"The Bulls team I played on would probably go 75-7" - Ron Harper dismissed Kobe Bryant's Lakers as nowhere near as Michael Jordan's 72-win Bulls

Kobe Bryant‘s Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2009-2010 NBA season with a lot of promise. They had just capped off the previous season with 65 regular-season wins and an NBA Championship. With their roster fully intact, analysts predicted the Lakers would reach greater heights and even break a few records.

The Chicago Bulls’ historic 72-10 regular-season record in the 1995-96 season was the milestone in everyone’s minds. It was not just because the Lakers ran the triangle offense and had Phil Jackson at the helm; it was also because of Kobe, the ferocious point guard who had been compared to Michael Jordan since he was a teenager.

Harper speaks

Of all the people in the world qualified to speak on the matter, it was Ron Harper — then already retired. However, his memory of helping the Bulls to an epic 72-win season was still fresh in his memory. Ron didn’t offer any predictions. Rather, the five-time NBA Champion claimed the ’90s teams were way better than the 2000s squads.

“If they go 73-9, that means the Bulls team I played on would probably go 75-7, because if we would be playing all the weak teams they are playing now, we wouldn’t lose,” Harper said in 2009, via the Los Angeles Times.

“The league was much stronger when we played than what they are playing now. If they were to beat the 72-10 record, which I don’t think they will, I’ll take my hat off to that team. But if they ever want to compare basketball teams, they’re not even in the top 10 teams,” he added.

Defensive chops?

In his move to Chicago, Harper transformed from an explosive scorer into a playmaker and defender. He knew that defense wins championships and became an expert in that aspect.

Looking at the 2009-10 Lakers, only several players stood out on defense to Harper. To win 72 games in a season, everyone had to play stellar defense, not to mention remain injury-free throughout the course of the year.

“You have to be a very good defensive team. We were a great defensive team. Now let’s compare L.A.’s defense,” Harper said.

“Ron Artest is a good defensive player. Kobe Bryant is a very good defensive player. Derek Fisher is a very good defensive player. What else can you say about the rest of them? You can’t have guys that are hurt. You’ve got to have guys that are healthy. You have to play hard. You can’t take games off. If they think they are that good, show me,” he continued.

The Lakers fell way short of the Bulls’ landmark season. They won just 57 games that season but still locked first place in the Western Conference. However, they did win the 2010 NBA Championship after beating the Boston Celtics in a seven-game thriller.

Kobe and his squad were pleased with their performance. They knew that regular-season records are nice, but what matters most is winning the gold. Bryant eerily predicted his team’s success at the beginning of the year, amid comparisons with MJ’s Bulls.

“I think there’s a shot. It would be cool too,” Kobe said. “If we can get the Bulls’ record and win a championship, I’d take that. But if we won only 58 and won a championship, I’d take that. At the end of the day, you want to be the best team standing in June.”

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“The Bulls team I played on would probably go 75-7” – Ron Harper dismissed Kobe Bryant’s Lakers as nowhere near as Michael Jordan’s 72-win Bulls

Tags: