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What Los Angeles Lakers did to honour retiring Michael Cooper


The Los Angeles Lakers honoured Michael Cooper on Monday evening by retiring his No. 21 jersey in a heartfelt halftime ceremony throughout their sport in opposition to the San Antonio Spurs. Cooper’s jersey now hangs within the rafters of the Lakers’ downtown area, 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 Eighties.

The Lakers celebrated Cooper’s legacy by giving each fan in attendance a reproduction No. 21 jersey, making the evening much more memorable. The occasion was the workforce’s first sport 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 vital.”

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 choice so as to add Cooper’s jersey to its wall of legends.

In the course of 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, referred to as Cooper “one of many best gamers to ever play the sport of basketball.”

LAKERS RETIRE MICHAEL COOPER JERSEY NUMBER 21LAKERS RETIRE MICHAEL COOPER JERSEY NUMBER 21

The evening was emotional for Cooper, who mirrored on the wildfires that had just lately ravaged his childhood neighbourhood of Altadena. “It’s type of a happy-sad second for me,” he stated. “Tonight I’m going to get pleasure from 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. Recognized for his defensive prowess, he was a five-time All-Defensive first-team choice and the NBA’s Defensive Participant of the Yr in 1987.

Cooper’s dedication to workforce success and his humility had been evident as he mirrored on his profession. “Though I’ve at all times been on a workforce with numerous megastars, generally I bought overshadowed. However that didn’t hassle me, as a result of it was at all times in regards to the physique of labor that we had been placing collectively, and profitable championships.”

The Lakers’ tribute solidified Cooper’s place among the many franchise’s greats, guaranteeing his contributions to their storied historical past won’t ever be forgotten.

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