Zach LaVine vs. Mike Sanders Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Mike Sanders 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, 1 less than Mike Sanders, who played 11. Zach LaVine had the first of his seasons in 2014-15, while Mike Sanders had his rookie season in 1982-83. 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
Mike Sanders 11 9 1982-83 to 1992-93

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2014-151982-83
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlaySpurs Lost West Conf Finals
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
Mike Sanders 26 15.1 7.0 1.2 2.4 3.6 0.7 0.7 0.2 1.1 2.2 2.9 6.0 .484 0.0 0.1 .000 1.2 1.7 .721
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 6 4.2 2.3 0.3 1.2 1.5 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.2 2.2 .538 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 2

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2015-161983-84
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySuns Lost West Conf Finals
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
Mike Sanders 50 11.7 4.5 0.8 1.3 2.1 0.9 0.5 0.2 0.9 2.0 1.9 4.1 .478 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 0.8 .690
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 15 10.1 4.0 0.7 0.7 1.3 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.9 2.1 1.5 3.1 .478 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.1 .941

Season 3

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2016-171984-85
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlaySuns 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 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
Mike Sanders 21 19.9 10.2 1.8 2.4 4.2 1.4 1.1 0.2 1.6 2.8 4.0 8.3 .486 0.0 0.0 - 2.1 2.8 .763
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 3 30.3 17.3 2.7 2.3 5.0 3.3 1.7 0.0 3.0 2.7 7.3 12.3 .595 0.0 0.0 - 2.7 3.3 .800

Season 4

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2017-181985-86
Team Chicago BullsPhoenix Suns
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
Mike Sanders 82 20.0 11.0 1.3 2.1 3.3 1.8 0.9 0.4 1.7 2.9 4.2 8.2 .513 0.0 0.2 .200 2.5 3.1 .809
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2018-191986-87
Team Chicago BullsPhoenix Suns
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 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
Mike Sanders 82 20.2 10.5 1.2 2.1 3.3 1.5 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.6 4.4 8.8 .494 0.0 0.2 .118 1.7 2.2 .781
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders ------- --- ----------

Season 6

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2019-201987-88
Team Chicago BullsPhoenix Suns, 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
Mike Sanders 59 15.0 6.2 0.6 1.2 1.8 0.9 0.5 0.2 0.8 2.2 2.6 5.1 .505 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 1.3 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 5 26.8 12.8 2.2 2.8 5.0 1.4 0.6 0.4 2.2 4.2 5.6 10.4 .538 0.0 0.2 .000 1.6 2.0 .800

Season 7

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2020-211988-89
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
Mike Sanders 82 25.6 9.3 1.2 2.5 3.7 1.6 1.1 0.4 1.3 2.8 4.0 8.9 .453 0.0 0.1 .300 1.2 1.6 .719
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 5 17.4 6.6 1.2 2.0 3.2 0.8 0.4 0.2 2.0 2.2 3.0 6.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.0 .600

Season 8

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2021-221989-90
Team Chicago BullsIndiana Pacers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Bulls Lost East Conf 1st RdPacers 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 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
Mike Sanders 82 18.7 6.2 1.0 1.9 2.8 1.1 0.5 0.3 1.0 2.7 2.7 5.8 .470 0.1 0.2 .357 0.7 0.9 .733
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
Mike Sanders 3 8.0 3.7 1.7 0.3 2.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.7 1.3 1.7 3.7 .455 0.3 0.3 1.000 0.0 0.0 -

Season 9

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2022-231990-91
Team Chicago BullsIndiana 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 %
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
Mike Sanders 80 17.0 5.8 0.9 1.4 2.3 1.3 0.5 0.3 0.8 2.5 2.6 6.2 .417 0.1 0.3 .200 0.6 0.7 .825
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 5 8.2 3.0 0.0 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.2 1.8 1.2 2.0 .600 0.2 0.4 .500 0.4 0.8 .500

Season 10

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season 2023-241991-92
Team Chicago BullsIndiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayCavaliers 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 %
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
Mike Sanders 31 20.4 7.1 0.9 2.2 3.1 1.7 0.8 0.3 0.7 2.7 3.0 5.2 .571 0.0 0.1 .333 1.2 1.5 .766
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 17 24.6 7.6 1.2 2.1 3.2 2.2 0.9 0.7 1.4 3.6 3.3 6.8 .487 0.1 0.2 .333 1.0 1.2 .810

Season 11

Zach LaVine Mike Sanders
Season -1992-93
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers 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 %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 53 22.4 8.6 1.0 2.2 3.2 1.4 0.7 0.6 1.1 2.8 3.7 7.5 .497 0.0 0.1 .250 1.1 1.5 .756
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Zach LaVine ------- --- ----------
Mike Sanders 8 18.1 5.8 1.0 1.3 2.3 1.3 1.0 0.1 0.4 2.1 2.5 6.0 .417 0.0 0.3 .000 0.8 1.3 .600