Michael Cooper to be elected into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

While it has not been announced yet officially, Lakers legend Michael Cooper looks set to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame at last.

There aren’t many Lakers legends that have deserved to be recognized more in the franchise’s history than Michael Cooper. And, at last, that moment is coming.

While it has not yet been announced officially, Magic Johnson tweeted late Friday night the news that Cooper would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

And if you didn’t find Magic as a credible source here, fellow Showtime teammate James Worthy also tweeted congratulations to him as well.

This has been long overdue, frankly. Cooper is one of the most underrated players of this franchise's greatest era, but he also has all the accolades one would need to be enshrined.

In addition to being a five-time champion, Cooper was also featured eight times on the All-Defensive team and won Defensive Player of the Year in 1986-87. Following his playing days, Cooper entered the coaching ranks and led the Sparks to titles in 2001 and 2002, winning Coach of the Year for the WNBA in 2000 as well.

Cooper has long dreamt of making it to the Hall of Fame. After being elected in 2021, he spoke to Silver Screen & Roll alum Sabreena Merchant about what it would mean.

“I got real emotional about that,” Cooper says. “For my role to lead to the doorstep of the Hall of Fame was very, very emotional for me and, you know, I want it now. As you play for a championship and you get close to it, and you finally win one, you want more, and we were able to get five. Well, now that my role has led to the doorstep of the Hall of Fame, I’m very, very thankful and blessed that it has. But now that I’m at the doorstep, I’m knocking because I feel and I think and sometimes I deserve, looking at some of the other people — I never hate on anybody — but one day that door’s going to open for me. And when it does, that will be probably the highlight of my basketball career.

“Right now the highlight of my career is having one of the greatest players who’s ever played this game, Larry Bird, say Michael Cooper was the hardest player for me to play against. That right there says a lot and from a little guy, skinny guy that everybody said could never make it, to have this guy say that about me — right now, that beats all the championships, that beats all the Defensive Player of the Year awards, that beats all the first-team defensive player awards,” Cooper continued. “That to me is kind of what I hang my hat on. But now if I’m able to get into the Hall, and I really do believe, one day, it’s going to happen.... if I’m able to get my jersey, my picture, my bust in there, then job well done, Coop.”

Thankfully, he is going to get that picture and bust in the Hall of Fame now. And it goes without saying that it is well deserved. Cooper has been an important part of the history of the NBA and WNBA both.

Cooper is also more than worthy of having his number retired by the Lakers. The franchise has traditionally reserved that honor for players elected into the Hall of Fame, which has created a barrier for Cooper throughout the years.

With that gone, Cooper’s jersey belongs in the rafters with the other franchise’s greats. And, again, this is something he’s discussed in the past, saying he would be “speechless” if it were to happen.

As our own Harrison Faigen noted in that piece as well, Cooper has arguably a stronger case for jersey retirement than he did for the Hall of Fame.

And as we noted when he was nominated for the Hall, it’s not just intangibles and harder-to-quantify defensive success that make Cooper’s case. He also has solid statistical arguments for his contributions to the team, ranking in the top 10 in Lakers franchise history in games and minutes played, 3-pointers made, assists, steals, blocks and Value Over Replacement Player. The only players to play more games or minutes for the Lakers and not have their jerseys retired are Byron Scott and Derek Fisher.

Ideally, this starts a chain reaction of honors for Cooper. He has long deserved them and it’s great to see him finally getting his flowers.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.