Michael Cooper is in the Hall of Fame....?

[Superbone]

Don't you guys know? Eventually, all Lakers make it into the HOF.

[Split T]

It would be like Raja Bell getting in if the Nash era suns teams won a bunch of titles. Those guys should never be in.

I will say I am partial to the HOF levels idea Bill Simmons created with his Book of Basketball. Turned the HOF into a pyramid with 5 levels…Higher levels have less people. You can put guys in level 1 like Michael Cooper if you really want, but Michael Cooper and Michael Jordan should not have the same designation.

[In2ition]

Don't you guys know? Eventually, all Lakers make it into the HOF.

Is that like All Dogs Go to Heaven?

[TOO]

It would be like Raja Bell getting in if the Nash era suns teams won a bunch of titles. Those guys should never be in.

I will say I am partial to the HOF levels idea Bill Simmons created with his Book of Basketball. Turned the HOF into a pyramid with 5 levels…Higher levels have less people. You can put guys in level 1 like Michael Cooper if you really want, but Michael Cooper and Michael Jordan should not have the same designation.

I think Bruce Bowen is a better comp.

[Split T]

I agree, but Raja is more known by suns fans

[The Bobster]

Putting Cooper in the Hall is akin to putting Kurt Rambis in the Hall.

[Kryptonic]

Putting Cooper in the Hall is akin to putting Kurt Rambis in the Hall.

Hey man! Nobody wore black horned rimmed glasses better in the nba and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.

[Charlie Smithy!]

Putting Cooper in the Hall is akin to putting Kurt Rambis in the Hall.

The kid from Krypton beat me to it, but maybe we could at least put his glasses in the Hall of Fame?

[Mori Chu]

Michael cooper last played in the nba 89-90. It took 30 years for him to be worthy of HOF suddenly?

FOH

HOF? FOH!

[Uncle_Gene]

Cooper won DPOY, 5x All Defensive 1st team, 3x All Defensive 2nd team, and 5x champion.

If they were counting coaching, then he has two championships in the WNBA and he was also WNBA coach of the year.

I'm not certain what the Hall of Fame committee was counting.

[Kryptonic]

Cooper won DPOY, 5x All Defensive 1st team, 3x All Defensive 2nd team, and 5x champion.

If they were counting coaching, then he has two championships in the WNBA and he was also WNBA coach of the year.

I'm not certain what the Hall of Fame committee was counting.

Well when you put it like that…

[Split T]

Cooper won DPOY, 5x All Defensive 1st team, 3x All Defensive 2nd team, and 5x champion.

If they were counting coaching, then he has two championships in the WNBA and he was also WNBA coach of the year.

I'm not certain what the Hall of Fame committee was counting.

Quite similar to Bruce Bowen who also was a 5-time 1st team all defense and 3 time 2nd team. Only 3 championships though and never a DPOY. Still, Bowen is close to Cooper and was nowhere near HOF level.

[Superbone]

Cooper won DPOY, 5x All Defensive 1st team, 3x All Defensive 2nd team, and 5x champion.

If they were counting coaching, then he has two championships in the WNBA and he was also WNBA coach of the year.

I'm not certain what the Hall of Fame committee was counting.

Quite similar to Bruce Bowen who also was a 5-time 1st team all defense and 3 time 2nd team. Only 3 championships though and never a DPOY. Still, Bowen is close to Cooper and was nowhere near HOF level.

And how many coaching championships and coach of the year wins does Bowen have? Plus, I don't think undercutting players and dirty play are counted toward the HOF.

[Split T]

*WNBA for those coaching accolades

[Carno]

The WNBA accolades aren't enough to sway me. I've seen Michael Cooper play, and he was a solid role player...nothing more. His 5 NBA championships are more a reflection of his situation than anything he did. His type of contribution is not unique among the historical NBA player base. His player accolades are due to him being on the Lakers. He wouldn't have received those awards if he played for the Phoenix Suns.

Robert Horry won 7 NBA championships, 7th most in history. Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? (OMG NO!)

[Superbone]

This is the Basketball HOF. Not the NBA HOF. I DO think those accolades push him over the edge and I appreciate Uncle Gene for bringing that to the table. Coaching plus all the individual defensive awards. Defense needs to be recognized as well as offense.

No, Horry does not belong. What are all his awards? But he does belong in the ATPHOF. That's the All-Time Punk Hall of Fame for those of you wondering at home.

[Carno]

Should WNBA contributions be acknowledged in BB HOF consideration? Absolutely. It's just not enough for me. Paul Westhead is the only coach to win championships in both the NBA and WNBA. He is not in the hall of fame, and he contributed to basketball a lot more than Michael Cooper by popularizing the "run and gun" offense. Just my opinion.

I'm pushing back on Cooper mostly because I think he is getting special treatment for his past Laker history.

[Split T]

I think it’s dumb that it’s a basketball HOF…there should strictly be and NBA Players HOF…give coaches their own

[Charlie Smithy!]

Yeah, the Basketball Hall of Fame is certainly unique in that regard.

Even before this year's Hall of Fame class, I've wanted to see what a strictly NBA Hall of Fame would look like, and how high of a bar its standards for admission would be.

[Superbone]

I think it’s dumb that it’s a basketball HOF…there should strictly be and NBA Players HOF…give coaches their own

Yeah, that's a whole different argument. I'd like to see that as well.