LOS ANGELES — Michael Cooper dedicated his entire professional basketball career to the Los Angeles Lakers, establishing himself as a defense-oriented guard who prioritized making his teammates shine during their iconic Showtime era.
On Monday night, Cooper experienced a long-deserved moment of recognition when the Lakers honored him by retiring his No. 21 jersey during a halftime ceremony of their game against the San Antonio Spurs. This significant tribute placed his jersey alongside those of Lakers legends Magic Johnson and James Worthy in the rafters of the team’s downtown arena.
The honor was fitting for Cooper, known for being the essential element of the Lakers’ glamorous and victorious teams that secured five NBA championships in the 1980s. “This is so overwhelming to me, because I never expected this at all,” expressed the 68-year-old Cooper, reflecting on his journey. “I always played for the love of the game, and the team, and winning championships. Tonight is, to me, more special than the Hall of Fame — but both of them are equally important.”
Cooper remains highly regarded in the Los Angeles area, a sentiment echoed by the standing ovations and chants of “Coooooooooop” that filled the arena during the celebration. As a gesture of appreciation, every fan received a replica of Cooper’s jersey, coinciding with the team’s first game since devastating wildfires swept through the region.
The jersey retirement occurred on an emotionally charged night for the Lakers and their supporters, as their last two games were postponed due to the severe wildfires. A native of Pasadena, Cooper has witnessed the destruction caused by the fire that initiated in Eaton Canyon, affecting many local landmarks and schools he attended. “It’s kind of a happy-sad moment for me,” he noted. “A lot of the landmarks, a couple of the middle schools I went to, those are all gone now. Tonight I’m going to enjoy it, but with a heavy heart because so many people lost so many things.”
Last October, Cooper was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a significant achievement that came 33 years post his final NBA game. The Lakers selectively retire jerseys of Hall of Famers, with Cooper now joining the ranks of basketball’s most esteemed players in the franchise’s celebrated history.
Though Cooper was never selected as an All-Star, he embodied the 1980s archetype of a 3-and-D specialist, now essential in the modern NBA. His accolades include five selections to the All-Defensive first team and recognition as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. “I always tried to play the game the right way,” said Cooper. “It’s such a good feeling that people recognize that. Although I’ve always been on a team with a lot of megastars, sometimes I got overshadowed. But that didn’t bother me, because it was always about the body of work that we were putting together, and winning championships.”
Following his time with the Lakers, Cooper embarked on a successful coaching career, notably steering the Los Angeles Sparks to two WNBA titles. During the halftime ceremony, he was joined on the court by former Lakers coach Pat Riley and several of his old teammates, including Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, Kurt Rambis, and Vlade Divac.
Johnson took the opportunity to speak, referring to Cooper as “one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball.”
