“Dennis was one of the smartest guys I played with. He understood defensive strategy with all the rotations. He had no limits in terms of what he does,” Michael Jordan said in ‘The Last Dance’. Dennis Rodman was famous for his defensive grit and rebounding abilities. The Bulls legend was inducted into the HOF in 2011. Fast forward to 2024, one of his rivals, Michael Cooper, will also receive the honor. And if somebody has any questions regarding the induction, the Lakers legend gave a befitting reply.

“I kind of liken myself to a Bobby Jones or a Ben Wallace or Dennis Rodman. When you think Hall of Famer, you think of somebody that averaged 28 to 30 points, a guy who was a 15-time All-Star, six- or seven-time All-NBA. And you know what the Hall of Fame is about, your body of work for sure on the court.” Cooper was one of the most respected defenders of the 1980s and spoke to Marc J Spears.

There is another similarity between the Showtime Era player and the defensive players he mentioned before. Cooper is one of 14 Hall of Famers who averaged less than 10 points, which also includes Dennis Rodman, Ben Wallace, and Dikembe Mutombo. The Lakers legend won the DPOY award in ’87 year before Michael Jordan claimed one. The 12-season veteran’s achievement is rare since very few guards win the DPOY accolade.

The presence of Cooper on the court was very similar to that of Dennis Rodman. Defending every position and every player, irrespective of size and stature. The contribution from Cooper was such that he is seventh all-time in games played with the Lakers. Plus, played in more than 80 games in nine of his 12 NBA seasons.

The defensive-minded swingman averaged 8.9 points, 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals while playing all 12 NBA seasons with the Lakers. The 1987 NBA Defensive Player of the Year was an All-NBA Defensive Team selection eight times, including five times as a first-team selection.

When Dennis Rodman’s abilities impressed Michael Cooper

“The one thing about Dennis, if there was anybody back then in that era that played all five positions defensively, Dennis was the only one who could do that,” Cooper said to BTM Legends Corner. The praise did not end there, the Lakers legend even called Dennis Rodman a “beast.”

Because, “Dennis was tough and didn’t mind sticking his nose in there and getting it knocked off… or he didn’t mind wearing lipstick, getting a little lipstick on your shoulder.” That’s why even Michael Jordan said the Worm had no limits. Cooper and Rodman faced each other on 18 occasions and the Bulls legend won the contest 11 times.

Dennis Rodman had a handsome lead in the rebounds average of 8 to 2.2 and was marginally ahead in blocks 0.8 to 0.3. Meanwhile, Cooper was way better with his 3.6 assists per game in comparison to Rodman’s 0.6. Also led the points 7.6 to 7.3 per game and steals category 1 vs 0.7 for the Bulls legend.

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Not to forget, the contribution off the court of Cooper that also played a part in his HOF induction. He made an impact as a basketball coach for NBA, WNBA, college and high school teams. Winning the 2000 WNBA Coach of the Year and also led the Los Angeles Sparks to back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002.