Norm Van Lier

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Lore & Background

Van Lier's journey began in Midland, Pennsylvania, where he and his siblings were raised by Helen and Norm Sr., a steel mill worker. The family faced hardship; Van Lier lost three brothers after birth, including one named Elgin Baylor Van Lier I. This upbringing forged his famed work ethic, born from playing tackle football with a taped coffee can due to their circumstances. As a high school senior in 1965, he led the Midland Leopards to a perfect 28–0 record and a Pennsylvania state championship, earning All-State honors as a point guard dubbed the "Golden Spoon." Despite offers to play professional baseball from the St. Louis Cardinals for $25,000, his mother refused him playing in the segregated South. Similarly, he rejected football recruitment from schools like Alabama after an assistant coach admitted he wouldn't have visited had he known Van Lier was Black. These early challenges cemented a competitive fire that carried him to Saint Francis University.

In Their Own Story

At Saint Francis University (1966–1969), the 6 ft 1 in guard defied expectations by averaging a double-double of 18.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game over three seasons. His junior year saw him set a Quaker City Classic record with 12 assists in a single game while scoring 17 points. In his senior season, he averaged a team-leading 21.0 points. After being drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1969 (34th overall), he was immediately traded to the Cincinnati Royals for Walt Wesley. There, under Hall of Famer Bob Cousy, Van Lier started every game as a rookie, averaging 9.5 points and 6.2 assists. By his second season (1970–71), playing alongside Nate Archibald, he led the entire NBA in assists with 832 total and 10.1 per game. That same year, he achieved an impossible statistical feat: recording a double-double without scoring a single point, a record shared by only one other player in history. His intensity was palpable; Cousy noted that while Van Lier lacked size, he offset it with "constant determination, aggressive play and a dedicated approach to the game."

Reader's Guide

Van Lier joined the Chicago Bulls in 1971, where his partnership with Jerry Sloan became one of the greatest defensive guard duos in NBA history. The pair was praised for their ability to play persistently hard and elevate their performance in important games. Van Lier's impact was immediate; he earned three First-Team All-NBA selections and five Second-Team honors, alongside three All-Star nods. His defensive prowess peaked during the 1973 playoffs against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. In Game 6 of that series, he recorded ten steals while holding future Hall of Famer Gail Goodrich to just four points. Over his career, he was selected to the First-Team All-Defensive squad three times and the Second-Team five times. After retiring in 1978, Van Lier returned as a beloved broadcaster for the Bulls, maintaining his popularity among fans until his death on February 26, 2009.

Did You Know?

• Van Lier is one of only two players in NBA history to record a double-double without scoring any points.
• As a high school senior, he turned down a $25,000 offer from the St. Louis Cardinals because his mother refused to let him play in the segregated South.
• He led the NBA in assists during the 1970–71 season with 10.1 per game and was the only player that year to average double-digit assists.
• Van Lier attended Saint Francis University, where he averaged a double-double (18.8 points, 10.3 rebounds) over his three-year varsity career despite standing only 6 ft 1 in.
• He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bulls but was traded to the Cincinnati Royals before playing a game for them.

Early Life and Formative Challenges

Norman Allen Van Lier III was born April 1, 1947, in East Liverpool, Ohio. Raised in Midland, Pennsylvania with three brothers and a sister, he lost three brothers shortly after birth, including Elgin Baylor Van Lier I. His father worked in a steel mill for decades. Van Lier credited his tough upbringing—playing football with a taped coffee can—for his work ethic. He faced racial barriers early; an Alabama assistant coach told him, "I heard you are quite a quarterback... Boy if I had known you was colored I would never had come." Additionally, he turned down a $25,000 professional baseball offer from the St. Louis Cardinals because his mother did not want him to play in the segregated South.

High School Dominance and College Tenacity

As a senior at Midland High School in 1965, Van Lier led the Leopards to a perfect 28–0 record and a PIAA Class A state championship, winning 90–61 in the final. He was named to the Associated Press Pennsylvania high school All-State second team. During his college career at Saint Francis University (1966–1969), he averaged 18.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game despite being only 6 ft 1 in. As a sophomore, he became the first sophomore named to the AP Pennsylvania All-State first team. In his junior year, he set a school record for assists and averaged 18.8 points with 10.9 rebounds. He graduated in 1969 with a double major in history and special education.

Cincinnati Royals and Historic Feats

Drafted by the Bulls in 1969, Van Lier was traded to the Cincinnati Royals for Walt Wesley on October 12, 1969. Playing under Bob Cousy, he started every game as a rookie (1969–70), averaging 9.5 points and 6.2 assists. In his second season (1970–71), he led the NBA in assists with 832 total and 10.1 per game, being the only player to average double-digit assists that year. He also averaged 16 points and 7.1 rebounds. Most notably, he recorded a double-double without scoring any points, becoming one of two players in NBA history to achieve this feat.

Chicago Bulls Legacy and Defensive Impact

Van Lier played the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls alongside Jerry Sloan, forming a legendary defensive backcourt. He was an NBA All-Star three times, a First-Team All-NBA selection once, and made the First-Team All-Defensive Team three times and Second-Team five times. He was widely praised for his effort in playing persistently hard and raising his level of play in important games. After retiring as a player, he served as a popular sports broadcaster and commentator for the Bulls until his death on February 26, 2009.