Norm Van Lier

Lore & Background

Van Lier was born on April 1, 1947, in East Liverpool, Ohio to Helen and Norm Sr. Norm Sr. was the son of a Baptist preacher, and worked in a steel mill for decades (reported as 31 or 40 years). Van Lier was raised, along with three brothers and a sister, in Midland, Pennsylvania. Van Lier had six brothers in all, three of whom died after birth including a son Norm Sr. named Elgin Baylor Van Lier I. Van Lier would look back fondly to his childhood playing tackle football with a taped coffee can for a ball due to their circumstances.

He would later credit this upbringing in forming his famed work ethic later in life. He attended Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where he averaged a double-double over his three-year varsity career in scoring and rebounding. He averaged over 10 rebounds per game even though he was only a 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) guard. The Associated Press twice named Van Lier to its first-team Pennsylvania All-State college teams, and once to its second team.

As a senior in high school, he helped lead the 1965 Midland High School Leopards to a perfect 28–0 record and a Pennsylvania state championship.

Reader's Guide

Van Lier was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the third round of the 1969 NBA draft, 34th overall. Before the season started, on October 12, 1969 he was traded to the Cincinnati Royals for Walt Wesley in a three-team trade that also involved the Atlanta Hawks. Van Lier had also been selected by the New York Nets in the 1969 American Basketball Association draft. Van Lier chose the NBA. Van Lier started as a rookie (1969–70) with the Royals under head coach Bob Cousy, who had been a Hall of Fame guard and six-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics. Van Lier played in the Royals' backcourt alongside future Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson. He averaged 35.7 minutes, 9.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.

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.