.3 1.0 2.4 1.7 4.8 .358 0.7 2.0 .354 1.0 1.3 .732
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 15 21.2 7.8 0.2 1.7 1.9 1.6 0.9 0.6 1.2 2.7 2.5 6.3 .389 1.1 3.1 .370 1.7 2.1 .839

Season 13

LaMelo Ball Doc Rivers
Season -1995-96
Team -San Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Spurs Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 78 15.8 4.0 0.4 1.4 1.8 1.6 0.9 0.3 0.7 2.2 1.4 3.7 .372 0.6 1.8 .343 0.6 0.8 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Doc Rivers 2 10.0 1.5 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.5 0.5 1.5 .333 0.5 1.0 .500 0.0 0.0 -