SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (CNS) — Former Lakers guard Michael Cooper was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Sunday in Springfield, Massachusetts for his stellar defense, while the late Jerry West was inducted for the third time.
West, who died June 12 at age 86, was inducted as a contributor for his role in helping the Lakers to six NBA championships as an executive. West, who was inducted as a player and as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team, is the first person inducted as both a player and a contributor.
The 13-member Hall of Fame class also includes Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups and Walter Davis.
Sunday’s induction ceremonies had a strong Los Angeles flavor, as legendary “Super Fans” Jack Nicholson and Billy Crystal were added to the James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery. The honor is given to those who have made a “profound impact on the game through their loyalty, passion and dedication,” according to the organization.
“Well, I guess this means I’m not getting in as a player. Very grateful to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for this honor. I merely represent all devoted fans of the game we love,” Crystal said before the ceremony.
The 76-year-old Crystal is representing the Clippers, while Nicholson, 87, has long been known for his passionate love for the Lakers.
They will be joined in Sunday’s honor by New York Knicks fan and filmmaker Spike Lee and Alan Horwitz, a businessman and longtime supporter of the Philadelphia 76ers.
“We are excited to welcome Billy Crystal, Alan Horwitz, Spike Lee and Jack Nicholson into our SuperFan family,” Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva said before the ceremony.
“These individuals have not only been passionate fans but have also significantly contributed to the rich culture of basketball. Their unwavering dedication to the game and their ability to connect with fans make them truly deserving of this recognition.”
The 68-year-old Cooper played at Pasadena High School and Pasadena City College before attending New Mexico from 1976-78. He was chosen by the Lakers in the third round of 1978’s NBA draft and played his entire 12-season NBA career with the team.
Cooper is an on-air contributor to ABC7’s basketball coverage.
The lanky Cooper was known for his tenacious defense, usually drawing the opponent’s toughest scorer. His battles with Boston Celtics’ star Larry Bird during the teams’ three meetings in the NBA Finals were particularly memorable, and Bird once said Cooper was the toughest defender he played against.
The 6-foot-7 inch Cooper was named to the NBA’s all-defensive first team five times, and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1987. He was also especially skilled at two features of the modern NBA game — the three-point shot and the alley-oop dunk.
After his playing days ended, Cooper became coach of the Los Angeles Sparks in November 1999, and led the team to consecutive WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002.
Cooper coached the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA’s D-League from 2005-07, leading them to a championship in 2006, and returned to coach the Sparks again from 2007-09. He coached the USC women’s basketball team from 2009-13 and the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream from 2014-17.
Cooper coached the boys’ basketball teams at Chadwick School on the Palos Verdes Peninsula from 2019-21 and Culver City High School from 2021-23. He has been an assistant coach with the men’s team at Cal State Los Angeles since 2023.
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