In the 1980s, Michael Cooper was one of the most popular and important members of the dynastic Los Angeles Lakers. He never made an All-Star team, but he did make eight All-Defensive teams and was named the Defensive Player of the Year during the 1986-87 season.
Cooper’s ability to not only defend but also handle the basketball, facilitate and hit 3-pointers helped those showtime Lakers win five NBA championships.
For most of that era, their general manager was Jerry West, a legendary player for them during the 1960s and early 1970s. He made some deft moves as an executive that not only turned Showtime into a dynasty but also set the foundation for the Kobe Bryant-fueled dynasty in the 2000s.
Cooper has been named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, while West is a finalist as an executive.
After his playing career ended in 1990, Cooper went on to become a coach. He coached the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks to back-to-back titles in the early 2000s and has had successful stints in the G League and at the University of Southern California.
West left the Lakers in 2000, and he went on to work in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors while having plenty of success. He’s currently an executive board member and consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers.
