LaMelo Ball vs. John Johnson Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of John Johnson and LaMelo Ball, 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.

LaMelo Ball played 4 years in the NBA, 8 less than John Johnson, who played 12. LaMelo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2020-21, while John Johnson had his rookie season in 1970-71. 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
LaMelo Ball 4 0 2020-21 to 2023-24
John Johnson 12 5 1970-71 to 1981-82

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season 2020-211970-71
Team Charlotte HornetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
LaMelo Ball 51 28.8 15.7 1.2 4.7 5.9 6.1 1.6 0.4 2.8 2.7 5.7 13.2 .436 1.8 5.1 .352 2.5 3.2 .758
John Johnson 67 34.5 16.6 - - 6.8 4.8 - - - 3.7 6.5 15.4 .422 - - - 3.6 4.4 .805
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 2

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season 2021-221971-72
Team Charlotte HornetsCleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star GameAchievement All-Star Game
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 %
LaMelo Ball 75 32.3 20.1 1.4 5.2 6.7 7.6 1.6 0.4 3.3 3.2 7.2 16.7 .429 2.9 7.5 .389 2.8 3.2 .872
John Johnson 82 37.1 17.0 - - 7.7 5.1 - - - 3.3 6.8 15.7 .433 - - - 3.4 4.3 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 3

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season 2022-231972-73
Team Charlotte HornetsCleveland Cavaliers
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 %
LaMelo Ball 36 35.2 23.3 1.2 5.3 6.4 8.4 1.3 0.3 3.6 3.3 8.2 20.0 .411 4.0 10.6 .376 2.8 3.4 .836
John Johnson 82 34.3 14.4 - - 6.7 3.8 - - - 3.0 6.0 13.9 .430 - - - 2.4 3.3 .734
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 4

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season 2023-241973-74
Team Charlotte HornetsPortland 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 %
LaMelo Ball 22 32.3 23.9 1.3 3.8 5.1 8.0 1.8 0.2 3.8 3.6 8.3 19.2 .433 3.2 9.0 .355 4.1 4.7 .865
John Johnson 69 33.1 16.4 2.3 5.1 7.5 4.1 1.0 0.4 - 3.2 6.7 14.3 .464 - - - 3.1 3.8 .812
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 5

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1974-75
Team -Portland Trail Blazers
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 %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 80 31.8 16.1 2.0 4.2 6.3 3.0 0.9 0.5 - 3.1 6.6 13.5 .487 - - - 3.0 3.8 .784
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 6

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1975-76
Team -Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets
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 %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 76 22.3 9.9 1.2 3.1 4.4 2.9 0.8 0.5 - 2.6 4.2 9.2 .453 - - - 1.6 2.0 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 7

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1976-77
Team -Houston Rockets
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Rockets 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 %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 79 22.0 9.3 0.9 2.4 3.4 2.1 0.6 0.3 - 2.5 4.0 8.8 .458 - - - 1.2 1.7 .712
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 12 12.2 4.8 0.6 1.8 2.4 0.8 0.3 0.0 - 1.7 2.0 5.1 .393 - - - 0.8 1.3 .667

Season 8

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1977-78
Team -Houston Rockets, Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Supersonics Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 77 23.7 10.6 1.3 2.7 4.0 2.7 0.6 0.2 2.2 2.6 4.4 10.7 .415 - - - 1.7 2.3 .751
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 22 27.1 10.1 1.6 2.9 4.5 2.5 0.4 0.3 2.4 2.9 4.3 10.2 .424 - - - 1.5 2.1 .696

Season 9

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1978-79
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 82 29.1 11.0 1.5 3.5 5.0 4.4 0.7 0.3 3.1 3.0 4.3 10.0 .434 - - - 2.3 3.0 .760
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 17 36.2 12.2 2.4 4.4 6.8 5.4 1.0 0.2 3.8 2.9 4.9 10.3 .474 - - - 2.4 3.8 .641

Season 10

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1979-80
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Supersonics 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 %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 81 31.3 11.3 2.0 3.2 5.3 5.2 0.9 0.4 3.0 2.6 4.7 9.5 .488 0.0 0.0 - 2.0 2.5 .801
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 15 32.4 12.4 2.9 3.9 6.8 5.7 0.5 0.2 3.7 3.0 5.2 10.5 .494 0.0 0.1 .000 2.0 2.5 .811

Season 11

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1980-81
Team -Seattle Supersonics
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 %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 80 29.1 11.5 1.7 2.8 4.5 3.9 0.7 0.3 2.9 2.5 4.7 10.8 .431 0.0 0.0 .000 2.2 2.7 .808
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson ------- --- ----------

Season 12

LaMelo Ball John Johnson
Season -1981-82
Team -Seattle Supersonics
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Supersonics 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 %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 14 13.4 4.2 0.2 1.1 1.3 2.1 0.3 0.2 1.2 1.4 1.6 3.2 .489 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.4 .750
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
LaMelo Ball ------- --- ----------
John Johnson 7 22.7 5.4 1.0 1.0 2.0 4.9 0.9 0.0 1.6 2.4 2.1 5.4 .395 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.6 .727