As one of the few franchises in the NBA that have had several great players come through their organization, the Los Angeles Lakers have a strict rule about who gets to have their jersey retired by the team.
Former Lakers star Pau Gasol was the latest to be honored, as he helped win two NBA titles for the franchise while playing alongside Kobe Bryant, who had his jersey retired before his former teammate.
The Lakers’ criteria for a player getting his jersey retired is pretty simple: He will have helped the team win championships while making a considerable impact on the floor and be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
One player who hasn’t had his jersey retired by the team that now fits that criteria is former defensive-minded guard Michael Cooper.
With the schedule for the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season now official, the Lakers announced they will be retiring Cooper’s No. 21 jersey on Jan. 13 when they host the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena, via the team’s X account.
Cooper, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, was a crucial part of the Lakers’ success during the “Showtime” era along with fellow legends Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and James Worthy, who all have had their jerseys retired by the iconic franchise.
Along with winning five NBA titles during an unforgettable era of Lakers basketball, Cooper was well known for his play on the defensive end of the floor, winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and earning All-Defensive Team honors eight times.
