Wayne Cooper vs. Michael Jordan Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Jordan and Wayne 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 / Games against each other

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.

Wayne Cooper played 14 years in the NBA, 1 less than Michael Jordan, who played 15. Wayne Cooper had the first of his seasons in 1978-79, while Michael Jordan had his rookie season in 1984-85. 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
Wayne Cooper	14	10	1978-79 to 1991-92
Michael Jordan	15	13	1984-85 to 2002-03

Comparison Season by Season
Rookie Season
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1978-79	1984-85
Team	Golden State Warriors	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA Second Team
	-	Rookie of the Year
	-	All-Rookie First Team
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	65	12.2	4.6	1.4	2.9	4.3	0.3	0.1	0.7	0.8	1.8	2.0	4.5	.437	-	-	-	0.6	0.9	.672
Michael Jordan	82	38.3	28.2	2.0	4.5	6.5	5.9	2.4	0.8	3.5	3.5	10.2	19.8	.515	0.1	0.6	.173	7.7	9.1	.845

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Jordan	4	42.8	29.3	1.8	4.0	5.8	8.5	2.8	1.0	3.8	3.8	8.5	19.5	.436	0.3	2.0	.125	12.0	14.5	.828

Season 2
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1979-80	1985-86
Team	Golden State Warriors	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	79	22.5	11.0	2.6	3.9	6.4	0.5	0.3	1.0	1.8	3.1	4.6	9.5	.489	0.0	0.1	.250	1.7	2.3	.751
Michael Jordan	18	25.1	22.7	1.3	2.3	3.6	2.9	2.1	1.2	2.5	2.6	8.3	18.2	.457	0.2	1.0	.167	5.8	6.9	.840

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Jordan	3	45.0	43.7	1.7	4.7	6.3	5.7	2.3	1.3	4.7	4.3	16.0	31.7	.505	0.3	0.3	1.000	11.3	13.0	.872

Season 3
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1980-81	1986-87
Team	Utah Jazz	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Bulls Lost East Conf 1st Rd

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	71	20.0	6.9	2.3	3.9	6.2	0.7	0.3	0.7	1.1	3.1	3.0	6.6	.452	0.0	0.0	.333	0.9	1.3	.689
Michael Jordan	82	40.0	37.1	2.0	3.2	5.2	4.6	2.9	1.5	3.3	2.9	13.4	27.8	.482	0.1	0.8	.182	10.2	11.9	.857

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Jordan	3	42.7	35.7	2.3	4.7	7.0	6.0	2.0	2.3	2.7	3.7	11.7	28.0	.417	0.7	1.7	.400	11.7	13.0	.897

Season 4
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1981-82	1987-88
Team	Dallas Mavericks	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Defensive Player of the Year
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Did Not Play	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	76	23.9	9.0	2.6	4.6	7.2	1.5	0.5	1.4	1.2	3.8	3.7	8.8	.420	0.0	0.1	.125	1.6	2.1	.744
Michael Jordan	82	40.4	35.0	1.7	3.8	5.5	5.9	3.2	1.6	3.1	3.3	13.0	24.4	.535	0.1	0.6	.132	8.8	10.5	.841

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Jordan	10	42.7	36.3	2.3	4.8	7.1	4.7	2.4	1.1	3.9	3.8	13.8	26.0	.531	0.1	0.3	.333	8.6	9.9	.869

Season 5
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1982-83	1988-89
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Semis	Bulls Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	80	26.2	9.7	2.7	5.0	7.6	1.5	0.3	1.7	2.0	4.0	4.0	9.0	.443	0.0	0.1	.000	1.7	2.5	.685
Michael Jordan	81	40.2	32.5	1.8	6.2	8.0	8.0	2.9	0.8	3.6	3.0	11.9	22.2	.538	0.3	1.2	.276	8.3	9.8	.850

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	7	32.6	12.4	3.4	4.6	8.0	1.3	0.3	1.1	2.4	4.7	5.1	10.6	.486	0.0	0.0	-	2.1	2.4	.882
Michael Jordan	17	42.2	34.8	1.5	5.5	7.0	7.6	2.5	0.8	4.0	3.8	11.7	22.9	.510	0.6	2.1	.286	10.8	13.5	.799

Season 6
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1983-84	1989-90
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf 1st Rd	Bulls Lost East Conf Finals

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Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	81	20.5	9.8	2.2	3.7	5.9	0.9	0.3	1.3	1.4	3.0	3.8	8.2	.459	0.0	0.1	.000	2.3	2.8	.804
Michael Jordan	82	39.0	33.6	1.7	5.1	6.9	6.3	2.8	0.7	3.0	2.9	12.6	24.0	.526	1.1	3.0	.376	7.2	8.5	.848

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	5	20.8	4.8	2.2	1.8	4.0	0.8	0.2	0.8	1.0	2.8	2.0	5.4	.370	0.0	0.0	-	0.8	1.6	.500
Michael Jordan	16	42.1	36.7	1.5	5.7	7.2	6.8	2.8	0.9	3.5	3.4	13.7	26.6	.514	1.0	3.1	.320	8.3	9.9	.836

Season 7
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1984-85	1990-91
Team	Denver Nuggets	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Nuggets Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	80	25.4	12.1	2.9	5.0	7.9	1.1	0.4	2.5	1.9	3.8	5.1	10.7	.472	0.0	0.0	.000	2.0	2.9	.685
Michael Jordan	82	37.0	31.5	1.4	4.6	6.0	5.5	2.7	1.0	2.5	2.8	12.1	22.4	.539	0.4	1.1	.312	7.0	8.2	.851

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	15	21.4	10.9	2.3	3.9	6.2	1.3	0.5	2.4	1.3	3.5	4.5	9.5	.469	0.0	0.0	-	2.0	2.7	.750
Michael Jordan	17	40.5	31.1	1.1	5.3	6.4	8.4	2.4	1.4	2.5	3.1	11.6	22.1	.524	0.6	1.5	.385	7.4	8.7	.845

Season 8
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1985-86	1991-92
Team	Denver Nuggets	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Nuggets Lost West Conf Semis	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	78	27.1	13.1	2.4	5.4	7.8	1.0	0.5	2.9	1.5	4.0	5.4	11.6	.466	0.0	0.1	.429	2.2	2.8	.795
Michael Jordan	80	38.8	30.1	1.1	5.3	6.4	6.1	2.3	0.9	2.5	2.5	11.8	22.7	.519	0.3	1.3	.270	6.1	7.4	.832

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	8	19.3	7.9	1.4	3.6	5.0	0.9	0.3	0.6	1.4	3.9	3.0	7.0	.429	0.0	0.1	.000	1.9	2.8	.682
Michael Jordan	22	41.8	34.5	1.7	4.5	6.2	5.8	2.0	0.7	3.7	2.8	13.2	26.4	.499	0.8	2.0	.386	7.4	8.6	.857

Season 9
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1986-87	1992-93
Team	Denver Nuggets	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	Steals Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	69	22.6	8.0	2.3	4.5	6.9	1.0	0.2	1.5	1.1	3.7	3.4	7.6	.448	0.0	0.0	.000	1.1	1.6	.725
Michael Jordan	78	39.3	32.6	1.7	5.0	6.7	5.5	2.8	0.8	2.7	2.4	12.7	25.7	.495	1.0	2.9	.352	6.1	7.3	.837

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	3	13.7	4.0	2.0	3.7	5.7	0.7	0.0	0.3	0.3	3.0	1.7	4.0	.417	0.0	0.0	-	0.7	0.7	1.000
Michael Jordan	19	41.2	35.1	1.7	5.1	6.7	6.0	2.1	0.9	2.4	3.1	13.2	27.8	.475	1.5	3.8	.389	7.2	8.9	.805

Note: Michael Jordan didn't play in 1993-94.

Season 10
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1987-88	1994-95
Team	Denver Nuggets	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards
Playoffs	Nuggets Lost West Conf Semis	Bulls Lost East Conf Semis

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	45	19.2	6.4	2.2	3.8	6.0	0.7	0.3	2.1	1.3	3.2	2.6	6.0	.437	0.0	0.0	.000	1.1	1.5	.746
Michael Jordan	17	39.3	26.9	1.5	5.4	6.9	5.3	1.8	0.8	2.1	2.8	9.8	23.8	.411	0.9	1.9	.500	6.4	8.0	.801

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	9	10.7	2.0	1.8	1.9	3.7	0.7	0.3	0.9	0.4	2.1	0.9	2.6	.348	0.0	0.0	-	0.2	0.2	1.000
Michael Jordan	10	42.0	31.5	2.0	4.5	6.5	4.5	2.3	1.4	4.1	3.0	12.0	24.8	.484	1.1	3.0	.367	6.4	7.9	.810

Season 11
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1988-89	1995-96
Team	Denver Nuggets	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st Rd	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	79	23.6	6.6	2.7	5.2	7.8	1.0	0.5	2.7	0.9	3.8	2.8	5.6	.495	0.0	0.1	.250	1.0	1.3	.745
Michael Jordan	82	37.7	30.4	1.8	4.8	6.6	4.3	2.2	0.5	2.4	2.4	11.2	22.6	.495	1.4	3.2	.427	6.7	8.0	.834

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	3	14.7	4.0	1.3	3.0	4.3	0.7	0.3	0.7	0.0	3.3	2.0	4.0	.500	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
Michael Jordan	18	40.7	30.7	1.7	3.2	4.9	4.1	1.8	0.3	2.3	2.7	10.4	22.6	.459	1.4	3.4	.403	8.5	10.4	.818

Season 12
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1989-90	1996-97
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	79	14.9	3.8	1.5	2.8	4.3	0.6	0.2	1.2	0.5	2.7	1.7	3.8	.454	0.0	0.0	.000	0.3	0.5	.641
Michael Jordan	82	37.9	29.6	1.4	4.5	5.9	4.3	1.7	0.5	2.0	1.9	11.2	23.1	.486	1.4	3.6	.374	5.9	7.0	.833

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	18	13.8	2.7	1.4	2.6	3.9	0.3	0.3	1.6	0.3	2.2	1.1	2.6	.404	0.0	0.0	-	0.6	1.1	.526
Michael Jordan	19	42.3	31.1	2.2	5.7	7.9	4.8	1.6	0.9	2.6	2.4	11.9	26.2	.456	0.7	3.5	.194	6.5	7.8	.831

Season 13
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1990-91	1997-98
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Chicago Bulls
Honors & Awards	-	Finals MVP
	-	Season MVP
	-	All-NBA First Team
	-	All-Defensive First Team
	-	Scoring Leader
	-	All-Star Game
	-	All-Star Game NVP
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost West Conf Finals	NBA Champion

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	67	11.1	2.2	0.8	2.0	2.8	0.3	0.1	0.9	0.3	1.8	0.9	2.2	.393	0.0	0.0	.000	0.5	0.6	.786
Michael Jordan	82	38.8	28.7	1.6	4.2	5.8	3.5	1.7	0.5	2.3	1.8	10.7	23.1	.465	0.4	1.5	.238	6.9	8.8	.784

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	3	4.3	0.7	0.3	1.3	1.7	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.7	0.3	0.7	.500	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
Michael Jordan	21	41.5	32.4	1.6	3.5	5.1	3.5	1.5	0.6	2.1	2.2	11.6	25.0	.462	0.6	2.0	.302	8.6	10.6	.812

Note: Michael Jordan didn't play in 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2000-01.

Season 14
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	1991-92	2001-02
Team	Portland Trail Blazers	Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	Trail Blazers Lost NBA Finals	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	35	9.8	2.2	1.1	1.8	2.9	0.6	0.1	0.8	0.4	1.6	1.0	2.3	.427	0.0	0.0	-	0.2	0.3	.636
Michael Jordan	60	34.9	22.9	0.8	4.8	5.7	5.2	1.4	0.4	2.7	2.0	9.2	22.1	.416	0.2	0.9	.189	4.4	5.6	.790

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	3	9.0	1.3	0.3	2.3	2.7	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.3	1.3	0.7	1.3	.500	0.0	0.0	-	0.0	0.0	-
Michael Jordan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Season 15
	Wayne Cooper	Michael Jordan
Season	-	2002-03
Team	-	Washington Wizards
Honors & Awards	-	All-Star Game
Playoffs	-	Did Not Play

more >>

Regular Season Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Jordan	82	37.0	20.0	0.9	5.2	6.1	3.8	1.5	0.5	2.1	2.1	8.3	18.6	.445	0.2	0.7	.291	3.2	4.0	.821

Playoffs Stats
	G	Min	Pts	ORb	DRb	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	FGM / A		%	3PM / A		%	FTM / A		%
Wayne Cooper	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Michael Jordan	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Wayne Cooper vs. Michael Jordan Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Jordan and Wayne 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.

Their Careers

Comparison Season by Season

Rookie Season

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14

Season 15