The Chicago Bulls teams in the late 90s are often remembered primarily for Michael Jordan, and then his supportive tandem of Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. All are Hall of Famers and players that are remembered as legends of the game, with the success of the three-peat being credited to them. But that era of the Bulls wasn’t just built by those three, there were other players on the roster that deserve their fair share of the credit.
One of those players was none other than Ron Harper, who was a regular doing the Bulls’ second three-peat. And he was such a valuable piece that he ended up on the Los Angeles Lakers with Phil Jackson later, where he would go on to contribute to two more rings. Harper was a role player with the Bulls, albeit a starter, but that’s not how he came into the NBA.
Drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ron Harper came into the league averaging nearly 23 points per game in his first season. He went on to be named in the All-Rookie First Team, and from 1986 to 1990, averaged 19.8 points per game, elite production. He was so good that he famously wanted to guard Michael Jordan instead of Craig Ehlo when MJ made ‘The Shot’ against the Cavaliers in 1989.
Dennis Rodman Said Ron Harper Was Michael Jordan Before Michael Jordan
And Harper’s abilities were noticed by his contemporaries as well. Harper came into the league two years after MJ was drafted, but in his early years, looked like he could be a star in his own right too. Severe ankle and knee injuries put paid to that though, turning him from a budding star into a savvy role player. But people like Dennis Rodman didn’t forget how good he was, and the Worm paid Harper the ultimate compliment in an appearance on the BTM podcast.
“The quiet assassin on that team was that one guy, Ron Harper. Nobody talks about him. He probably could’ve been the best player ever if he didn’t have that knee injury. He was Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan to me because he was good.”
It’s a testament to Harper that he was able to reinvent himself despite the injuries and still become one of the NBA’s most successful players ever. The ‘what if’ has haunted a lot of stars in history, but the man that Rodman thought could have been on the GOAT’s level made the most of his career in the best ways despite unfortunate circumstances.
