Ben Simmons vs. Norm Van Lier Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Norm Van Lier and Ben Simmons, 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.

Ben Simmons played 6 years in the NBA, 4 less than Norm Van Lier, who played 10. Ben Simmons had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Norm Van Lier had his rookie season in 1969-70. 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
Ben Simmons 6 3 2017-18 to 2023-24
Norm Van Lier 10 5 1969-70 to 1978-79

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Rookie Season
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season 2017-181969-70
Team Philadelphia 76ersCincinnati Royals
Honors & Awards Achievement Rookie of the Year-
Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 81 33.7 15.8 1.8 6.3 8.1 8.2 1.7 0.9 3.4 2.6 6.7 12.3 .545 0.0 0.1 .000 2.4 4.2 .560
Norm Van Lier 81 35.7 9.5 - - 5.0 6.2 - - - 4.1 3.7 9.2 .403 - - - 2.0 2.8 .741
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 10 36.9 16.3 1.6 7.8 9.4 7.7 1.7 0.8 4.4 3.4 6.1 12.5 .488 0.0 0.1 .000 4.1 5.8 .707
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 2
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season 2018-191970-71
Team Philadelphia 76ersCincinnati Royals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement Assists Leader
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 79 34.2 16.9 2.2 6.6 8.8 7.7 1.4 0.8 3.5 2.6 6.8 12.2 .563 0.0 0.1 .000 3.3 5.4 .600
Norm Van Lier 82 40.5 16.0 - - 7.1 10.1 - - - 4.2 5.8 13.9 .420 - - - 4.4 5.4 .816
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 12 35.1 13.9 1.9 5.1 7.0 6.0 1.3 1.0 2.7 3.8 6.0 9.7 .621 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.3 .575
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 3
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season 2019-201971-72
Team Philadelphia 76ersCincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement Steals Leader-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls 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 %
Ben Simmons 57 35.4 16.4 2.0 5.8 7.8 8.0 2.1 0.6 3.5 3.3 6.6 11.4 .580 0.0 0.1 .286 3.2 5.2 .621
Norm Van Lier 79 30.6 11.5 - - 4.5 6.9 - - - 3.0 4.2 9.6 .439 - - - 3.0 3.8 .790
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 4 36.0 14.0 - - 6.3 8.3 - - - 3.8 5.5 13.3 .415 - - - 3.0 3.5 .857

Season 4
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season 2020-211972-73
Team Philadelphia 76ersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisBulls 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 %
Ben Simmons 58 32.4 14.3 1.6 5.6 7.2 6.9 1.6 0.6 3.0 2.9 5.6 10.1 .557 0.1 0.2 .300 3.0 4.9 .613
Norm Van Lier 80 36.0 13.9 - - 5.5 7.1 - - - 3.4 5.9 13.3 .445 - - - 2.1 2.6 .787
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 12 33.5 11.9 2.1 5.8 7.9 8.8 1.3 0.8 2.3 3.3 4.9 7.9 .621 0.0 0.1 .000 2.1 6.1 .342
Norm Van Lier 7 36.9 14.4 - - 5.3 5.1 - - - 4.6 6.4 18.4 .349 - - - 1.6 2.1 .733

Note: Ben Simmons didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 5
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season 2022-231973-74
Team Brooklyn NetsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 42 26.3 6.9 1.0 5.3 6.3 6.1 1.3 0.6 2.3 3.3 3.2 5.6 .566 0.0 0.0 .000 0.6 1.4 .439
Norm Van Lier 80 35.8 14.3 1.4 3.3 4.7 6.9 2.0 0.1 - 3.5 5.3 13.1 .406 - - - 3.6 4.6 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 11 42.4 14.6 1.0 3.3 4.3 6.8 1.5 0.3 - 3.7 5.5 13.1 .424 - - - 3.5 4.3 .830

Season 6
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season 2023-241974-75
Team Brooklyn NetsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons 15 23.9 6.1 2.1 5.9 7.9 5.7 0.8 0.6 1.8 2.4 2.9 4.9 .581 0.0 0.0 - 0.4 1.0 .400
Norm Van Lier 70 37.0 15.0 1.2 3.5 4.7 5.8 2.0 0.2 - 3.5 5.8 13.9 .420 - - - 3.4 4.3 .792
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 13 42.1 15.1 1.4 3.8 5.2 4.7 1.5 0.4 - 4.0 5.2 12.6 .409 - - - 4.8 6.4 .747

Season 7
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season -1975-76
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
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 %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 76 39.8 12.6 1.8 3.6 5.4 6.6 2.0 0.3 - 3.9 4.8 13.0 .366 - - - 3.1 4.2 .737
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season -1976-77
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs -Bulls 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 %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 82 37.8 10.2 1.3 3.2 4.5 7.8 1.6 0.2 - 3.3 3.7 8.9 .412 - - - 2.9 3.7 .778
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 3 44.7 5.3 1.7 3.3 5.0 9.7 3.3 0.3 - 4.7 1.0 6.3 .158 - - - 3.3 4.0 .833

Season 9
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season -1977-78
Team -Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
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 %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 78 32.4 7.3 1.1 2.5 3.6 6.8 1.8 0.1 2.6 3.6 2.6 6.1 .419 - - - 2.2 2.9 .751
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 10
Ben Simmons Norm Van Lier
Season -1978-79
Team -Milwaukee Bucks
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 %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 38 14.6 2.8 0.2 0.8 1.1 4.2 1.1 0.1 1.3 2.8 0.8 2.0 .390 - - - 1.2 1.4 .904
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ben Simmons ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------
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