Michael Cooper vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 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 / Stats Rankings

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, 5 more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who played 7. Michael Cooper had the first of his seasons in 1978-79, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had his rookie season in 2018-19. 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 achievements, 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7 4 2018-19 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

Rookie Season
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1978-792018-19
Team Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Clippers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Rookie Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayClippers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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 -
difference:+79+24.2+8.8+0.7+2.1+2.8+3.3+0.9+0.5-1.4-1.8+3.2+6.7+.024+1.9+2.4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 82 26.5 10.8 0.7 2.1 2.8 3.3 1.2 0.5 1.7 2.1 4.2 8.7 .476 0.6 1.7 .367 1.9 2.4 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Michael Cooper DNP------ --- ----------
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 6 28.8 13.7 0.7 2.0 2.7 3.2 1.0 0.8 0.8 2.8 4.7 10.0 .467 1.5 3.0 .500 2.8 3.3 .850

Season 2
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1979-802019-20
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionThunder Lost West Conf 1st Rd
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2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+12+10.6+10.2+0.5+3.6+3.1+0.6+0.1+0.2-0.2-0.9+3.1+7.5+.053+1.1+3.4+.097+2.7+3.4+.031
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 70 34.7 19.0 0.7 5.2 5.9 3.3 1.1 0.7 1.9 1.7 6.8 14.5 .471 1.2 3.6 .347 4.1 5.1 .807
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+9+10.9+7.2+1.4+3.0+1.6+0.5+0.5+0.3-0.3-1.0+2.0+4.1+.026+2.0+4.9+.400+1.2+1.0+.096
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7 39.9 16.3 0.4 4.9 5.3 4.1 1.0 0.4 2.1 2.4 5.6 12.9 .433 2.0 5.0 .400 3.1 3.3 .957

Season 3
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1980-812020-21
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
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3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+46+1.3+14.3+1.0+1.5+0.6+1.8+0.8+0.3-1.0-1.1+4.2+8.0+.017+2.0+4.7+.207+3.9+4.7+.023
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 35 33.7 23.7 0.5 4.2 4.7 5.9 0.8 0.7 3.0 2.0 8.2 16.1 .508 2.0 4.9 .418 5.3 6.5 .808
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1981-822021-22
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+20+5.8+12.6+0.4+1.9+1.5+2.9+0.3-0.8-0.3+3.5+9.0+.064+1.6+5.1+.182+4.1+4.9+.003
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 56 34.7 24.5 0.7 4.3 5.0 5.9 1.3 0.8 2.8 2.5 8.5 18.8 .453 1.6 5.3 .300 5.9 7.2 .810
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------

Season 5
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1982-832022-23
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+14+9.3+23.6+0.1+1.7+1.5+1.7+0.2+0.4-1.2-0.3+7.2+14.2+.025+0.8+2.2+.107+8.6+9.3+.120
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 68 35.5 31.4 0.9 4.0 4.8 5.5 1.6 1.0 2.8 2.8 10.4 20.3 .510 0.9 2.5 .345 9.8 10.9 .905
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1983-842023-24
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement Steals Leader
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsThunder Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+7+4.9+21.1+0.3+2.2+2.3+0.3+0.6+0.1-0.4-0.8+7.3+13.1+.038+0.8+2.1+.039+5.7+6.4+.036
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 75 34.0 30.1 0.9 4.7 5.5 6.2 2.0 0.9 2.2 2.5 10.6 19.8 .535 1.3 3.6 .353 7.6 8.7 .874
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+11+5.5+18.9+0.2+3.4+3.3+0.7+0.2+0.7-0.8-0.7+6.9+13.3+.035+1.0+2.0+.099+4.0+5.1+.016
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 10 39.9 30.2 0.8 6.4 7.2 6.4 1.3 1.7 2.2 3.1 11.1 22.4 .496 1.6 3.7 .432 6.4 8.1 .790

Season 7
Michael Cooper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Season 1984-852024-25
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards -Achievement Finals MVP
-Achievement Season MVP
-Achievement All-NBA First Team
Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
-Achievement Scoring Leader
-Achievement Cup All-Tournament Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+6+7.5+24.1+0.2+1.7+1.9+1.2+0.6+0.4-0.5-0.3+7.9+14.6+.054+1.7+4.2+.090+6.5+7.2+.033
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 76 34.2 32.7 0.9 4.1 5.0 6.4 1.7 1.0 2.4 2.2 11.3 21.8 .519 2.1 5.7 .375 7.9 8.8 .898
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF 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
difference:+4+10.6+19.5+0.4+0.9+1.3+1.6+0.6+0.4-0.7-0.4+6.4+15.3+.101+1.0+3.5+.025+5.8+6.7+.047
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 23 37.0 29.9 1.0 4.3 5.3 6.5 1.7 0.9 2.6 2.8 10.1 21.9 .462 1.4 4.9 .283 8.3 9.4 .876

Additional Years

* Michael Cooper played 5 seasons more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 8 to 12, from 1986 to 1990—Michael Cooper played in 5 Playoffs and won two NBA Championships.

In those 5 extra years over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Michael Cooper got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 2 All-Defensive First Team
Achievement 1 All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement 1 Defensive Player of the Year
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