Ron Harper How many ya'll cats remember Harp as a Cav and how good he was? Ths cat set the L on fire in his rookie year. Harp was a true playa comin' outta college alot of experts and analyst predicted huge things for him. I've never been a huge Cav's fan but I was sorry to see this fella leave for LA. It's untellin' how good Harp coulda been had he not gotten injured. I always thought he shoulda stayed in Cleveland,I think they may have won a championship...it's true he got injured,but when he left they weren't nearly as good or as versatile....
Ron Harper was right up there with Jordan and Wilkins in trems of excitement on the basketball court. He would run the floor, dunk on you, make these sick 360 type layups and stuff, he was ill. Of course he is remembered most for being traded for "the next Larry Bird"..........Danny Ferry.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">Ron Harper was right up there with Jordan and Wilkins in trems of excitement on the basketball court. He would run the floor, dunk on you, make these sick 360 type layups and stuff, he was ill. Of course he is remembered most for being traded for "the next Larry Bird"..........Danny Ferry.</div> Man I was totally dumbfounded when he was traded. I never saw it coming. That trade right there set them back a few years in my mind. Harp,Daugherty and Price would have been a force because during they '88-'89 season they were right on the Pistons in the division and giving them another year would have proven to be fatal for the Bad Boys IMO. Harp was something else in his day,too bad most of the younger cats only seen the version of him that played for Chi-town and Showtime...
The Cavs had not had many 20+ PPG scorers for a season in their franchise, Ron "Hollywood" Harper was one of them, here are the rest. Austin Carr World B. Free Ron Harper (as a rookie) Brad Daugherty Shawn Kemp LeBron James (on pace)
I'd say Harp was my favorite Cav, maybe of all time. He was called the next MJ, the first to be labeled so, and his rookie season indicated that that could be true. He was high in scoring and steals, and if cleve won more that year, he'd a been ROY over Chuck. He and Brad were a great rookie combo, especially with John Williams and Price as rookies that year as well, IMO the best core of rookies in recent history. That Ferry trade was horrible, and Ron had several good years left, putting up nice numbers in LA for several years before joining the bulls.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">The Cavs had not had many 20+ PPG scorers for a season in their franchise, Ron "Hollywood" Harper was one of them, here are the rest. Austin Carr World B. Free Ron Harper (as a rookie) Brad Daugherty Shawn Kemp LeBron James (on pace)</div> Yeah alot of people for get about that with Ron Harper, he averaged like 22 or 23 in the mid to late 80' like around 86' or 87'. Most people just remember him as a defender & basiclly a spot up shooter on the Bulls in the late 90's & the 2000 lakers but Harper use to drop buckets. Him & Rolando Blackman(when he was on the Mavs) where to of the more underratted scoring guards in the 80's.
Sad thing was, Ferry was very coveted by many teams, and the Cavs just came with the best offer. Old school Cavs fans around here still look down and shake their head at that deal. Also has got Duke players labeled too as being overrated and soft.
I remember number 4; his trade was the reason I started my personal campaign to run Wayne Embry out of town. Harper was an awesome talent who never really got his due; I never did see how Chuck Person beat him out for Rookie of the Year. Harper was an exciting talent, and was a huge reason for the Cavs emergence, along with Price and Daugherty. It was a dynamic that was never recovered when Harper was lost. As for Duke players being labeled soft; fact is, they were. Ferry just simply magnified that fact; "The Next Larry Bird" was a freaking joke to me in college. What the heck where scouts looking at?
Unfortunately for Harp, he never got the recognition he deserved during his prime playing years. He was a prolific scorer in Cleveland, I remember seeing him in the first Laker game I ever attended at the forum back in '87. He went off for about 35 if my memory is correct, just an awesome offensive performance. I am a Clipper fan, but can't help feeling a bit sorry for Ron that he didn't get a chance to play in Cleveland where he would have been a hero. Talk about one of the top 5 all-time disasterous trades. Ferry looked great at Duke, but the Cavs still should have demanded more in return for one of their top young stars. That lineup would have consisted of Price, Harper, Nance and Daugherty. Damn, that would've been pretty sweet. In the end though, it all came back around for Harp. He won a fistfull of rings with the Bulls & Lakers, and was able to go out on top. Even though injuries prevented him from being the dominating scorer he had been, Ron was able to adjust his game and become a great point guard. Much respect to Mr. Harper, he was a great player and an even better human being.
Ya, most of you young cats don't remember "Hollywood Hogan" Harper as I like to call him. While Ronald wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, he was however the smoothest. NOthing at all like that dull, cerated look that Ferry brought to the court. What a joke of a trade! No telling how good ther Harpman could have become if he wasn't injured.
I for one am an absolute Danny Ferry mark. I would pray that he would bring some life off the bench. And he has on many occasions. I thought he was rather entertaining when played well. Ah the buzzer beater memories...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lostmyluggage:</div><div class="quote_post">Ya, most of you young cats don't remember "Hollywood Hogan" Harper as I like to call him. While Ronald wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, he was however the smoothest. NOthing at all like that dull, cerated look that Ferry brought to the court. What a joke of a trade! No telling how good ther Harpman could have become if he wasn't injured.</div> Nothing will ever beat the look that Ferry had on his face the day he was drafted by the Clippers. As he approached the podium, I'd never seen an individual look so dejected after learning that he would soon become a millionaire. It was priceless! And I don't think was an un-intelligent man. He had a speech impediment, which may have led some to believe that he was less cerebral than he is.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Big Nasty:</div><div class="quote_post">Phil Jackson has said that Harp was one of the smartest players he had ever encountered.</div> Exactly, it's pretty hard to be the quarterback for five championship teams without being an intelligent individual...And last time I checked, Phil was a fairly credible source. Anyone who ever heard Ron speak about the game would know this as well, that was an un-informed comment about a really good guy.
