A significant member of the Los Angeles Lakers' "Showtime" dynasty in the 1980s, who secured five championships, is set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shooting guard Michael Cooper, who played on all five championship teams during the decade, will be enshrined in Springfield, Massachusetts, as part of the 2024 class. He is the 31st player from the purple-and-gold franchise to be a Hall-of-Famer.
The now 67-year-old was announced as a finalist for the 2024 class during NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis last February, having previously been a finalist for the 2021 class.
Cooper played his entire NBA career with the Lakers from 1978 to 1990, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Team eight times, with five selections to the First Team and three to the Second Team.
Averaging 8.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game during his 12 seasons in the league, the Los Angeles native was also named the Defensive Player of the Year in 1987.
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Two Lakers Showtime teammates made premature announcement about Michael Cooper
Two of Cooper's teammates from the Showtime era made the premature announcement on Thursday, April 4, ahead of the formal unveiling.
Magic Johnson and James Worthy both congratulated the 6-foot-7 player, with the former describing him as one of his best friends and "the greatest defensive player" he's ever seen in the NBA.
The complete 2024 Hall of Fame class will be officially unveiled on Saturday, April 6, coinciding with the NCAA men's basketball Final Four.
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