Lonzo Ball vs. Dave DeBusschere Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dave DeBusschere and Lonzo 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.

Lonzo Ball played 6 years in the NBA, 6 less than Dave DeBusschere, who played 12. Lonzo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Dave DeBusschere had his rookie season in 1962-63. 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
Lonzo Ball 6 0 2017-18 to 2024-25
Dave DeBusschere 12 8 1962-63 to 1973-74

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6

Rookie Season
Lonzo Ball Dave DeBusschere
Season 2017-181962-63
Team Los Angeles LakersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost West Div Semis
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball 52 34.2 10.2 1.3 5.6 6.9 7.2 1.7 0.8 2.6 2.3 3.9 10.8 .360 1.7 5.7 .305 0.6 1.4 .451
difference:+28+4.8+2.5+1.8+4.6-0.8+1.2+1.0+.070+2.0+2.2+.267
Dave DeBusschere 80 29.4 12.7 - - 8.7 2.6 - - - 3.1 5.1 11.8 .430 - - - 2.6 3.6 .718
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Dave DeBusschere 4 39.8 20.0 - - 15.8 1.5 - - - 3.5 6.3 14.8 .424 - - - 7.5 11.0 .682

Season 2
Lonzo Ball Dave DeBusschere
Season 2018-191963-64
Team Los Angeles LakersDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball 47 30.3 9.9 1.1 4.2 5.3 5.4 1.5 0.4 2.2 2.4 3.9 9.7 .406 1.6 4.9 .329 0.4 1.0 .417
difference:+32+10.0+1.3+1.7+3.9-0.3+0.4+0.8+.015+1.3+1.9+.164
Dave DeBusschere 15 20.3 8.6 - - 7.0 1.5 - - - 2.1 3.5 8.9 .391 - - - 1.7 2.9 .581
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Lonzo Ball nor Dave DeBusschere played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3
Lonzo Ball Dave DeBusschere
Season 2019-201964-65
Team New Orleans PelicansDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball 63 32.1 11.8 1.1 5.0 6.1 7.0 1.4 0.6 3.1 2.0 4.4 10.9 .403 2.3 6.3 .375 0.7 1.2 .566
difference:+16+3.0+4.9+5.0+3.8-1.1+2.0+4.2+.022+3.2+4.3+.134
Dave DeBusschere 79 35.1 16.7 - - 11.1 3.2 - - - 3.1 6.4 15.1 .425 - - - 3.9 5.5 .700
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Lonzo Ball nor Dave DeBusschere played in the postseason in their season 3

Season 4
Lonzo Ball Dave DeBusschere
Season 2020-211965-66
Team New Orleans PelicansDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball 55 31.8 14.6 0.6 4.2 4.8 5.7 1.5 0.6 2.2 1.9 5.3 12.7 .414 3.1 8.3 .378 0.9 1.2 .781
difference:+24+2.3+1.8+6.8+3.1-1.3+1.3+3.6+.006+2.3+3.6+.122
Dave DeBusschere 79 34.1 16.4 - - 11.6 2.6 - - - 3.2 6.6 16.3 .408 - - - 3.2 4.8 .659
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Lonzo Ball nor Dave DeBusschere played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5
Lonzo Ball Dave DeBusschere
Season 2021-221966-67
Team Chicago BullsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball 35 34.6 13.0 1.0 4.4 5.4 5.1 1.8 0.9 2.3 2.4 4.6 10.9 .423 3.1 7.4 .423 0.6 0.8 .750
difference:+43+2.5+5.2+6.4+2.3-1.4+2.2+5.5+.008+4.0+5.8+.045
Dave DeBusschere 78 37.1 18.2 - - 11.8 2.8 - - - 3.8 6.8 16.4 .415 - - - 4.6 6.6 .705
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Lonzo Ball nor Dave DeBusschere played in the postseason in their season 5

Note: Lonzo Ball didn't play in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Season 6
Lonzo Ball Dave DeBusschere
Season 2024-251967-68
Team Chicago BullsDetroit Pistons
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayPistons Lost East Div Semis
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball 35 22.2 7.6 0.7 2.7 3.4 3.3 1.3 0.5 1.2 1.6 2.5 6.9 .366 1.9 5.6 .344 0.6 0.8 .815
difference:+45+16.9+10.3+10.1+1.0-2.2+4.7+9.3+.076+3.0+4.6+.151
Dave DeBusschere 80 39.1 17.9 - - 13.5 2.3 - - - 3.8 7.2 16.2 .442 - - - 3.6 5.4 .664
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Dave DeBusschere 6 43.8 19.3 - - 16.2 2.2 - - - 3.8 7.5 17.7 .425 - - - 4.3 7.5 .578

Additional Years

* Dave DeBusschere played 6 seasons more than Lonzo Ball in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 7 to 12, from 1969 to 1974—Dave DeBusschere played in 6 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 6 extra years over Lonzo Ball, Dave DeBusschere got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 6 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 5 All-Star Game
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