By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Confirming the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season schedule, the Los Angeles Lakers additionally revealed the newest member of the Purple and Gold Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday.
On January 13, the Lakers will retire the jersey number 21 to celebrate the career of Michael Cooper.
Per the announcement: “Lakers Legend Michael Cooper will have his No. 21 jersey retired when the team hosts the San Antonio Spurs Jan. 13 at Crypto.com Arena. The former guard spent his entire 12-year NBA career (1978-90) with the Lakers and played a pivotal role during the “Showtime” era, helping the Purple and Gold win five championships. He earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times. Cooper will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this October.”
Jersey number 21 will be the 14th retired by the storied franchise following Kobe Bryant (8 and 24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Pau Gasol (16), Elgin Baylor (22), Gail Goodrich (25), Magic Johnson (32), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33), Shaquille O’Neal (34), James Worthy (42), Jerry West (44), Jamaal Wilkes (52), and George Mikan (99).
Playing for the Lakers, Cooper was crowned NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. A defensive specialist, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, and on the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team from 1981 to 1988, he was a key part of the Showtime era.
Wrapping up his playing days, he moved his talents to Italy and Virtus Roma for the 1990-91 season.
In his coaching career, he went from a special assistant to general manager Jerry West to the coaching staff from 1994 to 1997. Later success included winning back-to-back WNBA championships with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002.