LaMelo Ball vs. Tim Duncan Season by Season Comparison
Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Tim Duncan 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.
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, 14 less than Tim Duncan, who played 19. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while Tim Duncan had his rookie season in 1997-98. 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 |
| Tim Duncan | 19 | 18 | 1997-98 to 2015-16 |
Rookie Season |
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| LaMelo Ball | Tim Duncan | |
| Season | 2020-21 | 1997-98 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - |  All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Defensive Second Team | |
| Rookie of the Year | Rookie of the Year | |
| All-Rookie First Team | All-Rookie First Team | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Spurs Lost West Conf Semis |
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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: | +31 | +10.3 | +5.4 | +2.1 | +3.9 | +6.0 | +3.4 | +0.9 | +2.1 | -0.6 | -0.4 | +2.9 | +2.5 | +.113 | +1.8 | +5.0 | +.352 | +1.4 | +2.7 | +.096 |
| Tim Duncan | 82 | 39.1 | 21.1 | 3.3 | 8.6 | 11.9 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 8.6 | 15.7 | .549 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 3.9 | 5.9 | .662 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tim Duncan | 9 | 41.6 | 20.7 | 2.2 | 6.8 | 9.0 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 8.1 | 15.6 | .521 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 4.4 | 6.7 | .667 |
Season 2 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Tim Duncan | |
| Season | 2021-22 | 1998-99 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | Finals MVP |
| - | All-NBA First Team | |
| - | All-Defensive First Team | |
| 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: | +25 | +7.0 | +1.6 | +1.8 | +3.0 | +4.7 | +5.2 | +0.7 | +2.1 | -0.4 | -0.3 | +1.2 | +0.2 | +.066 | +2.9 | +7.4 | +.246 | +2.1 | +4.0 | +.182 |
| Tim Duncan | 50 | 39.3 | 21.7 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 8.4 | 16.9 | .495 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .143 | 4.9 | 7.2 | .690 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tim Duncan | 17 | 43.1 | 23.2 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 11.5 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 8.5 | 16.6 | .511 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .000 | 6.3 | 8.4 | .748 |
Season 3 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Tim Duncan | |
| Season | 2022-23 | 1999-00 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Defensive First Team | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| - | All-Star Game MVP | |
| 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: | +38 | +3.7 | +0.1 | +2.3 | +3.6 | +6.0 | +5.2 | +0.4 | +1.9 | -0.3 | -0.5 | +0.3 | +2.7 | +.079 | +4.0 | +10.5 | +.285 | +3.4 | +4.7 | +.075 |
| Tim Duncan | 74 | 38.9 | 23.2 | 3.5 | 8.9 | 12.4 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 8.5 | 17.3 | .490 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .091 | 6.2 | 8.1 | .761 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| * Neiher LaMelo Ball nor Tim Duncan played in the postseason in their season 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Season 4 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Tim Duncan | |
| Season | 2023-24 | 2000-01 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | All-NBA First Team |
| - | All-Defensive First Team | |
| - | All-Star Game | |
| Playoffs | Did Not Play | Spurs Lost West Conf 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: | +60 | +6.4 | +1.7 | +1.9 | +5.2 | +7.1 | +5.0 | +0.9 | +2.1 | -0.8 | -0.6 | +0.3 | +2.1 | +.066 | +3.1 | +8.7 | +.096 | +0.9 | +3.4 | +.247 |
| Tim Duncan | 82 | 38.7 | 22.2 | 3.2 | 9.0 | 12.2 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.6 | 17.1 | .499 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .259 | 5.0 | 8.1 | .618 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tim Duncan | 13 | 40.5 | 24.4 | 4.2 | 10.3 | 14.5 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 9.2 | 18.9 | .488 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.000 | 5.8 | 9.2 | .639 |
Season 5 |
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| LaMelo Ball | Tim Duncan | |
| Season | 2024-25 | 2001-02 |
| Team | Charlotte Hornets | San Antonio Spurs |
| Honors & Awards | - | Season MVP |
| - | All-NBA First Team | |
| - | All-Defensive First Team | |
| - | 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: | +35 | +8.6 | +0.3 | +2.3 | +5.5 | +7.8 | +3.7 | +0.4 | +2.2 | -0.4 | -0.7 | +0.7 | +3.0 | +.103 | +3.8 | +11.1 | +.239 | +2.7 | +3.6 | +.044 |
| Tim Duncan | 82 | 40.6 | 25.5 | 3.3 | 9.4 | 12.7 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 9.3 | 18.3 | .508 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .100 | 6.8 | 8.5 | .799 |
| Playoffs Stats | ||||||||||||||||||||
| G | Min | Pts | ORb | DRb | Reb | Ast | Stl | Blk | TO | PF | FGM / A | % | 3PM / A | % | FTM / A | % | ||||
| LaMelo Ball | DNP | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tim Duncan | 9 | 42.2 | 27.6 | 3.1 | 11.3 | 14.4 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 2.4 | 9.1 | 20.1 | .453 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .333 | 9.2 | 11.2 | .822 |
Additional Years |
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* Tim Duncan played 14 seasons more than LaMelo Ball in the NBA. In that period—his seasons 6 to 19, from 2003 to 2016—Tim Duncan played in 14 Playoffs and won 4 NBA Championships. In those 14 extra years over LaMelo Ball, Tim Duncan got these achievements: | |
| Honors & Awards | 2 Finals MVP 1 Season MVP 5 All-NBA First Team 3 All-NBA Second Team 2 All-NBA Third Team 4 All-Defensive First Team 6 All-Defensive Second Team 11 All-Star Game |