LaMelo Ball vs. Jayson Tatum Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Jayson 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 / 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, 3 less than Jayson Tatum, who played 8. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Jayson Tatum had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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 |
| Jayson Tatum | 8 | 8 | 2017-18 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jayson Tatum | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2017-18 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards |  Rookie of the Year | - |
| All-Rookie First Team | All-Rookie First Team | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics Lost East Conf Finals |
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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: | +29 | +1.7 | +1.8 | +0.6 | +0.3 | +0.9 | +4.5 | +0.6 | +0.3 | -1.4 | -0.6 | +0.7 | +2.8 | +.039 | +0.5 | +2.1 | +.082 | +0.2 | +.068 | |
| Jayson Tatum | 80 | 30.5 | 13.9 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 5.0 | 10.4 | .475 | 1.3 | 3.0 | .434 | 2.7 | 3.2 | .826 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jayson Tatum | 19 | 35.9 | 18.5 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 6.5 | 13.7 | .471 | 1.2 | 3.7 | .324 | 4.3 | 5.1 | .845 |
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jayson Tatum | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2018-19 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | All-Star Game | - |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics Lost East Conf Semis |
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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: | +4 | +1.2 | +4.4 | +0.5 | +0.7 | +5.5 | +0.5 | +0.3 | -1.8 | -1.1 | +1.3 | +3.6 | +.021 | +1.4 | +3.6 | +.016 | +0.3 | +0.3 | +.017 | |
| Jayson Tatum | 79 | 31.1 | 15.7 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 5.9 | 13.1 | .450 | 1.5 | 3.9 | .373 | 2.5 | 2.9 | .855 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jayson Tatum | 9 | 32.8 | 15.2 | 0.8 | 5.9 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 5.4 | 12.4 | .438 | 1.1 | 3.4 | .323 | 3.2 | 4.3 | .744 |
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jayson Tatum | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2019-20 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Third Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics Lost East Conf Finals |
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: | +30 | +0.9 | +0.1 | +0.2 | +0.7 | +0.6 | +5.4 | +0.1 | +0.6 | -1.3 | -1.2 | +0.2 | +1.4 | +.039 | +1.1 | +3.5 | +.027 | +1.0 | +1.3 | +.024 |
| Jayson Tatum | 66 | 34.3 | 23.4 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 8.4 | 18.6 | .450 | 2.9 | 7.1 | .403 | 3.8 | 4.7 | .812 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jayson Tatum | 17 | 40.6 | 25.7 | 1.3 | 8.7 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 8.5 | 19.6 | .434 | 2.8 | 7.4 | .373 | 5.9 | 7.2 | .813 |
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jayson Tatum | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2020-21 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics Lost East Conf 1st Rd |
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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: | +42 | +3.5 | +2.5 | +0.5 | +2.8 | +2.3 | +3.7 | +0.6 | +0.3 | -1.1 | -1.7 | +1.2 | +1.4 | +.026 | +0.3 | +1.4 | +.031 | +0.5 | +0.6 | +.003 |
| Jayson Tatum | 64 | 35.8 | 26.4 | 0.8 | 6.6 | 7.4 | 4.3 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 9.5 | 20.6 | .459 | 2.9 | 7.6 | .386 | 4.6 | 5.3 | .868 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jayson Tatum | 5 | 37.0 | 30.6 | 0.6 | 5.2 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 9.4 | 22.2 | .423 | 2.8 | 7.2 | .389 | 9.0 | 9.8 | .918 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Jayson Tatum | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2021-22 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics Lost NBA Finals |
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: | +29 | +3.9 | +1.7 | +0.1 | +3.0 | +3.1 | +3.0 | +0.1 | +0.3 | -0.7 | -1.0 | +0.7 | +0.7 | +.048 | +0.8 | +2.6 | +.014 | +1.2 | +1.3 | +.010 |
| Jayson Tatum | 76 | 35.9 | 26.9 | 1.1 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 9.3 | 20.6 | .453 | 3.0 | 8.6 | .353 | 5.3 | 6.2 | .853 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jayson Tatum | 24 | 41.0 | 25.6 | 1.0 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 8.4 | 19.7 | .426 | 3.2 | 8.2 | .393 | 5.7 | 7.1 | .800 |
Additional Years |
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* Jayson Tatum played 3 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 8, from 2023 to 2025—Jayson Tatum played in 3 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 3 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Jayson Tatum got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 3 All-NBA First Team 3 All-Star Game 1 All-Star Game MVP |