LaMelo Ball vs. Kawhi Leonard Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kawhi Leonard 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, 8 less than Kawhi Leonard, who played 13. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Kawhi Leonard had his rookie season in 2011-12. 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 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 13 | 12 | 2011-12 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kawhi Leonard | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2011-12 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards |  Rookie of the Year | - |
| All-Rookie First Team | All-Rookie First Team | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Spurs Lost West 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: | +13 | +4.8 | +7.8 | +0.4 | +1.2 | +0.8 | +5.0 | +0.3 | -2.1 | -1.3 | +2.6 | +6.9 | +.057 | +1.2 | +3.4 | +.024 | +1.4 | +1.8 | +.015 | |
| Kawhi Leonard | 64 | 24.0 | 7.9 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 6.3 | .493 | 0.6 | 1.7 | .376 | 1.1 | 1.4 | .773 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kawhi Leonard | 14 | 27.1 | 8.6 | 1.3 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 6.4 | .500 | 1.3 | 2.9 | .450 | 0.9 | 1.1 | .813 |
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kawhi Leonard | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2012-13 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | All-Star Game | - |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Spurs Lost NBA Finals |
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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: | +17 | +1.1 | +8.2 | +0.3 | +0.3 | +0.7 | +6.0 | +0.1 | +0.2 | -2.2 | -1.5 | +2.7 | +7.6 | +.065 | +1.8 | +4.5 | +.015 | +1.0 | +1.0 | +.047 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 58 | 31.2 | 11.9 | 1.1 | 4.9 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 4.5 | 9.1 | .494 | 1.1 | 3.0 | .374 | 1.8 | 2.2 | .825 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kawhi Leonard | 21 | 36.9 | 13.5 | 2.4 | 6.7 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 5.5 | 10.0 | .545 | 1.1 | 2.8 | .390 | 1.5 | 2.3 | .633 |
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kawhi Leonard | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2013-14 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | Finals MVP |
| - | All-Defensive Second Team | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play |  NBA Champion |
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 | +6.1 | +10.5 | +0.2 | +0.2 | +6.4 | +0.4 | +0.5 | -2.4 | -1.4 | +3.1 | +10.2 | +.111 | +3.0 | +7.8 | +.003 | +1.3 | +1.5 | +.034 | |
| Kawhi Leonard | 66 | 29.1 | 12.8 | 1.2 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 5.1 | 9.8 | .522 | 1.0 | 2.8 | .379 | 1.5 | 1.9 | .802 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kawhi Leonard | 23 | 32.0 | 14.3 | 1.3 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 5.3 | 10.4 | .510 | 1.3 | 3.2 | .419 | 2.3 | 3.1 | .736 |
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kawhi Leonard | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2014-15 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Defensive First Team |
| - | Defensive Player of the Year | |
| - | Steals Leader | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Spurs Lost West 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: | +42 | +0.5 | +7.4 | +2.1 | +2.1 | +5.5 | +0.5 | +0.6 | -2.3 | -1.6 | +2.1 | +6.4 | +.046 | +2.2 | +6.0 | +.006 | +0.9 | +0.8 | +.063 | |
| Kawhi Leonard | 64 | 31.8 | 16.5 | 1.3 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 6.2 | 12.8 | .479 | 1.0 | 3.0 | .349 | 3.2 | 3.9 | .802 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kawhi Leonard | 7 | 35.7 | 20.3 | 1.9 | 5.6 | 7.4 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 7.4 | 15.6 | .477 | 1.6 | 3.7 | .423 | 3.9 | 5.0 | .771 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kawhi Leonard | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2015-16 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Defensive First Team | |
| - | Defensive Player of the Year | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Spurs Lost West 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: | +25 | +1.1 | +4.0 | +0.3 | +1.6 | +1.9 | +4.8 | +0.7 | +0.7 | -2.1 | -1.5 | +0.9 | +6.2 | +.101 | +2.0 | +7.2 | +.104 | +0.3 | +.031 | |
| Kawhi Leonard | 72 | 33.1 | 21.2 | 1.3 | 5.5 | 6.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 7.7 | 15.1 | .506 | 1.8 | 4.0 | .443 | 4.1 | 4.6 | .874 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kawhi Leonard | 10 | 33.9 | 22.5 | 1.4 | 4.9 | 6.3 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 8.3 | 16.6 | .500 | 1.7 | 3.9 | .436 | 4.2 | 5.1 | .824 |
Additional Years |
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* Kawhi Leonard played 8 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 13, from 2017 to 2025—Kawhi Leonard played in 7 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 8 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Kawhi Leonard got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 Finals MVP 2 All-NBA First Team 3 All-NBA Second Team 1 All-Defensive First Team 3 All-Defensive Second Team 5 All-Star Game 1 All-Star Game MVP |