LaMelo Ball vs. Joel Embiid Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Joel Embiid 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, 4 less than Joel Embiid, who played 9. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Joel Embiid had his rookie season in 2016-17. 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 |
| Joel Embiid | 9 | 7 | 2016-17 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Joel Embiid | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2016-17 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Honors & Awards |  Rookie of the Year | - |
| All-Rookie First Team | All-Rookie First Team | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
more >>
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: | +20 | +3.4 | +4.5 | +0.8 | +1.2 | +1.9 | +4.0 | +0.7 | +2.1 | -1.0 | -0.9 | +0.8 | +0.6 | +.030 | +0.6 | +1.9 | +.015 | +3.7 | +4.7 | +.025 |
| Joel Embiid | 31 | 25.4 | 20.2 | 2.0 | 5.9 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 6.5 | 13.8 | .466 | 1.2 | 3.2 | .367 | 6.2 | 7.9 | .783 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Joel Embiid played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Joel Embiid | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2017-18 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| - | All-Defensive Second Team | |
| All-Star Game | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | 76ers Lost East Conf Semis |
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: | +12 | +2.0 | +2.8 | +0.9 | +3.5 | +4.3 | +4.4 | +1.0 | +1.4 | -0.4 | -0.1 | +0.9 | +0.1 | +.054 | +1.9 | +4.1 | +.081 | +2.9 | +4.2 | +.103 |
| Joel Embiid | 63 | 30.3 | 22.9 | 2.3 | 8.7 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 8.1 | 16.8 | .483 | 1.0 | 3.4 | .308 | 5.7 | 7.4 | .769 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joel Embiid | 8 | 34.8 | 21.4 | 2.9 | 9.8 | 12.6 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 7.5 | 17.3 | .435 | 1.0 | 3.6 | .276 | 5.4 | 7.6 | .705 |
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Joel Embiid | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2018-19 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| - | All-Defensive Second Team | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | 76ers Lost East Conf Semis |
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: | +28 | +1.5 | +4.2 | +1.3 | +5.8 | +7.2 | +4.7 | +0.6 | +1.6 | -0.1 | +0.9 | +1.3 | +.073 | +2.8 | +6.5 | +.076 | +5.4 | +6.7 | +.032 | |
| Joel Embiid | 64 | 33.7 | 27.5 | 2.5 | 11.1 | 13.6 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 9.1 | 18.7 | .484 | 1.2 | 4.1 | .300 | 8.2 | 10.1 | .804 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joel Embiid | 11 | 30.4 | 20.2 | 1.9 | 8.5 | 10.5 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 6.2 | 14.5 | .428 | 1.1 | 3.5 | .308 | 6.7 | 8.2 | .822 |
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Joel Embiid | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2019-20 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Star Game |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | 76ers Lost East Conf 1st Rd |
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: | +29 | +2.8 | +0.9 | +1.5 | +5.1 | +6.5 | +5.0 | +0.9 | +1.1 | -0.7 | -0.2 | +0.8 | +3.5 | +.044 | +2.1 | +5.6 | +.024 | +2.8 | +3.8 | +.058 |
| Joel Embiid | 51 | 29.5 | 23.0 | 2.8 | 8.9 | 11.6 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 7.5 | 15.7 | .477 | 1.1 | 3.4 | .331 | 6.9 | 8.5 | .807 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joel Embiid | 4 | 36.3 | 30.0 | 2.8 | 9.5 | 12.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 8.5 | 18.5 | .459 | 1.0 | 4.0 | .250 | 12.0 | 14.8 | .814 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Joel Embiid | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2020-21 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| - | All-Defensive Second Team | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | 76ers 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: | +4 | +0.9 | +3.3 | +1.2 | +4.5 | +5.7 | +4.6 | +0.1 | +1.1 | -0.5 | -0.9 | +0.4 | +3.7 | +.108 | +2.7 | +8.2 | +.038 | +5.1 | +5.8 | +.016 |
| Joel Embiid | 51 | 31.1 | 28.5 | 2.2 | 8.4 | 10.6 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 9.0 | 17.6 | .513 | 1.1 | 3.0 | .377 | 9.2 | 10.7 | .859 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Joel Embiid | 11 | 32.5 | 28.1 | 1.5 | 9.1 | 10.5 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 9.2 | 17.9 | .513 | 1.5 | 3.7 | .390 | 8.3 | 9.9 | .835 |
Additional Years |
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* Joel Embiid played 4 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 9, from 2022 to 2025—Joel Embiid played in 3 Playoffs. In those 4 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Joel Embiid got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 Season MVP 1 All-NBA First Team 1 All-NBA Second Team 2 Scoring Leader 3 All-Star Game |