How do you describe Pat Riley’s “GOAT of perimeter defenders” in one word? A hard task considering Michael Cooper was so much more than what stats or accolades would ever say about him. But with the 5x NBA champ receiving a Hall of Fame honor last year and jersey retirement from the Lakers this year, multiple legends from the Lakers’ showtime era like Magic Johnson and James Worthy took it upon themselves to describe Cooper in the simplest way possible for the modern day NBA fans.

Magic Johnson kept it simple yet iconic, choosing the nickname that resonated in the hearts of Lakers fans: “Cooooop.” It wasn’t just a name; it was a celebration of Cooper’s brilliance.

Notably, Johnson has always been one of Cooper’s loudest advocates, once saying, “Michael Cooper played a big role in us winning… He decided the sixth-man role was great for him… Whoever the highest scorer was on the opponent’s team, he would take him and really shut him down.” For years, Magic campaigned for Cooper’s Hall of Fame spot, a fight that ended in triumph last year.

Byron Scott and AC Green took a more personal route. Scott called him “humble”. A quality that made Cooper not just a great player but a cherished teammate. No wonder Green described Coop as a “brother”. Notably, Cooper and Green together formed a defensive duo that anchored the Showtime Lakers, each complementing the other’s grit and consistency. While Coop was a beast at the perimeter, Green was a rebounding machine at the defensive end.

Then came James Worthy, who chose to call Michael Cooper “tough”. And really, how else would you describe a man who earned Larry Bird’s ultimate compliment? Bird once said, “The best ever defensive player to guard me was Michael Cooper.”

No wonder Bob McAdoo called Michael Cooper “slippery” in the recent video shared by the Lakers’ YouTube channel. McAdoo has previously marveled at Cooper’s ability to evade picks and stay on his man, saying, “People tried to set picks on him, and they couldn’t do it because he would slide behind people. He was just so slippery defensively.”

But Cooper’s impact wasn’t limited to his playing days, earning him 5 NBA championships. Lisa Leslie, a Los Angeles Sparks legend, called him a “winner,” acknowledging his role in leading the Sparks to back-to-back WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002. Meanwhile, multiple other descriptions for Cooooop were “Winner”, “Relentless”, “Intense”, “A beast”, “Tenacious”, and “Dedicated”. And lastly, Pat Riley described him as “Irrepressible”.

Michael Cooper’s impact in Magic Johnson’s words

Cooper spent his entire 12-year NBA career with the Lakers, and while he wasn’t the flashiest player on the court, his contributions were nothing short of legendary. A defensive powerhouse, Cooper was instrumental in the Showtime Lakers’ dominance during the 1980s, helping them win five NBA championships alongside Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, and coach Pat Riley.

The defense was his calling card, and Cooper excelled like few others could. An 8x NBA All-Defensive player, with 5 first-team selections, he was the ultimate disruptor. And in 1987, he achieved the rare honor of being named Defensive Player of the Year—an accolade most often reserved for starters, not someone coming off the bench.

But here’s the thing about Cooper: his stats don’t do justice to his greatness. Sure, he averaged just 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 0.6 blocks per game. On paper, those numbers might not blow you away. Yet, he consistently logged 27.1 minutes per game, proving how vital he was to the team’s success.

Magic Johnson captured it best when he said, “You can’t judge the impact [Cooper had] on just stats and numbers… He was always finishing the games. He played the best of the best.… Who else has won Defensive Player of the Year coming off the bench?”

Cooper’s clearly legacy isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about the heart and grit he brought to every game. The many words that the legends in the video by the Lakers said.