Michael Cooper spent his whole profession with the Los Angeles Lakers as a defensive-minded guard who was at all times targeted on serving to his Showtime teammates change into stars.
When the Lakers raised Cooper’s No. 21 to the rafters Monday night time, Cooper relished his long-awaited flip within the highlight.
The 17-time NBA champion Lakers honored Cooper in a halftime ceremony in the course of the recreation in opposition to the San Antonio Spurs, unveiling his No. 21 jersey on the wall of honor within the downtown enviornment between Magic Johnson’s No. 32 and problem 42 by James Worthy.
It’s an acceptable place for Cooper, who served because the glue on the fascinating and thrilling groups that gained 5 NBA championships within the Nineteen Eighties.
“This is so overwhelming for me, as a result of I by no means anticipated this,” the 68-year-old Cooper mentioned. “I’ve at all times performed for the love of the sport, the group and to win championships. Tonight, to me, is extra particular than the Hall of Fame, however each are equally essential.”
Michael Cooper’s #21 jersey now sits between Magic Johnson’s #32 and James Worthy’s #42. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Cooper remains to be very talked-about in his native Los Angeles space, as evidenced by the standing ovations and “Coooooooooop” serenades given to him all through the night time. The Lakers gave away a reproduction of Cooper’s jersey to all of the followers at their downtown enviornment for his or her first recreation since wildfires devastated the Los Angeles space.
The quantity retirement occurred by pure coincidence on an already emotional night time for the Lakers and their followers, after the earlier two video games had been postponed on account of catastrophic fires. Cooper is initially from Pasadena and likewise lived in close by Altadena, which was devastated by the Eaton Canyon fireplace.
“It’s form of a happy-sad second for me,” Cooper mentioned. “Lots of landmarks, a few center colleges that I went to, they’re gone now. I’m going to take pleasure in it tonight, however with a heavy coronary heart as a result of so many individuals have misplaced a lot.”
Cooper was enshrined within the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame final October, 33 years after his final NBA recreation. The Lakers retired solely the Hall of Famers and rapidly introduced that Cooper would be part of among the most notable gamers in basketball historical past among the many franchise’s honored gamers.
Cooper was by no means an All-Star, however he was an ’80s model of the 3-ed specialists which have change into an important a part of any twenty first century NBA group. He was chosen first group All-Defensive 5 instances and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987.
“I at all times tried to play the best means,” Cooper mentioned. “It’s a terrific feeling that individuals acknowledge it. Even although I’ve at all times been a part of a group with many megastars, typically I’ve been overshadowed. But that did not trouble me, as a result of it was at all times in regards to the work we had been placing in. collectively and profitable championships.”
Cooper launched into a protracted teaching profession after leaving the Lakers, most notably main the Los Angeles Sparks to 2 WNBA championships.
Cooper was joined on the courtroom for the halftime ceremony by former Lakers coach Pat Riley and a number of other former Lakers teammates, together with Johnson, Worthy, Byron Scott, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, Kurt Rambis and Vlade Divac .
Johnson took the microphone first, calling Cooper “one of many best gamers to ever play basketball.”
Associated Press reporting.
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