There are just two teams left in the fight to become NBA champions this year, and they are two teams that no one expected to get this far: the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. What can we expect from this underdog matchup? We’ll talk it out with Marcus Thompson, a lead columnist who covers the NBA at The Athletic.

Then we’ll hear from someone who’s no stranger to NBA championships: Michael Cooper. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the ‘80s, during an era of basketball defined by flashy moves and a run-and-gun style of play. Powerhouse players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson were at the forefront. But in the background was Michael Cooper, silently but consistently delivering a defense that cemented their legacy.

This week, we sit down with Michael Cooper to learn about how he turned a behind-the-scenes role into one worthy of a highlight reel. He’ll also talk through the insecurity he faced as a young player making it in the league, and how he moved past it to become an NBA Hall of Famer. 

Show Notes

1. COOP: The Making of a Showtime Lakers Legend | Michael Cooper and Jake Uitti
2. Michael Cooper’s Defensive Career Highlights | Basketball Action
3. Despite His Success in 12 Years With Lakers, Michael Cooper Never Quite Believed He Was Good Enough For them | LA Times
4. The Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals seemed unlikely before the playoffs. They saw it coming | The Athletic
5. Victor Wembanyama on Gregg Popovich after Game 7: "He goes through some things we can't even imagine | YouTube

Show Credits

Host: David Greene

Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler

Senior Producer: Michael Olcott

Producer: Michaela Winberg

Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa

Talent Booker: Britt Kahn

Engineers: Mike Villers, Charlie Kaier

Tile Art: Bea Walling

Theme Song: Emma Munger

Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.