Luka Doncic vs. Rudy Gay Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Rudy Gay and Luka Doncic, 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 / 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.

Luka Doncic played 8 years in the NBA, 9 less than Rudy Gay, who played 17. Luka Doncic had the first of his seasons in 2018-19, while Rudy Gay 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
Luka Doncic 8 5 2018-19 to 2025-26
Rudy Gay 17 3 2006-07 to 2022-23

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2018-192006-07
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First TeamAchievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 72 32.2 21.2 1.2 6.6 7.8 6.0 1.1 0.3 3.4 1.9 7.0 16.5 .427 2.3 7.1 .327 4.8 6.7 .713
difference:+6+5.2+10.4+3.3+3.3+4.7+0.2+0.6-1.6-0.6+2.9+6.8+.005+1.6+5.3+.037+2.9+4.0+.014
Rudy Gay 78 27.0 10.8 1.2 3.3 4.5 1.3 0.9 0.9 1.8 2.5 4.1 9.7 .422 0.7 1.8 .364 1.9 2.7 .727
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Luka Doncic nor Rudy Gay played in the postseason in their season 1

Season 2

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2019-202007-08
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdDid 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%
Luka Doncic 61 33.6 28.8 1.3 8.1 9.4 8.8 1.0 0.2 4.3 2.5 9.5 20.6 .463 2.8 8.9 .316 7.0 9.2 .758
difference:+20+3.4+8.7+0.4+3.7+3.2+6.8+0.4+0.8-2.0-0.3+1.8+3.9+.002+1.1+4.1+.030+3.9+5.3+.027
Rudy Gay 81 37.0 20.1 1.7 4.4 6.2 2.0 1.4 1.0 2.3 2.8 7.7 16.7 .461 1.7 4.8 .346 3.1 3.9 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 6 35.8 31.0 0.7 9.2 9.8 8.7 1.2 0.5 5.2 2.8 10.7 21.3 .500 2.7 7.3 .364 7.0 10.7 .656
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2020-212008-09
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf 1st RdDid 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%
Luka Doncic 66 34.3 27.7 0.8 7.2 8.0 8.6 1.0 0.5 4.3 2.3 9.8 20.5 .479 2.9 8.3 .350 5.2 7.1 .730
difference:+13+3.0+8.8+0.6+3.0+2.5+6.9+0.2+0.2-1.7-0.5+2.6+4.5+.026+1.8+5.2+.001+1.9+2.7+.037
Rudy Gay 79 37.3 18.9 1.4 4.2 5.5 1.7 1.2 0.7 2.6 2.8 7.2 16.0 .453 1.1 3.1 .351 3.3 4.4 .767
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 7 40.1 35.7 0.6 7.3 7.9 10.3 1.3 0.4 4.6 2.4 13.7 28.0 .490 4.4 10.9 .408 3.9 7.3 .529
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2021-222009-10
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Mavericks Lost West Conf FinalsDid 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%
Luka Doncic 65 35.4 28.4 0.9 8.3 9.1 8.7 1.2 0.6 4.5 2.2 9.9 21.6 .457 3.1 8.8 .353 5.6 7.5 .744
difference:+15+4.3+8.8+0.5+3.8+3.2+6.8+0.3+0.2-2.4-0.3+2.4+5.5+.009+2.3+6.3+.026+1.8+2.5+.009
Rudy Gay 80 39.7 19.6 1.4 4.5 5.9 1.9 1.5 0.8 2.1 2.5 7.5 16.1 .466 0.8 2.5 .327 3.8 5.0 .753
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 15 36.8 31.7 0.7 9.1 9.8 6.4 1.8 0.6 3.9 2.9 10.7 23.5 .455 3.4 9.9 .345 6.9 9.0 .770
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2022-232010-11
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
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%
Luka Doncic 66 36.2 32.4 0.8 7.8 8.6 8.0 1.4 0.5 3.6 2.5 10.9 22.0 .496 2.8 8.2 .342 7.8 10.5 .742
difference:+12+3.7+12.6+0.7+3.1+2.4+5.2+0.3+0.6-1.1-0.1+3.3+5.9+.025+1.7+5.5+.054+4.2+6.0+.063
Rudy Gay 54 39.9 19.8 1.5 4.7 6.2 2.8 1.7 1.1 2.5 2.4 7.6 16.1 .471 1.1 2.7 .396 3.6 4.5 .805
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Luka Doncic nor Rudy Gay played in the postseason in their season 5

Season 6

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2023-242011-12
Team Dallas MavericksMemphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA First Team-
Achievement Scoring Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Mavericks Lost NBA FinalsGrizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 70 37.5 33.9 0.8 8.4 9.2 9.8 1.4 0.5 4.0 2.1 11.5 23.6 .487 4.1 10.6 .382 6.8 8.7 .786
difference:+5+0.2+14.9+1.2+4.0+2.8+7.5+0.1+0.3-1.5+4.0+7.2+.032+3.3+7.9+.070+3.6+4.7+.005
Rudy Gay 65 37.3 19.0 2.0 4.4 6.4 2.3 1.5 0.8 2.5 2.1 7.5 16.4 .455 0.8 2.7 .312 3.2 4.0 .791
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 22 40.9 28.9 0.7 8.7 9.5 8.1 1.9 0.4 4.1 2.5 10.2 22.9 .446 3.1 9.6 .322 5.3 7.0 .765
difference:+15+1.0+9.9+0.7+3.6+2.9+6.7+0.6+0.1-1.1-0.4+3.3+6.6+.025+2.5+6.9+.111+0.6+1.3+.060
Rudy Gay 7 39.9 19.0 1.4 5.1 6.6 1.4 1.3 0.3 3.0 2.1 6.9 16.3 .421 0.6 2.7 .211 4.7 5.7 .825

Season 7

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2024-252012-13
Team Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles LakersMemphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 50 35.4 28.2 0.8 7.4 8.2 7.7 1.8 0.4 3.6 2.5 9.2 20.5 .450 3.5 9.6 .368 6.2 7.9 .782
difference:+25+0.4+10.0+0.5+2.6+2.1+5.0+0.3+0.3-1.0-0.1+2.3+3.8+.034+2.4+6.1+.045+3.0+4.0+.032
Rudy Gay 75 35.8 18.2 1.3 4.8 6.1 2.7 1.5 0.7 2.6 2.4 6.9 16.7 .416 1.1 3.5 .323 3.2 3.9 .814
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 5 41.6 30.2 0.4 6.6 7.0 5.8 1.0 0.6 4.0 3.2 9.4 20.8 .452 3.2 9.2 .348 8.2 9.2 .891
Rudy Gay DNP------ --- ----------

Season 8

Luka Doncic Rudy Gay
Season 2025-262013-14
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Luka Doncic 1 41.0 43.0 0.0 12.0 12.0 9.0 2.0 1.0 3.0 1.0 17.0 27.0 .630 2.0 10.0 .200 7.0 10.0 .700
difference:+72+6.3+23.0+1.5+7.6+6.0+6.1+0.7+0.2-0.1-1.3+9.6+10.8+.175+1.1+7.3+.130+2.6+4.7+.122
Rudy Gay 73 34.7 20.0 1.5 4.4 6.0 2.9 1.3 0.8 3.1 2.3 7.4 16.2 .455 0.9 2.7 .330 4.4 5.3 .822
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Luka Doncic nor Rudy Gay played in the postseason in their season 8

Additional Years

* Rudy Gay played 9 seasons more than Luka Doncic in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 17, from 2015 to 2023—Rudy Gay played in two Playoffs.