Ronald "Ron" Harper (born January 20, 1964) is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6-foot-6-inches (1.98 m), his position was shooting guard/point guard.
Playing career [edit]
Collegiate career [edit]
Harper starred at Miami University in Ohio, where his high flying playing style drew rousing comparisons to Julius Erving. Harper averaged 24.3 points per game, 11.2 rebounds per game, 3.2 steals per game, and 2.4 blocked shots per game. [1]
Cleveland Cavaliers (1986–89) [edit]
After Harper's collegiate basketball career he was selected 8th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1986 NBA Draft. He averaged 22.9 points per game in his rookie season, placing second in Rookie of the Year balloting, finishing behind Chuck Person of the Indiana Pacers.[2] After initially spending 3 seasons with the Cavaliers, Harper was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Ferry.
Los Angeles Clippers (1989–94) [edit]
While with the Clippers, Harper sustained a knee injury which robbed him of much of his speed and jumping ability, though he averaged just under 2 steals per game.
Chicago Bulls (1994–99) and Los Angeles Lakers (1999–2001) [edit]
In 1994, Harper signed a lucrative free agent deal with the Bulls, who were rebuilding following the first retirement of Michael Jordan. After a tumultuous initial season in Chicago, Harper found his niche with the Bulls upon Jordan's return, eventually becoming a fan favorite by reinventing himself as a big perimeter defender, ballhandler, and midrange scorer. Although he suffered an injury late in Chicago's record-setting 72-win season in 1996, he returned to the starting lineup during the 1996 NBA Finals, helping the Bulls win the NBA title. Harper would play a key role on two more Chicago championship teams in 1997 and 1998.
Harper went on to be a mainstay for five of Phil Jackson's eleven championship teams, following Jackson to Los Angeles to win two more championships (after winning 3 with the Bulls). Along with Harper, Dennis Rodman and Robert Horry are the only players to win consecutive NBA Championships with each of two different teams.[3]
Coaching career [edit]
In 2005, Harper signed as an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons.[2] His two-year deal was not renewed in 2007.[4]
Media appearance [edit]
On November 1, 1997, Ron Harper appeared in the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel, in the episode titled "Foul Bull". In the episode, Harper, as a Chicago Bull, slips on some orange soda and gets injured, and all of Chicago is angry with Kenan and Kel, who try to apologize.
Personal [edit]
Harper has battled stuttering for most of his life, and donates his time to the National Stuttering Association to encourage others with this problem to not let it hinder them.[5]
Harper co-runs a Twitter account with his daughter.
See also [edit]
External links [edit]
| Persondata |
| Name |
Harper, Ron |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
American basketball player-coach |
| Date of birth |
January 20, 1964 |
| Place of birth |
Dayton, Ohio |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
