Mel Counts vs. Lance Stephenson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Lance Stephenson and Mel Counts, 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.

Mel Counts played 12 years in the NBA, 2 more than Lance Stephenson, who played 10. Mel Counts had the first of his seasons in 1964-65, while Lance Stephenson had his rookie season in 2010-11. 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
Mel Counts 12 8 1964-65 to 1975-76
Lance Stephenson 10 6 2010-11 to 2021-22

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1964-652010-11
Team Boston CelticsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 54 10.6 4.8 - - 4.9 0.4 - - - 2.5 1.9 5.0 .368 - - - 1.1 1.4 .784
Lance Stephenson 12 9.6 3.1 0.1 1.4 1.5 1.8 0.3 0.0 1.3 1.2 1.1 3.3 .333 0.0 0.4 .000 0.9 1.2 .786
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 4 7.5 2.3 - - 2.8 0.3 - - - 2.5 1.0 3.8 .267 - - - 0.3 0.3 1.000
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1965-662011-12
Team Boston CelticsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionPacers 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 %
Mel Counts 67 15.2 8.4 - - 6.4 0.7 - - - 3.1 3.3 8.2 .403 - - - 1.8 2.2 .828
Lance Stephenson 42 10.5 2.5 0.3 1.0 1.3 1.1 0.5 0.1 0.9 0.7 1.1 3.0 .376 0.1 0.7 .133 0.2 0.4 .471
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 10 8.2 4.3 - - 4.0 0.3 - - - 2.6 1.4 3.9 .359 - - - 1.5 1.7 .882
Lance Stephenson 4 3.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 2.3 .222 0.3 0.5 .500 0.3 0.5 .500

Season 3

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1966-672012-13
Team Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles LakersIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Div SemisPacers Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 56 15.4 7.6 - - 6.1 0.9 - - - 3.3 3.2 7.5 .422 - - - 1.2 1.7 .734
Lance Stephenson 78 29.2 8.8 0.6 3.3 3.9 2.9 1.0 0.2 1.4 2.1 3.5 7.7 .460 0.8 2.4 .330 1.0 1.5 .652
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 3 9.7 4.7 - - 2.7 0.0 - - - 2.0 1.7 6.3 .263 - - - 1.3 1.3 1.000
Lance Stephenson 19 35.4 9.4 0.7 6.8 7.6 3.3 1.2 0.1 1.9 2.5 3.6 8.9 .408 0.9 3.4 .281 1.2 1.9 .622

Season 4

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1967-682013-14
Team Los Angeles LakersIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsPacers Lost East Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 82 21.2 11.7 - - 8.9 1.7 - - - 3.8 4.7 9.9 .475 - - - 2.3 3.1 .748
Lance Stephenson 78 35.3 13.8 1.2 5.9 7.2 4.6 0.7 0.1 2.7 2.5 5.5 11.2 .491 1.1 3.1 .352 1.8 2.5 .711
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 15 20.4 8.6 - - 8.9 1.6 - - - 3.5 3.6 6.7 .535 - - - 1.4 2.1 .677
Lance Stephenson 19 37.1 13.6 1.3 5.6 6.9 4.2 0.8 0.2 2.4 2.9 5.3 11.6 .455 1.3 3.5 .358 1.8 2.6 .714

Season 5

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1968-692014-15
Team Los Angeles LakersCharlotte Hornets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 77 24.2 12.4 - - 7.8 1.4 - - - 2.9 5.1 11.3 .450 - - - 2.3 2.9 .805
Lance Stephenson 61 25.8 8.2 0.6 3.9 4.5 3.9 0.6 0.1 2.1 2.2 3.4 9.0 .376 0.3 1.7 .171 1.1 1.8 .627
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 18 24.6 11.2 - - 7.9 1.4 - - - 3.7 4.1 10.7 .385 - - - 3.0 3.9 .761
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1969-702015-16
Team Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsGrizzlies Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 81 27.1 12.6 - - 8.4 2.0 - - - 3.8 5.4 12.6 .427 - - - 1.9 2.5 .776
Lance Stephenson 69 19.9 8.3 0.6 2.7 3.2 1.9 0.6 0.1 1.4 2.0 3.3 6.9 .481 0.4 1.1 .385 1.3 1.6 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 14 15.1 6.1 - - 5.3 1.1 - - - 3.4 2.6 6.3 .420 - - - 0.8 0.9 .846
Lance Stephenson 4 23.8 13.0 0.3 1.3 1.5 1.8 0.3 0.0 0.8 2.5 5.8 11.0 .523 0.5 1.3 .400 1.0 1.3 .800

Season 7

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1970-712016-17
Team Phoenix SunsNew Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayPacers 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 %
Mel Counts 80 20.9 11.0 - - 6.3 1.7 - - - 3.5 4.6 10.0 .457 - - - 1.9 2.5 .753
Lance Stephenson 18 20.1 6.8 0.2 2.7 2.9 3.3 0.3 0.2 1.4 1.8 3.0 6.7 .450 0.3 1.1 .300 0.4 0.7 .615
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Lance Stephenson 4 26.8 16.0 0.3 5.0 5.3 2.8 0.5 0.0 1.0 2.8 6.8 13.3 .509 1.8 4.5 .389 0.8 1.0 .750

Season 8

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1971-722017-18
Team Phoenix SunsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayPacers 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 %
Mel Counts 76 11.9 5.2 - - 3.4 1.3 - - - 2.1 1.9 4.5 .427 - - - 1.3 1.8 .721
Lance Stephenson 82 22.6 9.2 0.8 4.4 5.2 2.9 0.6 0.2 1.6 2.2 3.7 8.6 .427 0.8 2.8 .289 1.0 1.5 .661
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Lance Stephenson 7 21.3 10.4 0.4 2.3 2.7 2.9 0.3 0.1 1.3 2.9 4.3 9.3 .462 1.1 3.7 .308 0.7 1.3 .556

Season 9

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1972-732018-19
Team Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 66 10.0 4.6 - - 3.8 1.0 - - - 1.6 2.0 4.5 .449 - - - 0.6 0.9 .672
Lance Stephenson 68 16.5 7.2 0.5 2.7 3.2 2.1 0.6 0.1 1.3 1.6 2.7 6.4 .426 1.1 2.9 .371 0.7 1.1 .685
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 17 19.2 9.1 - - 6.1 1.6 - - - 3.0 3.6 7.8 .459 - - - 1.9 2.4 .780
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------

Note: Lance Stephenson didn't play in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Season 10

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1973-742021-22
Team Los Angeles LakersAtlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 45 11.1 3.2 1.2 2.0 3.2 1.2 0.4 0.5 - 1.9 1.4 3.7 .365 - - - 0.5 0.7 .727
Lance Stephenson 46 17.7 8.3 0.3 2.5 2.8 3.6 0.5 0.1 1.6 2.1 3.2 7.0 .455 0.6 2.0 .300 1.4 1.7 .788
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 4 8.5 3.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 - 0.8 1.5 3.0 .500 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1974-75-
Team New Orleans Jazz-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 75 18.9 6.9 1.4 4.5 5.9 2.4 0.7 0.6 - 2.6 2.9 6.6 .438 - - - 1.1 1.5 .761
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Mel Counts Lance Stephenson
Season 1975-76-
Team New Orleans Jazz-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not Play-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts 30 10.6 3.0 0.9 2.4 3.3 1.3 0.5 0.3 - 2.5 1.2 3.0 .407 - - - 0.5 0.7 .762
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mel Counts ------- --- ----------
Lance Stephenson ------- --- ----------