LaMelo Ball vs. Earl Tatum Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Earl Tatum 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 and Earl Tatum both played 4 years in the NBA. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Earl Tatum had his rookie season in 1976-77. 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
Earl Tatum 4 1 1976-77 to 1979-80

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4

Rookie Season
LaMelo Ball Earl Tatum
Season 2020-211976-77
Team Charlotte HornetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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 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
Earl Tatum 68 18.4 9.4 1.2 2.3 3.5 1.7 1.3 0.3 - 2.5 4.2 8.9 .466 - - - 1.1 1.5 .720
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Earl Tatum 11 32.4 13.6 1.5 3.5 4.9 2.5 1.4 0.8 - 3.1 6.1 12.2 .500 - - - 1.5 2.2 .667

Season 2
LaMelo Ball Earl Tatum
Season 2021-221977-78
Team Charlotte HornetsLos Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers
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
Earl Tatum 82 30.8 14.3 1.0 2.6 3.6 3.6 1.7 0.5 2.2 3.1 6.2 13.3 .469 - - - 1.9 2.4 .781
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Earl Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 3
LaMelo Ball Earl Tatum
Season 2022-231978-79
Team Charlotte HornetsBoston Celtics, Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
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 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
Earl Tatum 79 15.6 7.7 0.5 1.1 1.6 0.9 1.0 0.4 1.1 2.1 3.5 7.9 .447 - - - 0.7 0.9 .732
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Earl Tatum ------- --- ----------

Season 4
LaMelo Ball Earl Tatum
Season 2023-241979-80
Team Charlotte HornetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
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 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
Earl Tatum 33 6.8 2.6 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.2 0.5 0.9 1.1 2.8 .383 0.1 0.2 .333 0.3 0.6 .579
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Earl Tatum ------- --- ----------
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