LOS ANGELES – Cal State LA has named Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and former Los Angeles Lakers great Michael Cooper as its new men's basketball coach, the University announced on Wednesday.

Cooper was introduced as the 14^th head coach in the program's history at a press conference on Wednesday in Cal State LA's University Gym. Cooper, a five-time National Basketball Association champion, with the "Showtime" Lakers, was previously the associate head coach for three seasons at Cal State LA and helped the Golden Eagles to a historic campaign in 2023-24 when they won a program-record 24 wins and captured a first-ever California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament championship.

Cooper was announced as Cal State LA's head coach in front of a large gathering of former Los Angeles Lakers teammates -- Byron Scott, A.C. Green and Norm Nixon, longtime friends of the Lakers great and a big contingent of Cal State LA student-athletes and campus staff.

"Michael Cooper represents the very best of Los Angeles—excellence, resilience, and a deep commitment to community," Cal State LA President Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes said. "His championship legacy and dedication to mentoring student-athletes make him an exceptional leader for Cal State LA, and we're confident he will shape both a winning program and the next generation of leaders."

Cooper has been a tremendous fit already with the Golden Eagles, sharing his expertise not only with the men's basketball team, but also with the other Cal State LA student-athletes, who he regularly greets in the hallway of the athletic offices and offers up high-fives and words of encouragement.
Before Cal State LA's men's games, he is often seen watching the women's games on a stairwell adjacent to the Golden Eagles bench, offering his encouragement and support.

"Michael Cooper has been an extraordinary teacher and leader for many years and, as our associate head coach, he has already elevated our program," Cal State LA executive director of athletics Dr. Daryl Gross said. "We are confident he will now leverage his championship-level experience and proven success to take Cal State LA men's basketball to new heights. His successful coaching stints – resulting in multiple championships at every level – will be instrumental in creating a Showtime-like experience on and off the court, while advancing our vision of developing impactful future global leaders."

Cooper's impact at Cal State LA extends beyond men's basketball and his energy and engagement with all Golden Eagles have brought a special light to the entire department, Gross added.

Cooper has been a winner everywhere he's been, first as a player and then as a coach.

"Coach Cooper embodies the kind of leadership that will be beneficial to our student-athletes," Cal State LA Vice-President of Student Life and Enrollment Services Dr. Patrick Day said. "He's from a local community and he's had championship experiences both as a player and as a coach. We couldn't be happier to have Coach Cooper here and believe he will greatly impact our students' lives."

He began his Hall of Fame playing career locally, starting at Pasadena High School, where his jersey was retired in 2024. He then played at Pasadena City College, where he is a member of the school's Hall of Fame.

Cooper then went on to play for two seasons at the University of New Mexico where he earned first-team All-America honors in his senior season. He was selected in the third round of the 1978 NBA draft with the 60^th overall pick by the Lakers and was a member of championship teams in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988.

Cooper was a key member of the Lakers during their Showtime Era, dazzling with his versatility and his unmatched defensive skills. He earned NBA All-Defensive honors eight times in his career, including five first-team selections and a Defensive Player of the Year award in 1987.
When he concluded his 12-year career with the Lakers in 1990, Cooper was in the top-10 in 3-point field goals (428), games played (873), minutes played (23,635), steals (1,033), assists (3,666), defensive rebounds (2,028), offensive rebounds (741) and free-throw percentage (.833).

"I'd like to thank President Eanes and Dr. Gross for this fantastic opportunity," Cooper said. "There's an old saying that talk is cheap, so I'm going to quit talking and get down to business."

After concluding his playing career with a one-year stint in Italy, where he was the Italian All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 1991, Cooper embarked on a lengthy coaching career that has also been exemplary.

In all, Cooper compiled a 230-158 record in 12 years as a WNBA head coach with the Los Angeles Sparks and Atlanta Dream, a 50-48 record in two seasons as an NBA D-League coach of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds and a 72-57 record in four seasons as a college head coach at USC.

Cooper earned WNBA Coach of the Year honors in 2000 with the Los Angeles Sparks and led the team to back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002.

After leaving the Sparks following the 2004 season, he was an assistant coach for the NBA's Denver Nuggets, where he became the interim head coach for 14 games.

Cooper then became the head coach for the Albuquerque franchise in the NBA D-League for two seasons, leading the Thunderbirds to a title is his first season in 2006.

Cooper returned to the Los Angeles Sparks for three more seasons, leading the team to the Western Conference Finals in two of the three years.

Cooper left the Sparks and became the head coach of USC's women's team for four seasons, leading the Trojans to a 72-57 overall record, including a 24-13 record in 2010-11. He then returned to the WNBA as head coach for the Atlanta Dream for four seasons.

He was also the head coach at Culver City High School's boys team from 2021-23 before joining the Golden Eagles for the 2023-24 season.