Ron Harper vs. Norm Van Lier Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Norm Van Lier and Ron Harper, 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.

Ron Harper played 15 years in the NBA, 5 more than Norm Van Lier, who played 10. Ron Harper had the first of his seasons in 1986-87, 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
Ron Harper 15 10 1986-87 to 2000-01
Norm Van Lier 10 5 1969-70 to 1978-79

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15

Rookie Season

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1986-871969-70
Team Cleveland CavaliersCincinnati Royals
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 82 37.4 22.9 2.1 2.7 4.8 4.8 2.5 1.0 4.2 3.0 9.0 19.7 .455 0.2 1.1 .213 4.7 6.9 .684
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 %
Ron Harper ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1987-881970-71
Team Cleveland CavaliersCincinnati Royals
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement Assists Leader
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 57 32.1 15.4 1.1 2.8 3.9 4.9 2.1 0.9 2.8 2.8 6.0 12.8 .464 0.1 0.4 .150 3.4 4.9 .705
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 %
Ron Harper 4 33.5 17.8 1.0 4.0 5.0 3.8 2.8 1.0 2.8 2.3 7.5 15.8 .476 0.0 0.5 .000 2.8 4.0 .688
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1988-891971-72
Team Cleveland CavaliersCincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Cavaliers Lost East Conf 1st RdBulls 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 %
Ron Harper 82 34.8 18.6 1.5 3.5 5.0 5.3 2.3 0.9 2.8 2.7 7.2 14.0 .511 0.4 1.4 .250 3.9 5.2 .751
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 %
Ron Harper 5 37.8 19.6 1.4 2.8 4.2 4.0 2.2 0.8 1.4 4.0 7.8 13.8 .565 0.0 0.4 .000 4.0 5.2 .769
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

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1989-901972-73
Team Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles ClippersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
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 %
Ron Harper 35 39.1 22.8 2.1 3.8 5.9 5.2 2.3 1.2 2.9 3.0 8.6 18.2 .473 0.4 1.5 .275 5.2 6.6 .788
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 %
Ron Harper ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier 7 36.9 14.4 - - 5.3 5.1 - - - 4.6 6.4 18.4 .349 - - - 1.6 2.1 .733

Season 5

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1990-911973-74
Team Los Angeles ClippersChicago 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 %
Ron Harper 39 35.5 19.6 1.5 3.3 4.8 5.4 1.7 0.9 3.3 2.8 7.3 18.7 .391 1.2 3.8 .324 3.7 5.6 .668
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 %
Ron Harper ------- --- ----------
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

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1991-921974-75
Team Los Angeles ClippersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st RdBulls 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 %
Ron Harper 82 38.3 18.2 1.5 4.0 5.5 5.1 1.9 0.9 3.1 2.4 6.9 15.8 .440 0.8 2.6 .303 3.6 4.9 .736
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 %
Ron Harper 5 41.2 18.0 2.0 4.4 6.4 4.6 1.0 0.8 3.0 2.6 7.8 17.4 .448 0.2 1.8 .111 2.2 2.8 .786
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

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1992-931975-76
Team Los Angeles ClippersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Clippers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 80 37.1 18.0 1.5 3.9 5.3 4.5 2.2 0.9 2.8 2.7 6.8 15.0 .451 0.7 2.3 .280 3.8 5.0 .769
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 %
Ron Harper 5 34.8 18.0 0.8 3.2 4.0 3.2 3.0 2.0 2.2 1.4 7.4 15.6 .474 1.0 2.0 .500 2.2 3.4 .647
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1993-941976-77
Team Los Angeles ClippersChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did Not PlayBulls 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 %
Ron Harper 75 38.1 20.1 1.7 4.4 6.1 4.6 1.9 0.7 3.2 2.2 7.6 17.8 .426 0.9 3.1 .301 4.0 5.6 .715
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 %
Ron Harper ------- --- ----------
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

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1994-951977-78
Team Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Bulls 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 %
Ron Harper 77 19.9 6.9 0.7 1.7 2.3 2.0 1.3 0.4 1.3 1.7 2.7 6.4 .426 0.4 1.4 .282 1.1 1.7 .618
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 %
Ron Harper 6 6.7 2.0 0.3 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.2 0.2 1.0 1.0 2.3 .429 0.0 0.3 .000 0.0 0.0 -
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1995-961978-79
Team Chicago BullsMilwaukee Bucks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 80 23.6 7.4 0.9 1.7 2.7 2.6 1.3 0.4 0.9 1.7 2.9 6.3 .467 0.4 1.3 .269 1.2 1.7 .705
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 %
Ron Harper 18 27.4 8.8 1.4 2.3 3.7 2.5 1.4 0.4 1.0 2.1 3.2 7.4 .425 0.8 2.6 .319 1.6 2.3 .690
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1996-97-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 76 22.9 6.3 0.6 1.9 2.5 2.5 1.1 0.5 0.7 1.8 2.3 5.3 .436 0.9 2.5 .362 0.8 1.1 .707
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 19 27.1 7.5 1.1 3.2 4.3 3.0 1.3 0.7 0.6 2.3 2.6 6.6 .400 1.1 3.2 .344 1.1 1.5 .750
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1997-98-
Team Chicago Bulls-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 82 27.9 9.3 1.3 2.2 3.5 2.9 1.3 0.6 1.1 2.2 3.6 8.1 .441 0.2 1.0 .190 2.0 2.6 .750
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 21 26.9 6.7 1.0 2.6 3.7 2.3 1.0 0.9 0.9 2.0 2.7 5.8 .459 0.2 0.9 .263 1.1 1.9 .615
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 13

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1998-99-
Team Chicago Bulls-
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 %
Ron Harper 35 31.6 11.2 1.4 3.7 5.1 3.3 1.7 1.0 1.9 2.3 4.2 11.1 .377 0.8 2.4 .318 2.0 2.9 .703
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper ------- --- ----------
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 14

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 1999-00-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 80 25.5 7.0 1.2 3.0 4.2 3.4 1.1 0.5 1.7 2.1 2.7 6.6 .399 0.4 1.3 .311 1.3 1.8 .680
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 23 28.0 8.6 1.3 2.4 3.7 3.2 1.0 0.6 1.2 2.7 3.4 7.9 .431 0.4 1.7 .231 1.4 2.0 .702
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------

Season 15

Ron Harper Norm Van Lier
Season 2000-01-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA Champion-
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 47 24.2 6.5 1.0 2.6 3.5 2.4 0.8 0.5 1.3 1.5 2.7 5.8 .469 0.4 1.5 .264 0.7 1.0 .708
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Ron Harper 6 7.3 2.2 0.2 1.2 1.3 0.7 0.7 0.2 0.2 0.7 0.8 1.7 .500 0.2 0.7 .250 0.3 0.5 .667
Norm Van Lier ------- --- ----------