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“He Was Michael Jordan Before Michael Jordan”: Dennis Rodman Showered Massive Praise on Ex Bulls Teammate in 2020

Published 01/05/2023, 8:10 AM EST

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The Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat probably displayed their most lethal side. The forces were led by the trio- Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. The three would combine to dominate the floor on either end of the ball game. However, the other players of the iconic roster often are forgotten. The Bulls were great from their first player up till to the last. One man, in particular, earned the players’ praises but never the media. But in 2020, the Worm gave his teammate his much-deserved appreciation.

The player in question is Chicago’s valuable asset off the bench, Ron Harper. Surprisingly, the former NBA superstar never wrapped his hands around a significant accolade. With MJ, Harper took on the role of the backup guard. Averaging close to 8 points per game, he was also one of the key defensive stars behind Pippen and Rodman.

via Getty

However, he wasn’t always a super role player. His eventual status came due to a knee injury early in his career. Before getting hurt, Harper was a different beast.

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Dennis Rodman on the other Michael Jordan

While a guest on BTM Legends Corner, Rodman gave a round-up of the 1996-1998 Chicago Bulls. Going from top to bottom, he finally came up to their dark horse, Ron Harper. In his eyes, Miami Ice could have been one of the greatest players of all time. In addition, the host revealed Rodman wasn’t the only one who felt the same. Even former teammates of Harp had the same emotions about the former Bulls star.

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Praising Harper for his impact on the Bulls, Rodman said, “The quit assassin on that team, was that one guy, Ron Harper. Nobody talks about him, man. I’m telling you right now, he probably could have been one of the best players ever if he never had that knee injury. He was Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan to me because he was good, he was good.”

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Before any problems with his knees, Harp was an explosive athlete. A high-rebounding star, his offense was potent and refined. A stellar college career showed him to be NBA-ready from an early age. His numbers did justice to the skills he honed. At the peak of his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he averaged 22.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and a block per game. He recorded over 2 steals in seven seasons, proof of him being a defensive force.

With the Bulls, Pippen, Rodman, and Harper would take turns to guard the best player on the opposition. Harp was crucial in stopping Gary Payton in the 1996 NBA finals, holding him to just 13 points on 37.5% shooting.

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Watch the story – There’s no money left 5x NBA champion Dennis rodman, while deciding between the lakers and Miami, got a brutal reality check despite a stellar career.

An underrated legend who never took off due to an unfortunate injury, Harper was rightfully inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. Without his presence on the Bulls, who knows if there would ever be a second three-peat.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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Edited by:

Ajinkya Aswale