Learn an excerpt from “Coop,” the upcoming memoir penned by Corridor-of-Famer, five-time champion, and Los Angeles Lakers legend Michael Cooper.
Over the previous few years, Coop’s stoop has raised even larger.
Michael Cooper was maybe eternally destined to depart a mark on SoCal hoops: born in Los Angeles, Cooper initially starred at Pasadena Excessive College earlier than spending two years at Pasadena Neighborhood Faculty previous to his transferring to New Mexico. He was then chosen within the third spherical of the 1978 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, starting a 12-year NBA taking part in profession (1978-90) spent solely in purple-and-gold.
Eight All-Protection Workforce nominations and 5 championships later, Cooper returned to the Laker bench as an assistant coach beneath Del Harris. He then headed up the Los Angeles Sparks’ WNBA endeavors, guiding that group to the primary couple of three championships. In two stints with the Sparks (2000-04, 2007-09), Cooper amassed 165 victories, which nonetheless paces the franchise to this present day.
Although he has held different head teaching jobs (comparable to one other headlining WNBA gig with the Atlanta Dream), he has continued to information present California teams: he led the Chadwick College and Culver Metropolis Excessive College boys applications, in addition to the College of Southern California’s ladies’s group. Cooper earned a long-sought invitation to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2024 and the No. 21 he wore with the Lakers was raised to their dwelling’s rafters in January, immortalized alongside the digits of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, and extra.
These tales of SoCal and extra will now be documented in Cooper’s upcoming e book “Coop: The Making of a Showtime Lakers Legend,” which might be co-penned by Jake Uitti, who beforehand penned Michael Ray Richardson’s “
“Greater than something when describing Michael Cooper, the conclusion is a participant who was the last word teammate and winner, at all times keen to sacrifice for the better good to ensure Showtime was the largest hit on the hardwood,” the outline on Amazon reads partly. In ‘COOP: The Making of a Showtime Lakers Legend,’ take a journey with newly minted Corridor of Famer Michael Cooper again to the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles within the Eighties when Magic, Kareem, Huge Sport James, and Coop made the Discussion board the epicenter of the NBA and Hollywood nights alike, and put collectively one of the vital dominant runs within the historical past of the game. But whereas the Showtime Lakers made the enjoyable, solar, and their epic run look simple, this conversational, candid, and joyous memoir delves deep into the onerous work it took to get to the highest, and the unbreakable bond they shaped alongside the way in which.”
OFF THE COURT throughout my rookie season(s) whereas recuperating from surgical procedure, I needed to carry the pungent gymnasium luggage for guys comparable to Adrian Dantley. In my rookie 12 months at coaching camp in Palm Desert, I did the soiled work for Dantley (who was later traded to Utah for Spencer Haywood forward of the 1979–80 12 months), Ron Boone, and Lou Hudson. My job was to get their laundry after apply and ensure it was cleaned. Rookie Ron Carter was subjected to the identical. The Lakers had eight or 9 veterans on the workforce and few rookies. So we kids had our share of jobs. In the course of the breaks in apply, I additionally needed to get all of the veterans full cups of Gatorade.
I couldn’t spill a single drop—that was the rule. When Ron was lower from the workforce (I beat him out!), I turned Kareem’s rookie. He was one of many hardest to work for because of his morning requests. Cap wished a replica of the Wall Avenue Journal at his doorstep by 5:00 am every morning. So I needed to exit and discover one. Fortunately, there was an IHOP close to the place we stayed for camp. So I’d run there at daybreak, put my quarter (my cash, not Kareem’s) in, and get the paper. He appreciated it folded, and so I did all that and positioned it by his door earlier than the solar rose. If I didn’t have it accomplished, he’d take it to me in apply.
The factor was, I needed to do all this each my rookie 12 months and the next 12 months! As a result of I hadn’t performed in 1978–79 because of my damage, I wasn’t allowed to skip my duties in 1979–80. Together with me in 1979–80, Magic wasn’t spared both. Not even the No. 1 decide—properly, particularly not the No. 1 decide—obtained out of it. Magic, who the vets referred to as Buck, turned Kareem’s rookie throughout his rookie 12 months too. He additionally did issues for Kenny Carr, comparable to like washing his laundry after practices on the Faculty of the Desert. That went on for the whole two weeks of camp—each years for me. Whereas it was nothing extreme, ultimately the vets did check your spirit, playfully degrading you.
I had by no means accomplished something like that earlier than, particularly for a person. My mom and grandmother had at all times accomplished my laundry! (God bless them) Regardless of these duties, I used to be nonetheless changing into an increasing number of of a beneficial a part of the Lakers roster. Jerry West appreciated me for my aggression, lengthy arms, and aggressive nature. He additionally noticed I complemented my teammates, not making an attempt to take over in spots the place they had been extra geared up. As for Jerry Buss, he was an ideal new proprietor simply beginning to construct his sports activities empire, which included the revamped Discussion board Membership, celebrities, and delightful woman buddies galore. However Buss was a genius in how he listened.
He allow you to discuss, and he’d ask you questions. For him, Earvin was that lacking ingredient to the Lakers’ success, the proverbial straw that stirred our drink. Magic offered management, scoring, and straightforward buckets on the hardwood. He was no-nonsense. We may have enjoyable, however Magic made it clear we higher at all times be able to play—for those who weren’t, he may get your ass traded. And Buss offered stability, enterprise acumen, and steerage—a match made in heaven. I used to be simply glad to be alongside for the experience, filling in wherever I may.
After we began profitable rings, Buss flew us out to the College of Hawaii in Honolulu for coaching camp. However for now, in 1979–80 and 1980–81, we stayed nearer to house. Later, he began to spring for finer issues. Buss at all times wished the perfect in life, it doesn’t matter what. He was additionally very energetic with our workforce. At the moment, I contemplate him the best proprietor in sports activities historical past. Whereas I can solely choose by my expertise, and I technically didn’t play for any others, it’s clear how sensible he was. He was a person of each his phrase and imaginative and prescient. He at all times informed us that our job was to “entertain the entertainers.” That’s what Showtime was all about.
Simply as we would go house after a tricky day and watch a film, it was our job to placed on a big-time present when individuals comparable to Jack Nicholson got here to the Discussion board. That’s how the Laker Ladies took place round 1979 and 1980—that and Buss seeing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Buss cherished what Jerry Jones did with the NFL.
Dr. Buss would at all times are available in earlier than each sport, and he’d stroll across the Discussion board. He’d have 13 or 14 women with him at a time, a femme entourage, and so they’d stroll the sector, as if blessing it with their attractive power. Then he’d stroll as much as his seat excessive above within the rafters, by the jerseys with the long-lasting Lakers retired numbers, and the ladies would preserve strolling the Discussion board’s hallways, sustaining that attractive power. I bit my lip—they had been some lovely younger girls. Whereas I don’t need to say there was a carnival environment on sport day, it was one thing like that.
Buss made the Discussion board the place to be. He wished it to be the spot the place you may meet a brand new good friend or girlfriend. He wished that type of vibe. It was engaging to followers. He wished the individuals to return again to the video games time and again. He was very savvy about issues like that. And alongside the way in which, he taught his favourite gamers somewhat bit about it—I prefer to assume I used to be considered one of them. Moreover, every time it was time for me to barter a brand new contract, it was at all times with Dr. Buss, one-on-one. I solely handled him. We’d sit down, hash it out, and end with a handshake.
He’d at all times ask, “Coop, are you okay with this?” And I’d reply, “Sure, Dr. Buss.” And if you walked out, it was remaining. The legal professionals on either side would then finalize the deal. Buss made the sport about greater than basketball, taking the game to the subsequent degree. And he was beloved for it; even the discerning Jerry West referred to as him a “improbable man.” What’s extra, with Magic on the workforce, we had substance behind the glitz. He was excellent for the followers that Buss cultivated on the Fabulous Discussion board. The place turned a hub for celebrities and American tradition itself. We needed to make quite a lot of pictures with flashbulbs going off in our faces.
ANYONE WHO’S EVER seen me on a basketball courtroom has doubtless observed my uncommon apparel. Each sport as a professional, I wore my socks up excessive, my quick shorts’ drawstrings out, and sweatbands on every arm. That development began for me approach again in highschool. A varsity participant my senior season again then, I used to be getting fairly good. Reporters had been writing about me within the paper, and as I obtained higher, I garnered extra consideration. I even started to attain extra.
Round this time, L.A. hoops officers introduced again the native highschool sport of the week. It was 1974, and my grandmother was nonetheless alive then (although, sadly, not for for much longer). She had glaucoma and wasn’t doing properly health-wise. Pasadena Excessive College was invited to play within the sport of the week. We had been matched up in opposition to El Rancho Excessive College from Pico River, and it was the primary sport of the week since 1968.
It was additionally the primary time I’d be on TV. Once I informed my grandmother the excellent news, she mentioned, “Michael, you need to do one thing to separate your self from the opposite children!” She didn’t essentially imply by way of my total efficiency on the courtroom. She simply meant in order that she may inform me other than the others on her little black-and-white TV. My thought was to play the sport with my excessive white socks (to cover my skinny legs), sweatbands, and strings pulled out of my pink uniform shorts—actually completely different.
And it labored! She may inform who I used to be on her TV. Ever since, that’s been how I stood out to followers in L.A. It was how I constructed my identification and the way I’m remembered even now. It’s how the legend of Coop started! Oh, and in that sport, I scored 25 factors and grabbed 15 rebounds together with a handful of blocked pictures and large dunks. After that, I quietly started to consider taking part in within the NBA. Little did I do know what could be in retailer for me—the journey it might take to get there.
Geoff Magliochetti is on X @GeoffJMags
