D'Angelo Russell vs. Dennis Smith Jr. Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dennis Smith Jr. and D'Angelo Russell, 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.

D'Angelo Russell played 9 years in the NBA, 2 more than Dennis Smith Jr., who played 7. D'Angelo Russell had the first of his seasons in 2015-16, while Dennis Smith Jr. had his rookie season in 2017-18. 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
D'Angelo Russell 9 4 2015-16 to 2023-24
Dennis Smith Jr. 7 0 2017-18 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2015-162017-18
Team Los Angeles LakersDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second TeamAchievement 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 %
D'Angelo Russell 80 28.2 13.2 0.6 2.8 3.4 3.3 1.2 0.2 2.5 1.8 4.9 12.0 .410 1.6 4.6 .351 1.8 2.4 .737
Dennis Smith Jr. 69 29.7 15.2 0.7 3.0 3.8 5.2 1.0 0.3 2.8 2.2 5.9 14.8 .395 1.5 4.9 .313 1.9 2.8 .694
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 2
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2016-172018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersDallas Mavericks, New York Knicks
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 %
D'Angelo Russell 63 28.7 15.6 0.5 3.0 3.5 4.8 1.4 0.3 2.8 2.1 5.6 13.8 .405 2.1 6.1 .352 2.3 3.0 .782
Dennis Smith Jr. 53 28.5 13.6 0.6 2.3 2.9 4.8 1.3 0.4 2.9 2.4 5.2 12.3 .428 1.3 3.9 .322 1.9 2.9 .635
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 3
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2017-182019-20
Team Brooklyn NetsNew York Knicks
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 %
D'Angelo Russell 48 25.7 15.5 0.6 3.3 3.9 5.2 0.8 0.4 3.1 1.9 5.8 14.0 .414 1.9 5.8 .324 2.0 2.7 .740
Dennis Smith Jr. 34 15.8 5.5 0.6 1.7 2.3 2.9 0.8 0.2 1.7 1.9 2.1 6.2 .341 0.5 1.6 .296 0.8 1.6 .509
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 4
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2018-192020-21
Team Brooklyn NetsNew York Knicks, Detroit Pistons
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Nets 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 %
D'Angelo Russell 81 30.2 21.1 0.7 3.2 3.9 7.0 1.2 0.2 3.1 1.7 8.1 18.7 .434 2.9 7.8 .369 2.0 2.5 .780
Dennis Smith Jr. 23 18.3 6.7 0.5 1.9 2.4 3.3 1.0 0.6 1.1 1.6 2.5 6.3 .400 0.8 2.5 .328 0.8 1.1 .731
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell 5 29.6 19.4 0.4 3.2 3.6 3.6 1.4 0.2 2.8 2.4 7.4 20.6 .359 2.4 7.4 .324 2.2 2.6 .846
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 5
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2019-202021-22
Team Golden State Warriors, Minnesota TimberwolvesPortland Trail Blazers
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 %
D'Angelo Russell 45 32.3 23.1 0.4 3.6 3.9 6.3 1.1 0.3 3.3 1.9 8.0 18.8 .426 3.5 9.6 .367 3.6 4.4 .809
Dennis Smith Jr. 37 17.2 5.6 0.5 1.8 2.4 3.6 1.2 0.3 1.4 1.4 2.1 5.1 .418 0.2 0.7 .222 1.1 1.7 .656
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 6
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2020-212022-23
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesCharlotte Hornets
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 %
D'Angelo Russell 42 28.5 19.0 0.4 2.3 2.6 5.8 1.1 0.4 2.7 1.6 6.7 15.5 .431 2.9 7.4 .387 2.7 3.5 .765
Dennis Smith Jr. 54 25.7 8.8 0.5 2.6 3.1 4.8 1.4 0.5 1.5 2.3 3.4 8.4 .412 0.4 2.1 .216 1.4 2.0 .736
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell ------- --- ----------
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 7
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2021-222023-24
Team Minnesota TimberwolvesBrooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Timberwolves Lost West 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 %
D'Angelo Russell 65 32.0 18.1 0.4 2.9 3.3 7.1 1.0 0.3 2.5 2.0 6.2 15.0 .411 2.7 8.0 .340 3.0 3.7 .825
Dennis Smith Jr. 56 18.9 6.6 0.9 2.0 2.9 3.6 1.2 0.2 1.2 2.2 2.6 6.0 .435 0.6 1.9 .294 0.8 1.0 .741
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell 6 32.7 12.0 0.0 2.5 2.5 6.7 1.5 0.0 2.8 2.8 4.0 12.0 .333 2.0 5.2 .387 2.0 2.7 .750
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 8
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2022-23-
Team Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers 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 %
D'Angelo Russell 71 32.5 17.8 0.5 2.5 3.0 6.2 1.0 0.4 2.6 2.0 6.3 13.4 .469 2.7 6.9 .396 2.5 3.0 .829
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell 16 29.6 13.3 0.6 2.3 2.9 4.6 0.7 0.3 1.8 2.0 5.2 12.2 .426 1.7 5.4 .310 1.3 1.6 .769
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------

Season 9
D'Angelo Russell Dennis Smith Jr.
Season 2023-24-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd-
Others NBA Cup In-Season Tournament Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell 76 32.7 18.0 0.4 2.7 3.1 6.3 0.9 0.5 2.1 2.1 6.5 14.2 .456 3.0 7.2 .415 2.1 2.5 .828
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
D'Angelo Russell 5 37.0 14.2 0.2 2.6 2.8 4.2 0.8 0.2 1.8 1.2 5.6 14.6 .384 2.8 8.8 .318 0.2 0.4 .500
Dennis Smith Jr. ------- --- ----------
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