Lonzo Ball vs. Michael Jordan Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Jordan 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 / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings

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, 9 less than Michael Jordan, who played 15. Lonzo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Michael Jordan had his rookie season in 1984-85. 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
Michael Jordan 15 13 1984-85 to 2002-03

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6

Rookie Season

Lonzo Ball Michael Jordan
Season 2017-181984-85
Team Los Angeles LakersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement Rookie of the Year
-Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd
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:+30+4.1+18.0+0.7+1.1+0.4+1.3+0.7-0.9-1.2+6.3+9.0+.155+1.6+5.1+.132+7.1+7.7+.394
Michael Jordan 82 38.3 28.2 2.0 4.5 6.5 5.9 2.4 0.8 3.5 3.5 10.2 19.8 .515 0.1 0.6 .173 7.7 9.1 .845
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Michael Jordan 4 42.8 29.3 1.8 4.0 5.8 8.5 2.8 1.0 3.8 3.8 8.5 19.5 .436 0.3 2.0 .125 12.0 14.5 .828

Season 2

Lonzo Ball Michael Jordan
Season 2018-191985-86
Team Los Angeles LakersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd
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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:+29+5.2+12.8+0.2+1.9+1.7+2.5+0.6+0.8-0.3-0.2+4.4+8.5+.051+1.4+3.9+.162+5.4+5.9+.423
Michael Jordan 18 25.1 22.7 1.3 2.3 3.6 2.9 2.1 1.2 2.5 2.6 8.3 18.2 .457 0.2 1.0 .167 5.8 6.9 .840
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Michael Jordan 3 45.0 43.7 1.7 4.7 6.3 5.7 2.3 1.3 4.7 4.3 16.0 31.7 .505 0.3 0.3 1.000 11.3 13.0 .872

Season 3

Lonzo Ball Michael Jordan
Season 2019-201986-87
Team New Orleans PelicansChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd
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:+19+7.9+25.3+0.9+1.8+0.9+2.4+1.5+0.9-0.2-0.9+9.0+16.9+.079+2.2+5.5+.193+9.5+10.7+.291
Michael Jordan 82 40.0 37.1 2.0 3.2 5.2 4.6 2.9 1.5 3.3 2.9 13.4 27.8 .482 0.1 0.8 .182 10.2 11.9 .857
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Michael Jordan 3 42.7 35.7 2.3 4.7 7.0 6.0 2.0 2.3 2.7 3.7 11.7 28.0 .417 0.7 1.7 .400 11.7 13.0 .897

Season 4

Lonzo Ball Michael Jordan
Season 2020-211987-88
Team New Orleans PelicansChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game MVP
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf Semis
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:+27+8.6+20.4+1.1+0.4+0.7+0.2+1.7+1.0-0.9-1.4+7.7+11.7+.121+3.0+7.7+.246+7.9+9.3+.060
Michael Jordan 82 40.4 35.0 1.7 3.8 5.5 5.9 3.2 1.6 3.1 3.3 13.0 24.4 .535 0.1 0.6 .132 8.8 10.5 .841
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Michael Jordan 10 42.7 36.3 2.3 4.8 7.1 4.7 2.4 1.1 3.9 3.8 13.8 26.0 .531 0.1 0.3 .333 8.6 9.9 .869

Season 5

Lonzo Ball Michael Jordan
Season 2021-221988-89
Team Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf Finals
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:+46+5.6+19.5+0.8+1.8+2.6+2.9+1.1+0.1-1.3-0.6+7.3+11.3+.115+2.8+6.2+.147+7.7+9.0+.100
Michael Jordan 81 40.2 32.5 1.8 6.2 8.0 8.0 2.9 0.8 3.6 3.0 11.9 22.2 .538 0.3 1.2 .276 8.3 9.8 .850
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Michael Jordan 17 42.2 34.8 1.5 5.5 7.0 7.6 2.5 0.8 4.0 3.8 11.7 22.9 .510 0.6 2.1 .286 10.8 13.5 .799

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

Season 6

Lonzo Ball Michael Jordan
Season 2024-251989-90
Team Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost East Conf Finals
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:+47+16.8+26.0+1.0+2.4+3.5+3.0+1.5+0.2-1.8-1.3+10.1+17.1+.160+0.8+2.6+.032+6.6+7.7+.033
Michael Jordan 82 39.0 33.6 1.7 5.1 6.9 6.3 2.8 0.7 3.0 2.9 12.6 24.0 .526 1.1 3.0 .376 7.2 8.5 .848
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Lonzo Ball DNP------ --- ----------
Michael Jordan 16 42.1 36.7 1.5 5.7 7.2 6.8 2.8 0.9 3.5 3.4 13.7 26.6 .514 1.0 3.1 .320 8.3 9.9 .836

Additional Years

* Michael Jordan played 9 seasons more than Lonzo Ball in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 7 to 15, from 1991 to 2003—Michael Jordan played in 7 Playoffs and won 6 NBA Championships.

In those 9 extra years over Lonzo Ball, Michael Jordan got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 6 Finals MVP
Achievement 4 Season MVP
Achievement 6 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 6 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 6 Scoring Leader
Achievement 1 Steals Leader
Achievement 8 All-Star Game
Achievement 2 All-Star Game MVP