LaMelo Ball vs. Rajon Rondo Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Rajon Rondo 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, 11 less than Rajon Rondo, who played 16. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Rajon Rondo had his rookie season in 2006-07. 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 |
| Rajon Rondo | 16 | 10 | 2006-07 to 2021-22 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Rajon Rondo | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 2006-07 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| 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: | +27 | +5.3 | +9.3 | +0.3 | +1.9 | +2.2 | +2.3 | +0.3 | -1.0 | -0.4 | +3.3 | +7.4 | +.018 | +1.7 | +4.7 | +.145 | +1.0 | +0.8 | +.111 | |
| Rajon Rondo | 78 | 23.5 | 6.4 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 5.8 | .418 | 0.1 | 0.4 | .207 | 1.5 | 2.4 | .647 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Rajon Rondo played in the postseason in their season 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Rajon Rondo | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 2007-08 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | All-Star Game | - |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play |  NBA Champion |
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: | +2 | +2.4 | +9.5 | +0.4 | +2.0 | +2.5 | +2.5 | +0.1 | +0.2 | -1.4 | -0.8 | +2.6 | +7.4 | +.063 | +2.8 | +7.3 | +.126 | +1.4 | +0.9 | +.261 |
| Rajon Rondo | 77 | 29.9 | 10.6 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 4.6 | 9.3 | .492 | 0.1 | 0.2 | .263 | 1.4 | 2.3 | .611 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rajon Rondo | 26 | 32.0 | 10.2 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 10.1 | .407 | 0.2 | 0.8 | .250 | 1.8 | 2.6 | .691 |
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Rajon Rondo | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 2008-09 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Defensive Second Team |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics 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: | +44 | +2.2 | +11.4 | +0.1 | +1.3 | +1.2 | +0.2 | +0.6 | +0.2 | -1.0 | -0.9 | +3.4 | +10.5 | +.094 | +3.8 | +10.0 | +.063 | +0.6 | +.194 | |
| Rajon Rondo | 80 | 33.0 | 11.9 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 8.2 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 9.5 | .505 | 0.2 | 0.6 | .313 | 2.2 | 3.4 | .642 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rajon Rondo | 14 | 41.2 | 16.9 | 2.3 | 7.4 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 6.6 | 15.9 | .417 | 0.4 | 1.7 | .250 | 3.1 | 4.8 | .657 |
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Rajon Rondo | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2009-10 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Defensive First Team |
| - | Steals Leader | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics Lost NBA Finals |
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: | +59 | +4.3 | +10.2 | +0.1 | +0.6 | +0.7 | +1.8 | +0.5 | +0.1 | -0.8 | -1.2 | +2.6 | +8.0 | +.075 | +3.0 | +8.0 | +.142 | +1.9 | +1.2 | +.244 |
| Rajon Rondo | 81 | 36.6 | 13.7 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 9.8 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 5.7 | 11.2 | .508 | 0.2 | 1.0 | .213 | 2.2 | 3.5 | .621 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rajon Rondo | 24 | 40.6 | 15.8 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 5.6 | 9.3 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 6.3 | 13.6 | .463 | 0.4 | 1.0 | .375 | 2.8 | 4.8 | .596 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Rajon Rondo | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2010-11 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | Boston Celtics |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-Defensive First Team |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Celtics 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: | +21 | +5.2 | +14.6 | +0.3 | +0.8 | +0.5 | +3.8 | +1.2 | +0.1 | -0.2 | -1.5 | +3.9 | +11.4 | +.070 | +3.7 | +10.6 | +.106 | +3.0 | +3.0 | +.275 |
| Rajon Rondo | 68 | 37.2 | 10.6 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 11.2 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 4.7 | 9.9 | .475 | 0.1 | 0.6 | .233 | 1.1 | 1.9 | .568 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rajon Rondo | 9 | 38.3 | 14.0 | 1.2 | 4.2 | 5.4 | 9.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 5.7 | 11.9 | .477 | 0.0 | 0.3 | .000 | 2.7 | 4.2 | .632 |
Additional Years |
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* Rajon Rondo played 11 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 16, from 2012 to 2022—Rajon Rondo played in 6 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship. In those 11 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Rajon Rondo got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 1 All-NBA Third Team 1 All-Defensive Second Team 3 Assists Leader 2 All-Star Game |