Ron Harper picks Jordan over Kobe in one-on-one game

MANILA, Philippines—Miami Heat forward LeBron James may be the best basketball player today but Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant is perhaps still the closest thing to Michael Jordan since “His Airness” retired from playing for good.

Five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, who won three titles playing alongside Jordan and two more rings with Bryant and the Lakers, was game enough to answer a question thrown at him involving the two sporting icons during an NBA Cares program held at Manila Boystown Complex in Parang, Marikina City, Sunday.

When asked who would win between Jordan and Bryant in a one-on-one game, Harper kept a brief answer.

“You’re never gonna know right? They’re not the same age but if MJ was in his prime and Kobe was in his prime, I would expect Michael Jordan to win.”

Jordan, regarded by most as the greatest player ever in the sport, recently said that in his prime he would beat James in a one-on-one game but he was unsure with Bryant because he jokingly said the Lakers great “steals all my moves.”

Harper though, sounded so sure.