Michael Cooper vs. Kawhi Leonard Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Kawhi Leonard and Michael Cooper, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Michael Cooper and Kawhi Leonard both played 12 years in the NBA. Michael Cooper had the first of his seasons in 1978-79, while Kawhi Leonard had his rookie season in 2011-12. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achivements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player		 Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Michael Cooper 12 11 1978-79 to 1989-90
Kawhi Leonard 12 11 2011-12 to 2023-24

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1978-792011-12
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlaySpurs Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 3 2.3 2.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 1.0 2.0 .500 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Kawhi Leonard 64 24.0 7.9 1.6 3.5 5.1 1.1 1.3 0.4 0.7 1.4 3.1 6.3 .493 0.6 1.7 .376 1.1 1.4 .773
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper ------- --- ----------
Kawhi Leonard 14 27.1 8.6 1.3 4.6 5.9 0.6 1.2 0.4 0.9 1.6 3.2 6.4 .500 1.3 2.9 .450 0.9 1.1 .813

Season 2
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1979-802012-13
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSpurs Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 82 24.1 8.8 1.2 1.6 2.8 2.7 1.0 0.5 1.7 2.6 3.7 7.0 .524 0.1 0.2 .250 1.4 1.7 .776
Kawhi Leonard 58 31.2 11.9 1.1 4.9 6.0 1.6 1.7 0.6 1.1 1.7 4.5 9.1 .494 1.1 3.0 .374 1.8 2.2 .825
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 16 29.0 9.1 1.8 1.9 3.7 3.6 1.5 0.7 1.8 3.4 3.6 8.8 .407 0.0 0.1 .000 1.9 2.3 .861
Kawhi Leonard 21 36.9 13.5 2.4 6.7 9.0 1.0 1.8 0.5 1.1 1.9 5.5 10.0 .545 1.1 2.8 .390 1.5 2.3 .633

Season 3
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1980-812013-14
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
Achievement All-Defensive Second TeamAchievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 81 32.4 9.4 1.5 2.7 4.1 4.1 1.6 1.0 2.0 3.1 4.0 8.1 .491 0.0 0.2 .211 1.4 1.8 .785
Kawhi Leonard 66 29.1 12.8 1.2 5.1 6.2 2.0 1.7 0.8 1.2 1.9 5.1 9.8 .522 1.0 2.8 .379 1.5 1.9 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 3 34.0 10.7 0.7 2.7 3.3 2.3 2.0 0.0 2.3 2.3 3.7 6.7 .550 0.0 1.0 .000 3.3 4.7 .714
Kawhi Leonard 23 32.0 14.3 1.3 5.4 6.7 1.7 1.7 0.6 1.3 2.9 5.3 10.4 .510 1.3 3.2 .419 2.3 3.1 .736

Season 4
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1981-822014-15
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement Steals Leader
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionSpurs Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 76 28.9 11.9 1.1 2.4 3.5 3.0 1.6 0.8 2.0 2.8 5.0 9.8 .517 0.0 0.2 .118 1.8 2.3 .813
Kawhi Leonard 64 31.8 16.5 1.3 5.9 7.2 2.5 2.3 0.8 1.5 2.0 6.2 12.8 .479 1.0 3.0 .349 3.2 3.9 .802
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 14 27.4 11.9 1.4 3.0 4.4 4.4 1.7 0.8 2.1 3.4 5.0 8.9 .565 0.1 0.1 .500 1.8 2.4 .735
Kawhi Leonard 7 35.7 20.3 1.9 5.6 7.4 2.6 1.1 0.6 2.1 2.6 7.4 15.6 .477 1.6 3.7 .423 3.9 5.0 .771

Season 5
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1982-832015-16
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsSpurs Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 82 26.2 7.8 1.0 2.3 3.3 3.8 1.4 0.6 1.6 2.5 3.2 6.1 .535 0.1 0.3 .238 1.2 1.6 .785
Kawhi Leonard 72 33.1 21.2 1.3 5.5 6.8 2.6 1.8 1.0 1.5 1.8 7.7 15.1 .506 1.8 4.0 .443 4.1 4.6 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 15 30.2 9.4 0.8 3.1 3.9 2.9 1.7 0.4 1.3 3.6 3.5 7.6 .465 0.1 0.5 .143 2.3 2.7 .829
Kawhi Leonard 10 33.9 22.5 1.4 4.9 6.3 2.8 2.6 1.4 1.6 2.1 8.3 16.6 .500 1.7 3.9 .436 4.2 5.1 .824

Season 6
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1983-842016-17
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive First TeamAchievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsSpurs Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 82 29.1 9.0 0.6 2.5 3.2 5.9 1.4 0.8 1.8 3.3 3.3 6.7 .497 0.5 1.5 .314 1.9 2.3 .838
Kawhi Leonard 74 33.4 25.5 1.1 4.7 5.8 3.5 1.8 0.7 2.1 1.6 8.6 17.7 .485 2.0 5.2 .380 6.3 7.2 .880
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 21 34.4 11.3 1.0 3.0 3.9 5.7 1.1 1.0 1.4 3.8 4.2 9.1 .461 0.6 1.7 .333 2.4 3.0 .806
Kawhi Leonard 12 35.8 27.7 1.6 6.2 7.8 4.6 1.7 0.5 2.2 1.8 8.8 16.8 .525 2.1 4.6 .455 7.9 8.5 .931

Season 7
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1984-852017-18
Team Los Angeles LakersSan Antonio Spurs
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 82 26.7 8.6 0.7 2.4 3.1 5.2 1.1 0.6 1.9 2.5 3.4 7.2 .465 0.4 1.5 .285 1.4 1.6 .865
Kawhi Leonard 9 23.3 16.2 0.7 4.0 4.7 2.3 2.0 1.0 1.8 1.0 5.8 12.3 .468 1.2 3.9 .314 3.4 4.2 .816
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 19 26.4 10.4 0.6 3.4 4.0 4.9 1.1 0.5 1.9 2.4 3.7 6.6 .563 0.4 1.4 .308 2.5 2.7 .923
Kawhi Leonard ------- --- ----------

Season 8
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1985-862018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second TeamAchievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 82 27.7 9.2 0.5 2.4 3.0 5.7 1.1 0.5 1.8 2.9 3.3 7.4 .452 0.8 2.0 .387 1.8 2.1 .865
Kawhi Leonard 60 34.0 26.6 1.3 6.0 7.3 3.3 1.8 0.4 2.0 1.5 9.3 18.8 .496 1.9 5.0 .371 6.1 7.1 .854
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 14 30.1 9.7 1.1 2.1 3.3 4.9 1.3 0.3 1.5 1.7 3.9 8.2 .470 1.4 2.9 .463 0.6 0.8 .818
Kawhi Leonard 24 39.1 30.5 2.3 6.8 9.1 3.9 1.7 0.7 3.1 2.3 10.1 20.7 .490 2.3 6.0 .379 8.0 9.0 .884

Season 9
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1986-872019-20
Team Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement Defensive Player of the Year-
-Achievement All-Star Game
-Achievement All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionClippers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 82 27.5 10.5 0.7 2.4 3.1 4.5 1.0 0.5 1.2 2.4 3.9 9.0 .438 1.1 2.8 .385 1.5 1.8 .851
Kawhi Leonard 57 32.4 27.1 0.9 6.1 7.1 4.9 1.8 0.6 2.6 2.0 9.3 19.9 .470 2.2 5.7 .378 6.2 7.1 .886
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 18 29.0 13.0 0.4 2.8 3.3 5.0 1.4 0.8 2.1 2.6 4.3 8.8 .484 1.9 3.9 .486 2.6 3.0 .852
Kawhi Leonard 13 39.3 28.2 1.8 7.5 9.3 5.5 2.3 0.8 2.5 2.2 10.1 20.6 .489 1.8 5.6 .329 6.2 7.2 .862

Season 10
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1987-882020-21
Team Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionClippers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 61 29.4 8.7 0.8 2.9 3.7 4.7 1.1 0.4 1.7 2.2 3.1 7.9 .392 0.9 2.9 .320 1.6 1.9 .858
Kawhi Leonard 52 34.1 24.8 1.1 5.4 6.5 5.2 1.6 0.4 2.0 1.6 8.9 17.5 .512 1.9 4.9 .398 5.0 5.7 .885
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 24 24.5 6.4 0.6 1.8 2.4 2.8 0.8 0.4 0.9 2.4 2.3 5.5 .412 1.0 2.6 .403 0.8 1.1 .741
Kawhi Leonard 11 39.3 30.4 2.0 5.7 7.7 4.4 2.1 0.8 2.2 2.6 11.1 19.4 .573 2.2 5.5 .393 6.0 6.8 .880

Note: Kawhi Leonard didn't play in 2021-22.

Season 11
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1988-892022-23
Team Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsClippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 80 24.3 7.3 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.9 0.9 0.4 1.2 2.3 2.7 6.2 .431 1.0 2.6 .381 1.0 1.2 .871
Kawhi Leonard 52 33.6 23.8 1.1 5.4 6.5 3.9 1.4 0.5 1.7 1.6 8.6 16.8 .512 2.0 4.8 .416 4.7 5.4 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 15 27.6 7.7 0.6 2.1 2.7 4.7 0.6 0.5 1.1 2.5 2.5 5.9 .416 1.4 3.7 .382 1.3 1.6 .833
Kawhi Leonard 2 40.0 34.5 1.5 5.0 6.5 6.0 2.0 0.5 3.0 2.5 12.0 22.0 .545 3.0 5.0 .600 7.5 8.5 .882

Season 12
Michael Cooper Kawhi Leonard
Season 1989-902023-24
Team Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf SemisClippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 80 23.1 6.4 0.7 2.1 2.8 2.7 0.8 0.5 1.1 2.6 2.4 6.2 .387 0.6 2.0 .318 1.0 1.2 .883
Kawhi Leonard 68 34.3 23.7 1.2 4.9 6.1 3.6 1.6 0.9 1.8 1.4 9.0 17.1 .525 2.1 4.9 .417 3.7 4.2 .885
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper 9 19.2 2.6 1.2 1.4 2.7 2.8 0.8 0.4 0.8 2.3 1.1 3.9 .286 0.3 1.3 .250 0.0 0.0 -
Kawhi Leonard 2 29.5 12.0 1.5 6.5 8.0 2.0 2.0 0.5 2.0 1.5 5.5 12.0 .458 0.0 2.5 .000 1.0 1.5 .667
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