When people talk about the legendary Chicago Bulls and the amazing Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal Lakers, the one common link mentioned is Phil Jackson. And certainly, Jackson was the orchestrator for two of history’s greatest dynasties, but he was able to do that thanks to the players at his disposal. And this doesn’t just mean Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, or Scottie Pippen.
The Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers are the last two teams to win a three-peat, and both flourished thanks to having elite role players complementing their superstars. A particular favorite of Jackson’s was Ron Harper, who won three championships with the Bulls from 1996 to 1998 and then was part of the Lakers for their wins in 2000 and 2001.
Ron Harper Reveals He Sacrificed His Scoring Potential To Win Championships
History does a disservice to a lot of players that merely played their roles on those teams. Names like Horace Grant, Derek Fisher, and Ron Harper often get forgotten when the success of those teams is discussed. If these players played on other teams in their primes, they would have larger roles and bigger stats, but they gave that up to be a part of something greater, at least for a while. And Ron Harper recently opened up on that choice in a tweet.
I love scoring the ball and was good but in order too win I accept my role and won 5 in 6 years the ultimate goal… Phil jackson saw me as a point and a defense of player that could do it all… you better look at my cavs and clippers days!!!!! RESPECT
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) January 31, 2023
“I love scoring the ball and was good but in order too win I accept my role and won 5 in 6 years the ultimate goal… Phil Jackson saw me as a point and a defense of player that could do it all… you better look at my cavs and clippers days!!!!! RESPECT!”
Harper isn’t lying, during his stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers, he only averaged below 18 points per game during 1 season in 8 years. He was a great scorer, but in his championship runs, he never averaged double digits. Harper became a defensive stalwart, though, and helped both the Bulls and the Lakers in many ways as they won championship after championship.
This is a reality of the NBA many forget when bashing modern superteams. The legendary Bulls and Lakers weren’t just carried by their stars, they were stacked with incredible players that were limiting themselves in a role to help the team win. It’s something players in today’s NBA could learn from, too, it doesn’t get better than winning 5 championships in your career.
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