Ron Harper, one of the few players to have been teammates with both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, recently shared his perspective on the differences between these two NBA legends in an interview with Stacey King.
Ron Harper voiced his belief that Michael Jordan was on a level above Bryant and the rest of the league. “Kobe was probably the closest player to match Michael Jordan. He was extremely competitive. He modeled his game, his walk, and his talk after Michael. And the two of them became very close toward the end of my career. When you watch Michael, and then you watch Kobe, it’s like watching the same person,” Ron Harper observed.
“What I tell people about the difference between Kobe and Michael is that Jordan weighed about 230 pounds, while Kobe was around 210. The physicality Jordan brought to both offense and defense could be exhausting. But fundamentally, they shared that same fadeaway, jump shot, and mid-range game. Kobe had all of that and would compete until the end of the day… just like Michael.”
Ron Harper on Bulls 1996 vs. Warriors 2016
Harper was also asked about the 1996 Chicago Bulls, a team that won 72 games en route to an NBA championship, and how they would fare against the 2016 Golden State Warriors, who broke their record with a 73-win season. He noted that, while the Warriors were impressive, the Bulls sealed their best season with a championship and claimed they would easily beat the 2016 Warriors in a seven-game series.
“73-9 sounds nice, but 72-10 has a ring to it. You can’t be the greatest without that ring… Who’s going to be guarding Stephen Curry? If you’re talking about our rules, it’s just too much… We could adapt to any style of basketball they’d want to play.”
Of course, hypothetical arguments like these are always context-dependent. Ron Harper believes that regardless of rules or the time period of the matchup, the Bulls would adapt and present significant challenges for the Warriors.
However, while he acknowledges the Warriors’ strengths in a respectful tone, Ron Harper knows the Warriors have a theoretical weapon against the 1996 Bulls: Steve Kerr.
Kerr, who was on the Bulls roster during their historic season, later became the head coach of the Golden State Warriors and led them to their 73-9 record. He would have insight on handling players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the court.
Who would win in a seven-game series between the 1996 Bulls and the 2016 Warriors? We’ll likely never know, but fans will always enjoy speculating about this ultimate dream matchup.
