LaMelo Ball vs Zion Williamson
Ball · Williamson
| Ball | Williamson | |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | Games availability | 62 |
| 28.0 | Minutes per game | 29.7 |
| 20.1 | Points per game | 21.0 |
| 4.8 | Rebounds per game | 5.7 |
| 7.1 | Assists per game | 3.2 |
| 1.5 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.5 |
| 2.8 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 2.0 |
| 40.7% | Field goal % | 60.0% |
| 36.8% | Three-point % 10.3 vs 0.1 attempts | 25.0% |
| 89.9% | Free throw % | 71.6% |
| 54.6% | True shooting TS% | 64.4% |
| 30.6% | Usage USG% | 25.0% |
| 38.4% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 17.4% |
| 8.4% | Rebound % of available | 9.0% |
| +9.1 | Net rating on court | -1.9 |
| 13.4% | PIE player impact estimate | 14.1% |
| +5.8 | Plus-minus per game | -1.3 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveZion Williamson scored more in 2025-26, 0.9 points a game apart (21.0 vs 20.1), on Ball's heavier usage (30.6% vs 25.0%).
Williamson is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 64.4% to 54.6%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Ball (7.1 vs 3.2 assists), the glass to Williamson (5.7 vs 4.8 rebounds).
Availability is part of the comparison: Ball played 10 more games (72 vs 62 of 82).
With Ball on the floor his team outscored opponents by +9.1 per 100 possessions, against -1.9 for Williamson; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.
On the books for 2026-27: Ball $40.8M through 2028-29, Williamson $42.2M through 2027-28. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Ball | Williamson | |
|---|---|---|
| 41-31 | Record when playing | 22-40 |
| 19.5 | Points at home | 21.1 |
| 20.6 | Points on the road | 20.9 |
| 20.4 | Points in wins | 21.4 |
| 19.6 | Points in losses | 20.8 |
| 38 | Season high | 35 |
| 9 | 30-point games | 5 |
| 10 | Double-doubles | 6 |
Last games & contracts
test a trade in the Trade Machine →More comparisons
pick any two players →Per-game numbers and percentages are 2025-26 regular season from stats.nba.com; splits and last games from our own game logs; contract figures are cap hits from public salary data and can lag a signing by a day. Bold marks the better number in each row (turnovers: fewer is better).