"I don’t know if he’s more competitive as MJ" - 5x NBA champ weighs in on LeBron James' fit next to Michael Jordan in GOAT conversation

Ron Harper, a former teammate of Michael Jordan, is unsure if LeBron James has the same competitive nature. In a recent interview with Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson, the five-time champion reflected on how competitive James is.

In the exclusive interview, Scoop B brought up the questions when comparing the LA Lakers star to other players in the GOAT conversation. Given that he's played with Jordan and Kobe Bryant during his years as an active player, he had a unique take on how James fits in the conversation.

“MJ and Kobe are going to try and go out and destroy every competition that you have and who you are. They’re going to go out and seek and destroy you. That’s how competitive they are,” Harper said of his former teammates.

When he talked about the four-time champion, however, he had this to say:

“LeBron is a great player, and as far as that competitive build, I don’t know if he’s more competitive as MJ and Kobe are.”

Although Harper has a certain level of respect to James, his experience playing alongside MJ and Bryant has made a difference to his GOAT take. The former Cleveland Cavaliers guard also recalled how competitive the Chicago Bulls legend was during their time as teammates.

“Michael would come to practice and treat it like a game. If you weren’t bringing your best, you were going to hear about it. That’s just who he was.”

Harper defended LeBron James from criticism about Bronny James

In the 2024-25 NBA season, LeBron James faced criticism regarding his son, Bronny James' NBA journey. Even though Bronny didn't perform well in his lone season at USC, he still fulfilled his dream of playing in the league when the Lakers drafted him with the 55th pick.

Throughout all this, James has been criticized because of nepotism. Many have questioned the readiness of the younger player.

However, Harper is one of the many people who understands how rare is the chance to play alongside one's son. In January, the former NBA player took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend the four-time MVP.

"@KingJames all these dummies are mad at you for giving your kid a chance to chase his dreams I would do the same thing too!!!!! It's ok to be a proud dad....."

This season, Bronny James has appeared in 17 games, averaging 1.4 points on 25% shooting from the field. He's played with the Lakers and the team's G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

With the developmental league team, Bronny is the third-highest scorer. He's averaging 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 41.8% shooting.

The father-son duo has been silent amid the criticism about them.