The Showtime era of the Los Angeles Lakers is filled with some of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Magic Johnson and Kareem Adbul-Jabbar were the leaders of this dynasty, while James Worthy picked up major slack by the end of the era. But one of the less discussed members of that team was Michael Cooper.
Cooper was the defensive stalwart of the Showtime era. He played in the NBA for 12 seasons, all with the Lakers. In that time he made eight All-NBA Defensive teams and won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1986-87. He helped win all five titles of the Showtime dynasty and is finally bering rewarded with his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Cooper’s Hall of Fame induction is more than well-earned. And to show just how impactful he was to one of sport’s best dynasties, many of his teammates and coaches, including Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar and Worthy, are helping present his enshrinement:
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Announces 2024 Enshrinement Ceremony Presenters. (2/4) #24HoopClass pic.twitter.com/YVIVAh1oab
— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) September 12, 2024
Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar and Worthy are the headliners of this induction, alongside one of the greatest basketball minds of all time in Pat Riley and another all-time great player in Lisa Leslie. All of these five people have incredible personal and professional relationships with Cooper and is arguably a perfect group to enshrine him.
Cooper is one of the last people of the Showtime Lakers era to get this honor despite being involved heavily in all five championships. But it’s better late than never for one of the best perimeter defenders the game of basketball has ever seen, and he will also get his No. 21 jersey retired this season as a result.
Jeanie Buss discusses how Lakers can silence doubters
The Lakers have been the subject of a lot of criticism this offseason, and rightfully so as they did not make any changes to their roster coming off a first-round postseason loss.
It’s no secret that the clock is ticking on the LeBron James and Anthony Davis era, and if the Lakers are gonna compete for more championships then they will need to give them more help. L.A. is coming off back-to-back playoff losses to the Denver Nuggets after fighting their way through the Play-In Tournament.
When it comes to silencing those critics, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss knows there’s only one way to do that and that’s with their play on the court this season.
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