LaMelo Ball vs. Jalen Brunson Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jalen Brunson 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, 2 less than Jalen Brunson, who played 7. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Jalen Brunson had his rookie season in 2018-19. 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 |
| Jalen Brunson | 7 | 5 | 2018-19 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jalen Brunson | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2018-19 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Dallas Mavericks |
| Honors & Awards |  Rookie of the Year | - |
| 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: | +22 | +7.0 | +6.4 | +0.9 | +2.7 | +3.6 | +2.9 | +1.1 | +0.3 | -1.6 | -1.0 | +2.1 | +5.5 | +.031 | +0.9 | +2.6 | +.004 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +.033 |
| Jalen Brunson | 73 | 21.8 | 9.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 7.7 | .467 | 0.9 | 2.5 | .348 | 1.2 | 1.6 | .725 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Jalen Brunson played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jalen Brunson | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2019-20 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Dallas Mavericks |
| 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: | +18 | +14.4 | +11.9 | +1.0 | +3.2 | +4.3 | +4.3 | +1.2 | +0.3 | -2.1 | -1.9 | +4.0 | +9.9 | +.037 | +2.1 | +5.4 | +.031 | +1.7 | +1.9 | +.059 |
| Jalen Brunson | 57 | 17.9 | 8.2 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 6.8 | .466 | 0.8 | 2.1 | .358 | 1.1 | 1.3 | .813 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Jalen Brunson played in the postseason in their season 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jalen Brunson | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2020-21 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Dallas Mavericks |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd |
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: | +32 | +10.2 | +10.7 | +0.8 | +2.3 | +3.0 | +4.9 | +0.8 | +0.3 | -2.4 | -1.7 | +3.4 | +10.8 | +.112 | +2.8 | +7.7 | +.029 | +1.0 | +1.2 | +.041 |
| Jalen Brunson | 68 | 25.0 | 12.6 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 4.8 | 9.2 | .523 | 1.2 | 2.9 | .405 | 1.8 | 2.2 | .795 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jalen Brunson | 7 | 16.3 | 8.0 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 6.3 | .455 | 0.9 | 1.9 | .462 | 1.4 | 1.9 | .769 |
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jalen Brunson | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2021-22 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Dallas Mavericks |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Mavericks Lost West Conf Finals |
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: | +57 | +0.4 | +7.6 | +0.8 | +0.4 | +1.2 | +3.2 | +1.0 | +0.2 | -2.2 | -1.7 | +1.9 | +6.4 | +.069 | +2.0 | +5.8 | +.018 | +1.8 | +2.0 | +.025 |
| Jalen Brunson | 79 | 31.9 | 16.3 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 6.4 | 12.8 | .502 | 1.2 | 3.2 | .373 | 2.3 | 2.7 | .840 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jalen Brunson | 18 | 34.9 | 21.6 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 8.1 | 17.3 | .466 | 1.4 | 4.2 | .347 | 4.0 | 5.0 | .800 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jalen Brunson | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2022-23 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | New York Knicks |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Knicks Lost East Conf Semis |
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: | +21 | +3.0 | +1.2 | +0.4 | +0.9 | +1.4 | +1.2 | +0.2 | +0.1 | -1.5 | -1.1 | +3.7 | +.086 | +1.8 | +6.5 | +.077 | +0.7 | +0.9 | +.014 | |
| Jalen Brunson | 68 | 35.0 | 24.0 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 6.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 8.6 | 17.6 | .491 | 2.0 | 4.7 | .416 | 4.8 | 5.8 | .829 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jalen Brunson | 11 | 40.3 | 27.8 | 0.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 9.9 | 20.9 | .474 | 2.4 | 7.3 | .325 | 5.6 | 6.2 | .912 |
Additional Years |
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* Jalen Brunson played 2 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 7, from 2024 to 2025—Jalen Brunson played in two Playoffs. In those 2 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Jalen Brunson got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 2 All-NBA Second Team 1 Clutch Player of the Year 2 All-Star Game |