While the Showtime Lakers were known for their star-studded cast of offensive prowess, few remember the rollicking defensive force that quietly powered them to five world championships. Although he never averaged more than 11.9 point per game or graced an All-Star roster, Michael Cooper did enough to stifle Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics.
The Early Years
Michael Cooper was born in Los Angeles on April 15, 1956. Although he showed flashes of talent, he wasn't a full-time starter until his midway through his senior year at Pasadena High School. At the time, he wasn't heavily recruited, but that all changed on night against El Rancho.
Cooper put on a full display in the High School Game of the Week, scoring 24 points, collecting 15 rebounds and blocking two shots, all the while proving his coach, local legend George Terzian prophetic that he could indeed be a star. Not only was it the game that put him on the map, but he would remember that night for a much more personal reason as well. Two days later, his beloved grandmother died. That night was the last game she ever saw him play.
After playing at Pasadena City College, Michael Cooper transferred to the University of New Mexico where he quickly blossomed into a super star. After averaging 16.1 points, 4.2 assists and 5.6 rebounds as a senior, Cooper was named first-team All-American and was taken in the third round of the 1978 NBA Draft by his hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Showtime
Michael Cooper only appeared in three games in his rookie year nad was a small-time contributor for the NBA champs the following year. But while it took him three years to crack the starting lineup, he made use of his opportunities. He averaged more than two defensive rebounds a game for the 1980 champions and again two years later as the Lakers once again defeated the powerful Philadelphia 76ers for the championship.
But while his teammates valued his subtle contributions, Cooper never started more than 20 games in any season. Still, he was inserted into the lineup when it mattered most, often goign up against the opponent's best shooter.
After 15 years, the Lakers met the rival Celtics in teh 1984 NBA Finals. Going up against Larry Bird was always a tall task for anyone in the NBA and Michael Cooper was exposed in that series as Bird never scored less than 24 points in any of the seven games. Still, he did manage to play a part in forcing Bird to cough up six turnovers in Game 1 while giving him headaches in poor shooting nights for Games 2, 4 and 7. But despite his best efforts, Michael Cooper could only do so much trash talk to one of the game's most accurate shooters and his Lakers fell in seven games to their hated rivals.
The Lakers were beyond motivated to get back to the championship series the following year. All year long, they played with a vengeance in their eyes as they were determined to finally exorcise their Celtics demons.
Finally, after a long season, the two met again in the NBA Finals. Michael Cooper was better prepared this time, holding Larry Bird to 20 or few points in three of the six games. His efforts was a critical factor in the Laker's ultimate triumph over their longtime tormentors.
The two teams met again two years later. The series was a tale of two teams. While the Celtics were an aging, crippled bunch who routinely played better than they felt, the Lakers were in their prime. Despite an ailing back, Larry Bird managed to put up 30 or more points twice in the series. But the overall points scored was like a thin layer of well positioned icing on a mud cake. In the last three games of the championship series, Michael Cooper held Bird to under 40% shooting. After making just six of 16 shots and scoring 16 points in Game 6, Bird could only watch Michael Cooper and Magic Johnson led the Lakers to another triumph over the Celtics.
After spending a year playing in Italy, Michael Cooper retired as a player in 1991, having won all five NBA titles with the Showtime Lakers. While he was never known for his offensive explosiveness, eight NBA Defensive teams and 1987 Defensive Player of the Year award was enough for Hall of Fame voters to vote him in October 2024. While he was finished as a player, Cooper was far from finished from the game.
The Coach
Michael Cooper joined the Lakers front office after his retirement, serving as a special assistant to Jerry West for three years before stepping into the topsy-turvy world of coaching. He joined Magic Johnson's staff with the Lakers in 1994 and stayed in that role until leaving in 1997. After a year as an assistant with the WNBA's L.A. Sparks, he was promoted as their head coach in 2000 where he promptly won Coach of the Year honors in his first year. During his four year stint with the Sparks, Cooper managed to win back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002
From there, Michael Cooper served as either an assistant or head coach with high school, college, D-League and NBA teams. In the midst of that stretch, he managed to add to his vast collection of championship hardware by winning the D-League championship with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in 2006. He now coaches the Big3's 3's Company.
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