49. Ron Harper
Ron Harper spent the final two seasons of his illustrious and lengthy NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers and ultimately played a pivotal role in the team winning their first two championships of the Kobe-Shaq era. While Harper may not have been the contributor that the stars of those teams were, he was a pivotal role player in the starting lineup and a catalyst that helped the well-oiled machine operate at its full potential.
Harper played 127 games with Los Angeles over the course of his two seasons in the organization and started in 124 of those contests. Playing 25 minutes per game, the veteran guard averaged 6.8 points, three assists, four rebounds, and one steal per game. His efficiency as a scorer was admittedly less than ideal, but that’s not what his role on those title-bound teams was. He was a defensive anchor on the perimeter and a veteran leader for a relatively young team with young leaders in Bryant and O’Neal.
Harper had success throughout his entire career, but he capped off that career with two titles as a member of the Lakers. He’s not going to be in any record books because of his production in purple and gold, but he undoubtedly served a major role in those teams being as successful as they were.
Next: No. 48 Darrall Imhoff