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NBA: 50 greatest players who aren’t in the Basketball Hall of Fame

By Maxwell Ogden

AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Piston celebrates with the fans after the Pistons defeated the Lakers 100-87 to win the 2004 NBA championship final, in Auburn Hills, MI, 15 June 2004. The Pistons won the best-of-seven NBA championship series 5-1 and Billups was the series MVP. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Piston celebrates with the fans after the Pistons defeated the Lakers 100-87 to win the 2004 NBA championship final, in Auburn Hills, MI, 15 June 2004. The Pistons won the best-of-seven NBA championship series 5-1 and Billups was the series MVP. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls legend Norm Van Lier
CHICAGO, IL – CIRCA 1976: Norm Van Lier #2 of the Chicago Bulls talks with head coach Ed Badger during a timeout against the Los Angeles Lakers during an NBA basketball game circa 1976 at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. Van Lier played for the Bulls from 1971-78. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

50 greatest players who aren’t in the Basketball Hall of Fame: 28. Norm Van Lier

There’s something to be said about a player who gets the job done on both ends of the floor. That’s exactly what Norm Van Lier did over the course of his 10 NBA seasons, racking up All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense honors while also thriving as one of the best facilitators of his era.

Van Lier may not have the name value of former teammates such as Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, or Tiny Archibald, but he deserves to be mentioned as one of the best players outside of the Hall of Fame.

Van Lier was named All-Defense in eight consecutive seasons. For perspective on how significant that is, no player in NBA history has been named All-Defense in at least nine seasons without ultimately making the Hall of Fame.

Perhaps Van Lier was just one season shy.

In addition to being an All-Defense mainstay, Van Lier also earned All-NBA honors in 1974 and became an All-Star in 1974, 1976, and 1977. He led the Association in assists in 1970-71, racking up a career-best 10.1 dimes per game.

Van Lier’s greatest success would come with the Chicago Bulls. He helped Bob Love and Jerry Sloan make the Bulls a contending-level team, including trips to the Western Conference Finals—yes, Western Conference—in both 1974 and 1975.

That combination of individual and team success puts him in an interesting position as far as Hall of Fame candidacy is concerned.

Regardless of whether or not he should be in, the reality is that Van Lier is one of the best defensive point guards in NBA history. That counts for something significant.