Michael Cooper is a former NBA player and is currently a head coach in the NBA Development league. He attended the University of New Mexico where he was named first team All-Western Athletic Conference and led his team to the WAC title in his senior season. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1978 Draft. He played his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers and was named to eight NBA All Defensive Teams. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1987 and was a member of five Lakers championship teams. Following his playing career, he has been an assistant to Lakers' general manager Jerry West, an assistant coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, and eventually head coach for the Sparks. In 2000, Cooper was named the WNBA Coach of the Year. Most recently, Cooper has become head coach of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in the NBA Development League.
