In four-plus seasons, Cooper guided the Sparks to a 116-31 (.789) regular season record and four playoff appearances. His teams captured back-to-back WNBA Championships in 2001 and ’02 and made the Finals three-consecutive years.

Cooper originally joined the Sparks as an assistant coach in 1999 and was an integral part of guiding Sparks to a 20-12 record and the franchise’s first-ever playoff berth. His hard work paid off as he was named head coach in November of that same year. In his first year as head coach, he earned the 2000 WNBA Coach of the Year Award after leading the Sparks to their best record in franchise history (28-4), among a number of other prestigious achievements.

Cooper began his coaching career in March 1994, serving as an assistant coach with the Lakers under Magic Johnson and later with Del Harris from 1994-97. Prior to his coaching stint with the Lakers, Cooper served as Special Assistant to General Manager Jerry West for nearly three years. After that he worked as a color commentator with the Fox Network for college basketball, furthering his knowledge of the sport.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Cooper earned eight NBA All Defensive Team selections – including five First Team honors – and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, the only Laker to do that in franchise history. He spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers and was a member of five NBA Championship teams (1980, ’82, ’85, ’87 and ’88). He was a third-round draft choice by the Lakers in the 1978 NBA Draft after a standout college career at New Mexico.

Off the court, Cooper is a firm believer in community service and spends a great deal of the offseason donating countless hours to a variety of charitable organizations. He has three children, Michael II (23), Simone (21) and Miles (14).