Lonzo Ball vs. Elmore Smith Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Elmore Smith and Lonzo 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.

Lonzo Ball played 5 years in the NBA, 3 less than Elmore Smith, who played 8. Lonzo Ball had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, 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
Lonzo Ball 5 0 2017-18 to 2021-22
Elmore Smith 8 4 1971-72 to 1978-79

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season 2017-181971-72
Team Los Angeles LakersBuffalo 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 %
Lonzo Ball 52 34.2 10.2 1.3 5.6 6.9 7.2 1.7 0.8 2.6 2.3 3.9 10.8 .360 1.7 5.7 .305 0.6 1.4 .451
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season 2018-191972-73
Team Los Angeles LakersBuffalo 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 %
Lonzo Ball 47 30.3 9.9 1.1 4.2 5.3 5.4 1.5 0.4 2.2 2.4 3.9 9.7 .406 1.6 4.9 .329 0.4 1.0 .417
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season 2019-201973-74
Team New Orleans PelicansLos 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 %
Lonzo Ball 63 32.1 11.8 1.1 5.0 6.1 7.0 1.4 0.6 3.1 2.0 4.4 10.9 .403 2.3 6.3 .375 0.7 1.2 .566
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season 2020-211974-75
Team New Orleans PelicansLos 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 %
Lonzo Ball 55 31.8 14.6 0.6 4.2 4.8 5.7 1.5 0.6 2.2 1.9 5.3 12.7 .414 3.1 8.3 .378 0.9 1.2 .781
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------

Season 5
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season 2021-221975-76
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 %
Lonzo Ball 35 34.6 13.0 1.0 4.4 5.4 5.1 1.8 0.9 2.3 2.4 4.6 10.9 .423 3.1 7.4 .423 0.6 0.8 .750
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season -1976-77
Team -Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers 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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season -1977-78
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Cavaliers 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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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
Lonzo Ball Elmore Smith
Season -1978-79
Team -Cleveland Cavaliers
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
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 %
Lonzo Ball ------- --- ----------
Elmore Smith ------- --- ----------
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