Back In The Day NBA

Son Of Five-Time `90s NBA Champion Has Strong Relationship With LeBron James

Shandel Richardson

December 17, 1996; Chicago, IL; Chicago's Ron Harper(9), middle, goes for the basket in the first half. At left is LA' s Kobe Bryant(8) and at right is LA's Jerome Kersey (12). Mandatory Credit: Annie Ryan/USA TODAY-USA TODAY NETWORK
December 17, 1996; Chicago, IL; Chicago's Ron Harper(9), middle, goes for the basket in the first half. At left is LA' s Kobe Bryant(8) and at right is LA's Jerome Kersey (12). Mandatory Credit: Annie Ryan/USA TODAY-USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY-USA TODAY NETWORK
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Rutgers guard Dylan Harper had the luxury of having a father who played in the NBA.

It has led to him developing friendships with some of the league's superstars. Among them is Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James.

Harper's father, Ron, played with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and the Lakers. James recently spoke about his relationship Dylan Harper with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson.

“He calls me ‘Unc and I call him nephew," James said after the Lakers' victory against the Charlotte Hornets Monday. "I love what he’s been doing at Rutgers, but I’ve been watching him for a long time now. A special kid, a special talent. He’s going to be really good in this league, and comes from a great family. Me and Harp, his pops, go a while back. I’m excited for what he’s been doing right now at Rutgers and what he’s going to continue to do in the future.”

The elder Harper won five championships during his career. He grabbed three with the Bulls while playing alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He then won a couple with the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant Lakers.

Harper's older son, Ron Jr., has bounced around in the NBA since 2022. Dylan Harper is leading Rutgers in scoring as a freshman and is already considered a top prospect at the next level.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com