Michael Cooper, coach of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream who made a name for himself as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers' Showtime years, has been diagnosed with early stages of tongue cancer.
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The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the 58-year-old Cooper will take a leave of absence with the Dream to undergo surgery this week at Emory University in Atlanta.
Assistant coach Karleen Thompson will coach the Dream, currently 15-6 and in first place in the WNBA Eastern Conference standings, in Cooper's absence.
"I'm fortunate that my condition was diagnosed early, and this episode illustrates the importance of screening and early detection," Cooper said in a statement release through the Dream. "I know the team will be in good hands with coach Thompson at the helm during my absence, and I look forward to returning to the court soon."
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Cooper played his entire 12-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1978-79 through the 1989-90 season. His best year statistically was in the 1981-82 season when he averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
Cooper was one of the league's most recognized defensive specialists during his career, often taking on the role of guard the opposing team's best scorer, such as the Boston Celtics' Larry Bird. Bird called Cooper the "toughest defender he ever played against," according to OneManFastBreak.com
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He also teamed up with Magic Johnson for what legendary Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn called "the Coop-a-Loop" alley-oop slam dunk.
Cooper won five titles with the Lakers.
As a coach, he led the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks to two championships, as well as NBA Development League title in Albuquerque, according to ESPN. Cooper played in college at the University of New Mexico.
He also served as women's basketball coach at USC.
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