LaMelo Ball vs. Etan Thomas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Etan Thomas 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, 5 less than Etan Thomas, who played 9. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Etan Thomas had his rookie season in 2001-02. 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
Etan Thomas 9 5 2001-02 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Rookie Season

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season 2020-212001-02
Team Charlotte HornetsWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
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 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
Etan Thomas 47 13.1 4.3 1.2 2.7 3.9 0.1 0.4 0.7 0.6 1.6 1.7 3.2 .536 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.6 .554
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 2

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season 2021-222002-03
Team Charlotte HornetsWashington Wizards
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
Etan Thomas 38 13.5 4.8 1.8 2.5 4.3 0.1 0.2 0.6 0.9 1.7 1.6 3.3 .492 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.5 .638
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 3

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season 2022-232003-04
Team Charlotte HornetsWashington Wizards
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
Etan Thomas 79 24.1 8.9 2.3 4.4 6.7 0.9 0.5 1.6 1.4 2.8 3.3 6.7 .489 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.7 .647
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 4

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season 2023-242004-05
Team Charlotte HornetsWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayWizards 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
Etan Thomas 47 20.8 7.1 1.8 3.4 5.2 0.4 0.4 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.7 5.4 .502 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 3.1 .528
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 8 16.1 6.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 0.3 0.0 0.9 1.1 2.9 2.4 3.6 .655 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 2.8 .455

Season 5

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season -2005-06
Team -Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Wizards 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 ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 71 15.8 4.7 1.4 2.5 3.9 0.2 0.3 1.0 0.7 2.1 1.8 3.5 .533 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.8 .600
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 3 6.0 2.0 0.7 1.3 2.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 0.0 1.0 0.7 1.7 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.3 .500

Season 6

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season -2006-07
Team -Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Wizards 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 ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 65 19.2 6.1 2.1 3.7 5.8 0.4 0.3 1.4 1.1 2.5 2.4 4.3 .574 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 2.1 .558
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 4 21.0 5.0 0.5 5.0 5.5 0.3 0.5 0.8 1.5 2.3 1.8 4.3 .412 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.3 .667

Note: Etan Thomas didn't play in 2007-08.

Season 7

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season -2008-09
Team -Washington Wizards
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 ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 26 11.8 3.1 1.0 1.6 2.5 0.2 0.1 0.7 0.7 1.3 1.2 2.5 .485 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 0.9 .696
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 8

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season -2009-10
Team -Oklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Thunder 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 ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 23 14.0 3.3 0.8 2.0 2.8 0.0 0.2 0.7 0.8 1.7 1.3 3.0 .456 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.0 .591
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 2 8.5 6.0 0.5 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 2.5 3.0 .833 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.000

Season 9

LaMelo Ball Etan Thomas
Season -2010-11
Team -Atlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards
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 ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 13 6.3 2.5 0.5 1.3 1.8 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.8 0.8 1.6 .476 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.2 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas 1 7.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 2.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -