Greg Ballard
1977–78 to 1988–89 · 11 seasons
NBA player comparison
Greg Ballard vs. John Lucas: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
John Lucas ranks higher in career impact
John Lucas
1976–77 to 1989–90 · 14 seasons
Impact comparison
Box impact estimates points per 100 possessions above each season's league average. Higher is better. Career ranks and average league finishes work the other way: lower is better.
#236Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#214Leads
+3.2Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+3.6Leads
+2.5LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.4
20.0LeadsBest 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better24.0
+1,632 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+1,601 pts
65.9Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better39.4Leads
Career Impact Rank places John Lucas #214 and Greg Ballard #236. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three. Greg Ballard had more total career value.
Regular season only. Impact figures are estimates; small gaps are not exact. Playoffs, awards and titles do not determine the verdict.
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedGreg Ballard31.040 · No. 236John Lucas28.340 · No. 214
Only the three league-finish windows below determine Career Impact Rank. Career Value and peak impact are separate measures; neither adds points to this calculation. Lower composite scores rank higher.
Greg Ballard
31.040 composite · No. 236 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 181981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 201982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 20.000 | 50% | 10.000 |
| Best 5No. 181981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 201982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 271980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 441983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 26.200 | 30% | 7.860 |
| Best 10No. 181981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 201982–83Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 221979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 271980–81Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 441983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 461984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 681978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1001977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1271985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 1871986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 65.900 | 20% | 13.180 |
10.000 + 7.860 + 13.180= 31.040
John Lucas
28.340 composite · No. 214 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 181986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 261983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 281984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 24.000 | 50% | 12.000 |
| Best 5No. 181986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 261983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 281984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 311988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 381985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 28.200 | 30% | 8.460 |
| Best 10No. 181986–87Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 261983–84Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 281984–85Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 311988–89Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 381985–86Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 391987–88Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 421981–82Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 461978–79Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 541977–78Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 721979–80Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 39.400 | 20% | 7.880 |
12.000 + 8.460 + 7.880= 28.340
Averages, contributions, and totals are displayed to three decimal places. The ranking calculation keeps full source precision. Read the full method →
Full comparison · Career comparison
Understand the numbers
Start with impact, then compare playing time and skills. Team results add context. These are not categories to tally into a winner.
1 · Ranking evidence
Impact: who ranks higher, and why?
Career Impact Rank compares entire regular-season careers across NBA history. It combines average league places across the best three, five, and ten seasons, weighted 50%, 30%, and 20%. A lower rank or average place is better.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank | #236 | #214Better result for this metric. |
| Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 20.0Better result for this metric. | 24.0 |
| Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 26.2Better result for this metric. | 28.2 |
| Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 65.9 | 39.4Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #247Better result for this metric. | #254 |
| Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +3.2 | +3.6Better result for this metric. |
| Best 3 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.9Better result for this metric. | +2.7 |
| Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +2.5Better result for this metric. | +2.4 |
| Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +1.1 | +1.8Better result for this metric. |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +1,632 ptsBetter result for this metric. | +1,601 pts |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Top-five impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 0 | 0 |
2 · Playing time and responsibility
How much did each player take on?
Read games and minutes alongside impact. Offensive usage is the share of team plays a player ends with a shot, free throws, or a turnover while on court. More usage is not automatically better.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 802 | 928 |
| Minutes | 22,073 | 25,556 |
3 · Individual skills
Where does each player have an advantage?
These are each player's averages across up to ten best seasons. Career Impact Rank gives the Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights, giving the most weight to the highest peak. The model accounts for position, role, pace, playing time, and team results. Green marks the better result for a metric, including lower turnover rates. Workload and shot-selection measures stay neutral. These rows are not votes toward the ranking.
Shooting
True shooting includes two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 51.1%Better result for this metric. | 50.9% |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 50.8% | 51.2%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 47.2%Better result for this metric. | 44.9% |
| Three-point percentage | 33.8%Better result for this metric. | 30.3% |
| Free-throw percentage | 78.7%Better result for this metric. | 77.6% |
Passing
Assist rate is the share of teammates’ made shots assisted while the player is on court. Read turnovers alongside offensive workload; lower turnover rate is generally better.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 10.9% | 35.7%Better result for this metric. |
| Assists per game | 2.2 | 7.0Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 10.2%Better result for this metric. | 15.9% |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.1%Better result for this metric. | 4.6% |
| Rebounds per game | 6.1Better result for this metric. | 2.3 |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.8% | 2.5%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 0.6%Better result for this metric. | 0.1% |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Greg Ballard | John Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 12.4Better result for this metric. | 10.7 |
4 · Team context, not ranking inputs
What happened with and without them?
A verified with/without comparison is unavailable for this scope. We do not substitute another season’s observations.
Four separate questions
Impact, winning, playoffs, and awards
These are different ways to understand a career. Only Regular Season Impact determines the hussEyquation verdict. The other three sections add basketball context without adding points or changing the rank.
Regular Season Impact
John Lucas ranks higher in career impact.
Greg BallardMetricJohn Lucas
#236Career Impact RankPeak-weighted regular-season rank#214Leads
+3.2Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+3.6Leads
+2.5LeadsBest 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+2.4
+1,632 ptsLeadsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+1,601 pts
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
John Lucas leads every available measure below.
Greg BallardMetricJohn Lucas
455Listed-team regular-season wins579Leads
50.4%Listed-team winning percentage50.4%
150-win team seasons2Leads
060-win team seasons0
8Playoff team seasons8
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Final records for every listed team-season. A traded season can include more than one team.
Playoff Résumé
Greg Ballard leads every available measure below.
Greg BallardMetricJohn Lucas
7LeadsPlayoff appearances6
65LeadsPlayoff games45
32LeadsTeam playoff wins22
2LeadsFinals appearances0
1LeadsChampionships0
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
No recorded measure separates these careers.
Greg BallardMetricJohn Lucas
Not availableAll-StarNot available
Not availableMVPNot available
Not availableAll-NBANot available
Not availableAll-DefenseNot available
Not availableDPOYNot available
Not availableRookie of the YearNot available
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Major regular-season honors are recognition, not inputs to the impact ranking.
How each context field is counted
- Listed-team regular-season wins
- The sum of each listed team's final wins in every season the player represented that team.
- Listed-team winning percentage
- Those team wins divided by those teams' total regular-season games.
- 50- and 60-win team seasons
- Listed team-seasons that finished with at least 50 or 60 wins. Shortened seasons are not projected to 82 games.
- Team seasons reaching playoffs
- Listed team-seasons in which that team qualified for the playoffs.
- Playoff appearances and games
- Postseasons and games in which the player appeared.
- Team playoff wins
- Team wins from those postseasons. They describe team results, not individual credit.
- Finals appearances and championships
- Seasons when the player appeared in the playoffs for the finalist or champion.
- Awards
- Recorded NBA selections and major regular-season honors. A zero means the source records none; Not available means the source field is missing.
Source and scope Basketball Reference, NBA seasons 1950–51 through 2025–26, accessed 2026-10-09.
Career Shape Explorer
How the careers developed
Follow every regular season by NBA experience or age. This view describes the path; it does not create another verdict.
Greg BallardJohn LucasPeak seasonHistorical source qualification
Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average
Striped bars mark seasons with fewer than 40 games. A dashed mark means that player had no season at the aligned point.
Season-by-season evidenceRead both careers at the same stage
Every observed season keeps its age, era-centered impact estimate, league rank when qualified, career-stage label, and exact evidence link. A missing career point stays missing.
Greg BallardNBA seasonJohn Lucas
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
No season
Season 12No season
Season 13Observed values come from the accepted season comparison record. Historical source qualifications stay attached to affected seasons. Missing means no NBA season exists at that aligned point; it is never interpolated. Missing is not the same as estimated.