Michael Cooper is a former professional basketball player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. He spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won five NBA championships and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team eight times.
Cooper was born in Los Angeles in 1956 and attended Pasadena City College before transferring to the University of New Mexico. He was drafted by the Lakers in the third round of the 1978 NBA Draft and quickly established himself as a tenacious defender and a reliable three-point shooter.
Over the course of his career, Cooper played both shooting guard and small forward and was known for his ability to guard multiple positions. He was a key member of the Lakers' "Showtime" era teams of the 1980s, which featured superstars like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy.
Cooper's defensive prowess was on full display during the 1987 NBA Finals, when he was tasked with guarding Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird. Cooper held Bird to just 8-for-21 shooting in Game 1 and helped the Lakers win the series in six games.
In addition to his defensive skills, Cooper was also a reliable three-point shooter and was often called upon to hit big shots in clutch situations. He won the NBA's first-ever Three-Point Shootout contest in 1987 and finished his career with a respectable 33.4% three-point shooting percentage.
After retiring from playing in 1991, Cooper transitioned into coaching and spent time as an assistant coach with the Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Detroit Pistons. He also had a brief stint as the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, where he won two championships in 2001 and 2002.
Cooper's impact on the game of basketball extends beyond his playing and coaching careers. He was one of the first NBA players to openly discuss his battle with HIV/AIDS, which he contracted through a blood transfusion during back surgery in 1991. Cooper has since become an advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness and has worked with organizations like the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote education and prevention.
Overall, Michael Cooper's basketball career was defined by his tenacious defense, clutch shooting, and championship pedigree. He remains a beloved figure in Lakers lore and is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history.
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