AC was a heck of a player, he did all the little things to fill in the cracks. He should be accorded all the accolade that a Starting Power Forward on Back to Back Champions can receive. You know it is one thing to be a Hall of Famer but it is another to be a Laker Legend and Coop and AC both fit that bill!
I had the pleasure of seeing Coop at a golf tournament I helped host recently. Just like when I talked to him during his coaching days at USC, he seemed to have endless energy. Easily would’ve started on another team. Best on the ball defender of all time
I was born in Seattle in 1973, where I grew up. Sonics and Blazers fan. Japanese-American. I have a HEAT 45 GREEN jersey, in honor of Anthony Charles Green!!
I don't know why Michael Cooper he's not in hall it's crazy I'm not Lakers fan I'm Seattle Supersonic fan old day's but how come 1987 Defensive player of the year 5 time Champion and the great legend Larry Bird said the hardest player he played against was Michael Cooper who ever select hall fame it's crazy
If Coop didn't go to Italy and stayed with the Lakers during that 90-91 season, I think they would have beaten the Bulls. Lakers needed another ball handler, and someone to guard Jordan... B. Scott was getting torched in that series. With a healthy James Worthy and Coop, the Lakers probably beat them easily.
Byron’s situation was very well explained by Gary Vitti in Byron’s podcast. You have to remember that Magic at 6’9”in his 12th season couldn’t chase guards around. Especially since the 1988 groin injury that made him miss games, Riley would often hide him and put him on a non scoring threat. Cooper was able to make up for that gap. When Coop left, that put an even bigger burden on Scott. If anything, they should’ve moved Byron to more of a Joe Dumars role where he’d play point guard as well. Magic no longer had the stamina to deal with full court press and it showed. During his MVP year in 87, he’d handle ball pressure like it was nothing
@@MidRiseLiving Scott can't really handle the ball that well, neither can Terry Teagle. Ideally, instead of Teagle, they should have gotten Sedale Threatt a year earlier. Personnel wise, they didn't replace Michael Cooper, there was a hole in their lineup.
@@overratedgm5713 Scott was a point guard at Arizona State if I remember right? His handles don't have to be 10/10. They should've switched to a less point guard reliant offense where he'll pass if there's pressure. But yes, I do remember him having ball handling issues against Kevin Johnson when they'd play the Suns. But I think relying on Magic so much made it uncomfortable any time anyone else dribbled because he dominated it so much. The Cooper hole was definitely missed and so were Kareem's rotations on help situation. Vlade wasn't the same intimidating presence even with Kareem at 42 years old. The other thing that NOBODY seems to talk about is the fatigue issues Magic had in 4th quarters. It was noticed by the Bull's bench and even NBC did a segment of him getting tired during game 4. I suspect he was already feeling the effects of HIV. If you remember, many teams would put full court press on him. The Sonics would actually rotate 3 guys on him with no success and many of them had better foot speed than Pippen.
@@MidRiseLiving I agree with everything you said.. At ASU pretty sure Scott played with Fat Lever, and I'd say that of the two, Fat Lever is the better player, especially with respect to ball handling and playing point guard.
@@overratedgm5713 you can argue Fat Lever was a "better player" but don't know about "better fit". Keep in mind Scott was hired for his shooting to space the floor out better. Otherwise, they would've kept Norm Nixon who was a better overall player, but it also took the ball out of Magic Johnson's hands. But yes, getting Sedale Threatt earlier or even letting Tony Smith get more qualify minutes would've helped, but as I said above still not enough to beat the Bulls in 1991. It was a mismatch on so many levels.
AC is one of the great role players of our time
AC was a heck of a player, he did all the little things to fill in the cracks. He should be accorded all the accolade that a Starting Power Forward on Back to Back Champions can receive.
You know it is one thing to be a Hall of Famer but it is another to be a Laker Legend and Coop and AC both fit that bill!
OUTSTANDING!!
THANK YOU BOTH!!!
🗣️ Legends!!
God bless you mr Cooper for your basketball insights.
Two of my favorites from my childhood and two of the most humble NBA players ever!
Wonderful podcast. Upbeat. Funny. Love to relive that era of NBA basketball, though at that time, I was a Supersonics fan.
Good, entertaining interview Coop.
Omg I love this podcast great story
23:48 -- Very meaningful compliment. Loved hearing that.
I had the pleasure of seeing Coop at a golf tournament I helped host recently. Just like when I talked to him during his coaching days at USC, he seemed to have endless energy.
Easily would’ve started on another team. Best on the ball defender of all time
I was born in Seattle in 1973, where I grew up. Sonics and Blazers fan. Japanese-American. I have a HEAT 45 GREEN jersey, in honor of Anthony Charles Green!!
I don't know why Michael Cooper he's not in hall it's crazy I'm not Lakers fan I'm Seattle Supersonic fan old day's but how come 1987 Defensive player of the year 5 time Champion and the great legend Larry Bird said the hardest player he played against was Michael Cooper who ever select hall fame it's crazy
If Coop didn't go to Italy and stayed with the Lakers during that 90-91 season, I think they would have beaten the Bulls. Lakers needed another ball handler, and someone to guard Jordan... B. Scott was getting torched in that series. With a healthy James Worthy and Coop, the Lakers probably beat them easily.
Byron’s situation was very well explained by Gary Vitti in Byron’s podcast. You have to remember that Magic at 6’9”in his 12th season couldn’t chase guards around. Especially since the 1988 groin injury that made him miss games, Riley would often hide him and put him on a non scoring threat. Cooper was able to make up for that gap.
When Coop left, that put an even bigger burden on Scott.
If anything, they should’ve moved Byron to more of a Joe Dumars role where he’d play point guard as well. Magic no longer had the stamina to deal with full court press and it showed. During his MVP year in 87, he’d handle ball pressure like it was nothing
@@MidRiseLiving Scott can't really handle the ball that well, neither can Terry Teagle. Ideally, instead of Teagle, they should have gotten Sedale Threatt a year earlier. Personnel wise, they didn't replace Michael Cooper, there was a hole in their lineup.
@@overratedgm5713 Scott was a point guard at Arizona State if I remember right?
His handles don't have to be 10/10. They should've switched to a less point guard reliant offense where he'll pass if there's pressure.
But yes, I do remember him having ball handling issues against Kevin Johnson when they'd play the Suns. But I think relying on Magic so much made it uncomfortable any time anyone else dribbled because he dominated it so much.
The Cooper hole was definitely missed and so were Kareem's rotations on help situation. Vlade wasn't the same intimidating presence even with Kareem at 42 years old.
The other thing that NOBODY seems to talk about is the fatigue issues Magic had in 4th quarters. It was noticed by the Bull's bench and even NBC did a segment of him getting tired during game 4. I suspect he was already feeling the effects of HIV. If you remember, many teams would put full court press on him. The Sonics would actually rotate 3 guys on him with no success and many of them had better foot speed than Pippen.
@@MidRiseLiving I agree with everything you said.. At ASU pretty sure Scott played with Fat Lever, and I'd say that of the two, Fat Lever is the better player, especially with respect to ball handling and playing point guard.
@@overratedgm5713 you can argue Fat Lever was a "better player" but don't know about "better fit". Keep in mind Scott was hired for his shooting to space the floor out better. Otherwise, they would've kept Norm Nixon who was a better overall player, but it also took the ball out of Magic Johnson's hands.
But yes, getting Sedale Threatt earlier or even letting Tony Smith get more qualify minutes would've helped, but as I said above still not enough to beat the Bulls in 1991. It was a mismatch on so many levels.