Michael Cooper vs. Nerlens Noel Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Nerlens Noel 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 played 12 years in the NBA, 3 more than Nerlens Noel, who played 9. Michael Cooper had the first of his seasons in 1978-79, while Nerlens Noel had his rookie season in 2014-15. 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
Nerlens Noel 9 3 2014-15 to 2022-23

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1978-792014-15
Team Los Angeles LakersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid 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 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 -
Nerlens Noel 75 30.8 9.9 2.5 5.7 8.1 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.8 4.0 8.7 .462 0.0 0.0 - 1.9 3.1 .609
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper ------- --- ----------
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1979-802015-16
Team Los Angeles LakersPhiladelphia 76ers
Honors & Awards
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 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
Nerlens Noel 67 29.3 11.1 2.3 5.8 8.1 1.8 1.8 1.5 2.4 2.9 4.6 8.8 .521 0.0 0.0 .500 2.0 3.4 .590
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1980-812016-17
Team Los Angeles LakersPhiladelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid 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 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
Nerlens Noel 51 20.5 8.7 1.8 3.9 5.8 1.0 1.3 1.0 1.0 2.5 3.6 6.1 .595 0.0 0.0 .000 1.5 2.2 .694
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1981-822017-18
Team Los Angeles LakersDallas Mavericks
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 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
Nerlens Noel 30 15.7 4.4 1.6 4.0 5.6 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.9 2.0 1.8 3.5 .524 0.0 0.0 .000 0.7 0.9 .750
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 5

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1982-832018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsThunder 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 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
Nerlens Noel 77 13.7 4.9 1.6 2.6 4.2 0.6 0.9 1.2 0.6 2.2 2.1 3.6 .587 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.0 .684
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
Nerlens Noel 5 12.0 4.8 2.2 1.6 3.8 0.0 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.8 2.4 4.0 .600 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.4 .000

Season 6

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1983-842019-20
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsThunder 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 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
Nerlens Noel 61 18.5 7.4 1.5 3.4 4.9 0.9 1.0 1.5 1.1 2.7 3.0 4.4 .684 0.0 0.0 .333 1.3 1.7 .755
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
Nerlens Noel 7 13.9 3.0 0.7 3.4 4.1 0.4 0.3 0.7 0.3 2.1 1.1 2.4 .471 0.0 0.1 .000 0.7 1.4 .500

Season 7

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1984-852020-21
Team Los Angeles LakersNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionKnicks Lost East 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 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
Nerlens Noel 64 24.2 5.1 2.2 4.2 6.4 0.7 1.1 2.2 1.0 2.8 2.1 3.5 .614 0.0 0.0 .000 0.8 1.1 .714
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
Nerlens Noel 5 18.4 4.6 2.0 2.0 4.0 0.2 0.8 0.6 0.8 3.0 1.0 2.0 .500 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.2 .813

Season 8

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1985-862021-22
Team Los Angeles LakersNew York Knicks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsDid 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 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
Nerlens Noel 25 22.5 3.4 1.9 3.7 5.6 0.9 1.2 1.2 0.8 2.7 1.3 2.4 .533 0.0 0.1 .000 0.8 1.2 .700
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 9

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1986-872022-23
Team Los Angeles LakersDetroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement Defensive Player of the Year-
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 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
Nerlens Noel 17 11.5 2.1 0.6 2.1 2.7 0.6 0.9 0.6 0.8 1.9 0.8 2.1 .361 0.1 0.1 .500 0.5 0.7 .667
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 10

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1987-88-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs NBA 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 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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1988-89-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers 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 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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------
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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Michael Cooper Nerlens Noel
Season 1989-90-
Team Los Angeles Lakers-
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Lakers 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 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
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------
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 -
Nerlens Noel ------- --- ----------