Lakers retire Michael Cooper's No. 21 jersey in emotional ceremony [View all]
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Cooper spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers as a defense-minded guard who always focused on helping his Showtime teammates to be stars.
When the Lakers raised Cooper’s No. 21 to the rafters on Monday night, Cooper relished his long-awaited turn to be in the spotlight.
The 17-time NBA champion Lakers honored Cooper in a halftime ceremony during their game against the San Antonio Spurs, unveiling his No. 21 jersey on the wall of honor at their downtown arena between Magic Johnson’s No. 32 and James Worthy’s No. 42.
It’s an appropriate position for Cooper, who served as the hardworking glue guy on the glamorous, exciting teams that won five NBA championships in the 1980s.
“This is so overwhelming to me, because I never expected this at all,” the 68-year-old Cooper said. “I always played for the love of the game, and the team, and winning championships. Tonight is, to me, more special than the Hall of Fame — but both of them are equally important.”
https://www.nba.com/news/michael-cooper-lakers-jersey-retirement-emotional-ceremony
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