The Los Angeles Lakers honoured Michael Cooper on Monday night time by retiring his No. 21 jersey in a heartfelt halftime ceremony throughout their recreation towards the San Antonio Spurs. Cooper’s jersey now hangs within the rafters of the Lakers’ downtown enviornment, proudly displayed between Magic Johnson’s No. 32 and James Worthy’s No. 42, a becoming tribute to his pivotal function within the Showtime Lakers’ dominance through the Nineteen Eighties.
The Lakers celebrated Cooper’s legacy by giving each fan in attendance a duplicate No. 21 jersey, making the night time much more memorable. The occasion was the staff’s first recreation since wildfires devastated components of Los Angeles, together with areas near Cooper’s hometown of Pasadena.
Cooper, who spent his whole NBA profession with the Lakers, was deeply moved by the honour. “That is so overwhelming to me as a result of I by no means anticipated this in any respect,” the 68-year-old stated. “Tonight is, to me, extra particular than the Corridor of Fame — however each of them are equally necessary.”
The Lakers’ gesture comes simply months after Cooper was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame. The franchise, which solely retires the numbers of Corridor of Famers, shortly introduced its determination so as to add Cooper’s jersey to its wall of legends.
Throughout the ceremony, Cooper was joined by his former Lakers coach Pat Riley and several other teammates, together with Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Norm Nixon. Johnson, talking on the occasion, known as Cooper “one of many biggest gamers to ever play the sport of basketball.”
The night time was emotional for Cooper, who mirrored on the wildfires that had just lately ravaged his childhood neighbourhood of Altadena. “It’s form of a happy-sad second for me,” he stated. “Tonight I’m going to take pleasure in it, however with a heavy coronary heart as a result of so many individuals misplaced so many issues.”
Michael Cooper, a five-time NBA champion, was celebrated not only for his contributions to the Lakers but additionally for his broader influence on basketball. Identified for his defensive prowess, he was a five-time All-Defensive first-team choice and the NBA’s Defensive Participant of the 12 months in 1987.
Cooper’s dedication to staff success and his humility have been evident as he mirrored on his profession. “Though I’ve at all times been on a staff with a whole lot of megastars, generally I obtained overshadowed. However that didn’t hassle me, as a result of it was at all times concerning the physique of labor that we have been placing collectively, and successful championships.”
The Lakers’ tribute solidified Cooper’s place among the many franchise’s greats, making certain his contributions to their storied historical past won’t ever be forgotten.
