Zach LaVine vs. Elmore Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elmore Smith and Zach LaVine, 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.

Zach LaVine played 10 years in the NBA, 2 more than Elmore Smith, who played 8. Zach LaVine had the first of his seasons in 2014-15, while Elmore Smith had his rookie season in 1971-72. 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
Zach LaVine 10 1 2014-15 to 2023-24
Elmore Smith 8 4 1971-72 to 1978-79

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2014-151971-72
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesBuffalo Braves
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
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 %
Zach LaVine 77 24.7 10.1 0.4 2.4 2.8 3.6 0.7 0.1 2.5 2.1 3.7 8.8 .422 0.7 2.2 .341 1.9 2.3 .842
Elmore Smith 78 40.8 17.3 - - 15.2 1.4 - - - 3.9 7.4 16.3 .454 - - - 2.5 4.7 .534
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2015-161972-73
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesBuffalo Braves
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 %
Zach LaVine 82 28.0 14.0 0.3 2.5 2.8 3.1 0.8 0.2 1.9 2.4 5.3 11.7 .452 1.5 3.9 .389 2.0 2.5 .793
Elmore Smith 76 37.2 18.3 - - 12.4 2.5 - - - 3.9 7.9 16.4 .482 - - - 2.5 4.4 .558
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2016-171973-74
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement Blocks Leader
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers 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 %
Zach LaVine 47 37.2 18.9 0.4 3.0 3.4 3.0 0.9 0.2 1.8 2.2 6.9 15.1 .459 2.6 6.6 .387 2.5 3.0 .836
Elmore Smith 81 36.1 12.5 2.5 8.7 11.2 1.9 0.9 4.9 - 3.8 5.4 11.7 .457 - - - 1.8 3.1 .590
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith 5 34.2 19.2 3.8 6.8 10.6 1.2 1.4 1.6 - 4.0 8.4 17.6 .477 - - - 2.4 3.4 .706

Season 4

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2017-181974-75
Team Chicago BullsLos Angeles Lakers
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 %
Zach LaVine 24 27.3 16.7 0.4 3.5 3.9 3.0 1.0 0.2 1.8 2.3 5.7 14.8 .383 1.8 5.1 .341 3.6 4.5 .813
Elmore Smith 74 31.6 10.9 2.8 8.1 10.9 2.0 1.1 2.9 - 3.4 4.7 9.5 .493 - - - 1.5 3.1 .485
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2018-191975-76
Team Chicago BullsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayBucks 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 %
Zach LaVine 63 34.5 23.7 0.6 4.0 4.7 4.5 1.0 0.4 3.4 2.2 8.4 18.0 .467 1.9 5.1 .374 5.0 6.0 .832
Elmore Smith 78 36.0 15.6 2.6 8.9 11.4 1.2 1.0 3.1 - 3.4 6.4 12.3 .518 - - - 2.8 4.5 .632
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith 3 34.7 14.7 1.7 5.7 7.3 0.3 0.7 3.7 - 4.7 5.0 9.0 .556 - - - 4.7 7.0 .667

Season 6

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2019-201976-77
Team Chicago BullsMilwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
Zach LaVine 60 34.8 25.5 0.7 4.1 4.8 4.2 1.5 0.5 3.4 2.2 9.0 20.0 .450 3.1 8.1 .380 4.5 5.6 .802
Elmore Smith 70 20.9 8.6 1.6 4.6 6.3 0.6 0.5 2.1 - 3.0 3.4 7.2 .475 - - - 1.7 3.0 .549
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith 3 18.7 13.7 2.0 6.0 8.0 0.3 1.7 1.0 - 3.3 6.0 11.0 .545 - - - 1.7 2.7 .625

Season 7

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2020-211977-78
Team Chicago BullsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
Zach LaVine 58 35.1 27.4 0.6 4.4 5.0 4.9 0.8 0.5 3.5 2.4 9.8 19.4 .507 3.4 8.2 .419 4.4 5.1 .849
Elmore Smith 81 24.6 12.5 2.2 6.2 8.4 0.7 0.6 2.2 1.7 3.0 5.0 10.0 .497 - - - 2.5 3.8 .663
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith 2 28.0 12.5 3.0 6.5 9.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 2.5 4.5 5.5 12.0 .458 - - - 1.5 3.0 .500

Season 8

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2021-221978-79
Team Chicago BullsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine 67 34.7 24.4 0.3 4.3 4.6 4.5 0.6 0.3 2.6 1.8 8.4 17.7 .476 2.8 7.1 .389 4.8 5.6 .853
Elmore Smith 24 13.8 6.5 1.9 2.5 4.4 0.5 0.3 0.7 1.8 2.5 2.9 5.4 .531 - - - 0.8 1.1 .692
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine 4 38.3 19.3 0.0 5.3 5.3 6.0 0.8 0.3 3.0 2.3 6.8 15.8 .429 2.3 6.0 .375 3.5 3.8 .933
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2022-23-
Team Chicago Bulls-
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 %
Zach LaVine 77 35.9 24.8 0.5 3.9 4.5 4.2 0.9 0.2 2.5 2.1 8.7 18.0 .485 2.6 7.1 .375 4.7 5.6 .848
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Zach LaVine Elmore Smith
Season 2023-24-
Team Chicago Bulls-
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 %
Zach LaVine 25 34.9 19.5 0.3 4.8 5.2 3.9 0.8 0.3 2.1 2.3 6.8 15.0 .452 2.4 6.8 .349 3.5 4.1 .854
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------