Overview
- Michael Cooper was introduced as Cal State LA’s new men’s basketball coach at a campus news conference.
- He takes over for Jim Saia, who ended a 10‑season run with a 121–134 record after the team’s 9–18 finish.
- Cooper was promoted from within after serving on the Golden Eagles’ staff since 2023.
- His coaching résumé includes two WNBA titles with the LA Sparks, a 2006 D‑League championship with Albuquerque, head coaching at USC women’s and the Atlanta Dream, and an interim NBA stint with the Nuggets in 2004–05.
- A five‑time NBA champion with the Lakers and the 1987 Defensive Player of the Year, Cooper entered the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024 and outlined a defense‑first culture for the program.