LaMelo Ball vs. Otis Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Otis Smith 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

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 4 years in the NBA, 2 less than Otis Smith, who played 6. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Otis Smith had his rookie season in 1986-87. 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 achivements, 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 4 0 2020-21 to 2023-24
Otis Smith 6 2 1986-87 to 1991-92

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6

Rookie Season
LaMelo Ball Otis Smith
Season 2020-211986-87
Team Charlotte HornetsDenver Nuggets
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayNuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
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
Otis Smith 28 6.0 2.8 0.6 0.6 1.2 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.1 1.2 2.8 .418 0.0 0.1 .000 0.4 0.8 .571
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith 3 6.3 3.3 0.3 1.3 1.7 1.3 0.0 0.7 1.3 0.3 0.7 2.0 .333 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 3.0 .667

Season 2
LaMelo Ball Otis Smith
Season 2021-221987-88
Team Charlotte HornetsDenver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
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
Otis Smith 72 21.5 11.7 1.8 1.7 3.4 2.2 1.3 0.6 1.5 2.2 4.5 9.2 .491 0.2 0.6 .317 2.5 3.2 .777
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3
LaMelo Ball Otis Smith
Season 2022-231988-89
Team Charlotte HornetsGolden State Warriors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayWarriors Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
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
Otis Smith 80 20.0 10.0 1.6 2.5 4.1 1.8 1.1 0.5 1.6 2.1 3.9 8.9 .435 0.1 0.5 .189 2.2 2.7 .798
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith 4 12.3 4.8 1.5 1.8 3.3 1.5 0.5 0.3 0.5 1.3 2.3 6.0 .375 0.0 0.0 - 0.3 0.5 .500

Season 4
LaMelo Ball Otis Smith
Season 2023-241989-90
Team Charlotte HornetsOrlando Magic
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
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
Otis Smith 65 25.3 13.5 1.8 2.8 4.6 2.3 1.2 0.9 1.6 2.7 5.4 10.9 .492 0.2 0.6 .250 2.6 3.4 .761
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5
LaMelo Ball Otis Smith
Season -1990-91
Team -Orlando Magic
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith 75 25.1 13.9 2.3 2.8 5.2 2.3 1.1 0.5 1.9 2.5 5.4 12.0 .451 0.1 0.6 .196 2.9 4.0 .734
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 6
LaMelo Ball Otis Smith
Season -1991-92
Team -Orlando Magic
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Did Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith 55 15.9 5.6 0.7 1.4 2.1 1.0 0.7 0.2 1.1 1.5 2.1 5.8 .365 0.1 0.4 .381 1.3 1.7 .769
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
Otis Smith ------- --- ----------
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