NBA fans continue to debate which player is the best of all time despite the difficulty of comparing players from different eras.
When it comes to NBA players, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James tend to agree that he is the greatest of all time, but admirers of Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Larry Bird may disagree. If you go further back, there are people who will battle for Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
On his podcast, Michael Cooper, a former player for the Lakers, was tested in April 2024. LeBron, Bird, and Magic Johnson were his options, and he had to start one, sit one, and cut one player. Bird made the unexpected and painful choice to withstand the cut.
Michael Cooper Cries Over the LeBron James vs. Larry Bird Decision
Cooper referred to it as a “unfair question” when Nick Gelso of CLNS Media asked it in a podcast episode titled “Showtime With Coop.” One legend must start on your imaginary squad, one must be a reserve, and the other is cut from the team in this little NBA game that has gone viral on social media.Two Lakers icons, Magic and LeBron, and one Boston legend, Bird, made up Gelso’s three players. Cooper was a key member of the Lakers team that won five titles and fought the Celtics for dominance in the NBA throughout the 1980s. Admittedly, he has never been a fan of the Celtics. Having had the unfortunate responsibility of protecting Bird during his career, he has also expressed his admiration for Bird.
It made responding to Gelso’s question even more challenging. Cooper debated for a long time before deciding to cut LeBron and keep Bird.
Cooper said, “Now that’s a hard one,” to Gelso. “I’m going to make a mess of myself here. I had to accompany my boy. I’m going to start Magic. Magic is going to improve everyone, so I have to start my boy.”
Cooper paused then.
“Nick, this is an unfair question,” he remarked. “I’m traditional. I have to bench Bird and cut LeBron.
