LaMelo Ball vs. Kevin Love Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kevin Love 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, 12 less than Kevin Love, who played 17. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Kevin Love had his rookie season in 2008-09. 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 |
| Kevin Love | 17 | 6 | 2008-09 to 2024-25 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kevin Love | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2008-09 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Honors & Awards |  Rookie of the Year | - |
| All-Rookie First Team | - | |
| - | All-Rookie Second 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: | +30 | +3.5 | +4.6 | +2.2 | +1.0 | +3.2 | +5.1 | +1.2 | +0.2 | -1.3 | -0.2 | +1.8 | +4.7 | +.023 | +1.8 | +4.9 | +.247 | +0.8 | +0.9 | +.031 |
| Kevin Love | 81 | 25.3 | 11.1 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 9.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 8.5 | .459 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .105 | 3.3 | 4.1 | .789 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Kevin Love played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kevin Love | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2009-10 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 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: | +15 | +3.7 | +6.1 | +2.4 | +2.0 | +4.3 | +5.3 | +0.9 | -1.3 | -0.9 | +2.3 | +5.9 | +.021 | +2.3 | +5.7 | +.059 | +1.0 | +1.4 | +.057 | |
| Kevin Love | 60 | 28.6 | 14.0 | 3.8 | 7.2 | 11.0 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 10.8 | .450 | 0.6 | 1.8 | .330 | 3.8 | 4.6 | .815 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Kevin Love played in the postseason in their season 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kevin Love | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2010-11 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Honors & Awards | - | Most Improved Player |
| - | Rebounds Leader | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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: | +37 | +0.6 | +3.1 | +3.3 | +5.4 | +8.8 | +5.9 | +0.7 | +0.1 | -1.5 | -1.3 | +1.6 | +5.9 | +.059 | +2.8 | +7.7 | +.041 | +3.0 | +3.4 | +.014 |
| Kevin Love | 73 | 35.8 | 20.2 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 15.2 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 6.6 | 14.1 | .470 | 1.2 | 2.9 | .417 | 5.8 | 6.8 | .850 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Kevin Love played in the postseason in their season 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kevin Love | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2011-12 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA Second Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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: | +33 | +6.7 | +2.1 | +2.8 | +5.4 | +8.2 | +6.0 | +0.9 | +0.3 | -1.5 | -0.8 | +0.3 | +0.1 | +.015 | +1.3 | +3.9 | +.017 | +2.8 | +3.7 | +.041 |
| Kevin Love | 55 | 39.0 | 26.0 | 4.1 | 9.2 | 13.3 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 8.6 | 19.3 | .448 | 1.9 | 5.1 | .372 | 6.9 | 8.4 | .824 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Kevin Love played in the postseason in their season 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Kevin Love | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2012-13 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Honors & Awards | ||
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Did Not Play |
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 | +2.3 | +6.9 | +2.6 | +6.5 | +9.1 | +5.1 | +0.4 | +0.2 | -1.4 | -1.4 | +2.8 | +4.7 | +.053 | +2.7 | +6.1 | +.122 | +1.5 | +3.0 | +.139 |
| Kevin Love | 18 | 34.3 | 18.3 | 3.6 | 10.4 | 14.0 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 5.8 | 16.6 | .352 | 1.1 | 5.1 | .217 | 5.6 | 7.9 | .704 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Kevin Love played in the postseason in their season 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Additional Years |
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* Kevin Love played 12 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 17, from 2014 to 2025—Kevin Love played in 6 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 12 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Kevin Love got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 All-NBA Second Team 3 All-Star Game |