The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the finalists for the Class of 2021, and among the prominent players and coaches who earned a spot on the list is former Los Angeles Lakers guard Michael Cooper.
The Lakers selected Cooper as the 60th pick in the third round of the 1978 NBA Draft back when the NBA utilized more than two rounds of draft selections. Cooper, who played collegiate ball with the University of New Mexico, spent his entire 12-year career in the NBA playing for Los Angeles.
Cooper became reputed as one of the best defenders on the Lakers squad throughout his time in the league, leading to eight selections on the All-NBA Defensive Team, with five of those selections slotting him into the first team.