Back in the 1980s, Michael Cooper was a key member of the dynastic Los Angeles Lakers teams that won five NBA championships.
He made a name for himself with his ball-hawking defense, but his contributions went well beyond that, as he was a very versatile role player for those “Showtime” teams.
Cooper is very fondly remembered by Lakers fans who were around during that glamorous decade, yet he is somewhat underappreciated historically, as the lion’s share of the credit for those teams’ success goes to Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.
But he has recently been nominated for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2023.
This isn’t the first time Cooper has been nominated, however, and some are wondering what it will take for him to finally get the nod.
Is he deserving of getting inducted alongside some of his former Lakers teammates?