Lakers Great Michael Cooper Named Cal State LA Men's Basketball Coach

The 5-time NBA champion and Defensive Player of the Year takes over the Golden Eagles program.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:14pm

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A dynamic, cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, multi-angled view of a basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors representing the energy and intensity of the sport.The hiring of Lakers legend Michael Cooper as the new Cal State LA basketball coach brings a championship pedigree and defensive intensity to the program.Los Angeles Today

Hall of Famer and Lakers legend Michael Cooper has been named the new head coach of the Cal State Los Angeles men's basketball team. Cooper, who played on all five of the Lakers' championship teams in the 1980s, has been an assistant coach with the program since 2023 and will now take over as the head coach, succeeding Jim Saia who is retiring.

Why it matters

Cooper's hiring brings a proven winner and defensive specialist to lead the Cal State LA program. As a Lakers great known for his tenacious defense, Cooper will look to instill those same principles in building the Golden Eagles into a competitive team in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

The details

Cooper, who will turn 70 next week, has extensive coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate levels. He was an assistant coach with the Lakers in the 1990s, won two WNBA championships as head coach of the Sparks, and also had stints as an assistant with the Nuggets and Dream. Most recently, he coached the boys' basketball teams at Chadwick School and Culver City High School.

  • Cooper was introduced as the new Cal State LA head coach on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
  • The 2025-26 season was the last for outgoing head coach Jim Saia, who had a 121-134 record in 10 seasons with the Golden Eagles.

The players

Michael Cooper

A Hall of Famer and 5-time NBA champion with the Lakers, Cooper is known for his tenacious defense and will now look to build the Cal State LA program as the new head coach.

Jim Saia

The outgoing head coach of the Cal State LA men's basketball team, who announced the 2025-26 season would be his last with the Golden Eagles after 10 seasons and a 121-134 record.

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What they’re saying

“I've always said it takes five Ds to win a championship: determination, dedication, desire, discipline and decision-making. I've incorporated those principles into my coaching philosophy, and they will be pillars of what we do here at Cal State LA.”

— Michael Cooper, New Head Coach, Cal State LA Men's Basketball

“The Lakers are L.A., Michael Cooper is L.A., and Cal State LA — we are L.A.”

— Michael Cooper, New Head Coach, Cal State LA Men's Basketball

What’s next

Cooper will look to quickly assemble his coaching staff and begin recruiting players to build the Cal State LA program into a contender in the CCAA conference.

The takeaway

The hiring of Lakers legend Michael Cooper as the new head coach of the Cal State LA men's basketball team brings a proven winner and defensive specialist to lead the program, with the goal of instilling a championship-level mentality and culture.