Lonzo Ball vs. Rodney Buford Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Rodney Buford 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 and Rodney Buford both played 5 years in the NBA. Lonzo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Rodney Buford had his rookie season in 1999-00. 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
Lonzo Ball 5 0 2017-18 to 2021-22
Rodney Buford 5 4 1999-00 to 2004-05

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Lonzo Ball Rodney Buford
Season 2017-181999-00
Team Los Angeles LakersMiami Heat
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayHeat Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Rodney Buford 34 11.4 4.3 0.3 1.1 1.4 0.6 0.3 0.2 0.3 1.3 1.8 4.4 .411 0.2 0.9 .241 0.5 0.6 .727
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Rodney Buford 1 16.0 11.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 4.0 8.0 .500 1.0 2.0 .500 2.0 2.0 1.000

Season 2

Lonzo Ball Rodney Buford
Season 2018-192000-01
Team Los Angeles LakersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play76ers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Rodney Buford 47 12.2 5.3 0.3 1.2 1.6 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.6 1.4 2.2 5.1 .432 0.3 0.8 .421 0.5 0.6 .828
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Rodney Buford 15 4.7 1.4 0.3 0.5 0.8 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3 1.0 0.5 1.6 .333 0.2 0.4 .500 0.1 0.1 1.000

Season 3

Lonzo Ball Rodney Buford
Season 2019-202001-02
Team New Orleans PelicansMemphis Grizzlies
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 %
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
Rodney Buford 63 28.1 9.4 0.8 3.5 4.3 1.1 0.7 0.2 1.0 1.7 4.1 9.4 .435 0.3 1.1 .243 0.9 1.3 .725
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Rodney Buford ------- --- ----------

Note: Rodney Buford didn't play in 2002-03.

Season 4

Lonzo Ball Rodney Buford
Season 2020-212003-04
Team New Orleans PelicansSacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayKings 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 %
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
Rodney Buford 22 6.4 1.9 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.9 2.5 .339 0.0 0.1 .000 0.1 0.3 .500
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Rodney Buford 5 6.2 2.4 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.6 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.4 1.0 2.4 .417 0.2 0.6 .333 0.2 0.4 .500

Season 5

Lonzo Ball Rodney Buford
Season 2021-222004-05
Team Chicago BullsNew Jersey Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNets Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF 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
Rodney Buford 64 20.5 7.0 0.5 2.4 3.0 1.0 0.6 0.1 0.5 1.6 2.9 7.6 .382 0.5 1.7 .315 0.6 0.7 .822
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Rodney Buford 3 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -