Michael Cooper

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Michael Jerome Cooper was born on April 15, 1956, in Los Angeles, California. When he was three years old, he cut one of his knees severely, requiring 100 stitches to close. At the time the doctor said that he would never be able to walk. Cooper attended Pasadena High School, where he excelled in basketball. He graduated in 1974. He attended Pasadena City College before transferring to the University of New Mexico. He played for the New Mexico Lobos for two seasons, 1976–78, and was named first team All-Western Athletic Conference. In Cooper's senior season, he was named a first-team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association. The Lobos won the WAC title, with Cooper averaging 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the third round of the 1978 NBA draft with the 60th overall pick, Cooper became an integral part of their Showtime teams of the 1980s with his defensive skills. In a twelve-year career, he was named to the NBA All Defensive Team eight times, including five first-team selections. Until 2024, Cooper and Norm Van Lier had the most defensive selections of any player to not be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named a finalist in 2022 and was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame in 2024. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1987. He, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, was a member of five Lakers championship teams in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. At 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), 174 lb (77 kg), the rail-thin Cooper known for his knee-high socks, played shooting guard, small forward, and point guard, although his defensive assignment was usually the other team's best shooter at the 2 or 3 position. Larry Bird has said that Cooper was the best defender he faced. For his career, Cooper averaged 8.9 points, 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. A popular player among Lakers fans, home crowds were known to chant, "Coooooooop" whenever he controlled the ball, and the Lakers sometimes ran an alley-oop play for him that was dubbed the "Coop-a-loop." Leaving the team after the 1989–90 season, he was ranked among the club's all-time top 10 in three-point field goals (428), games played (873), total minutes played (23,635), steals (1033), blocked shots (523), assists (3,666), defensive rebounds (2,028), offe

In Their Own Story

The 1987 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award validated Cooper's years of silent work, but his legacy truly shines in the championship runs. He stood alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the title victories in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Before his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024, Cooper held a unique distinction: until that year, he shared the record for the most All-Defensive Team selections by a non-Hall-of-Famer with Norm Van Lier. His career stats reflect this consistency: averaging 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game over 873 contests. Even after leaving the Lakers in 1990, he remained among the franchise's all-time top 10 in three-pointers made (428), total minutes played (23,635), and steals (1,033).

Reader's Guide

Michael Cooper is a Hall of Fame defender known for his five NBA championships with the Lakers, eight All-Defensive Team selections, and the 1987 Defensive Player of the Year award. He also coached the Los Angeles Sparks to two WNBA titles and the Albuquerque Thunderbirds to a D-League championship.

Did You Know?

• Cooper's jersey number 21 was retired by the Lakers in 2025.
• He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
• Larry Bird said Cooper was the best defender he faced.
• Cooper was named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading the Sparks to a 28–4 record.