Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf vs. Michael Cooper Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Michael Cooper and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, 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

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.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf played 9 years in the NBA, 3 less than Michael Cooper, who played 12. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf had the first of his seasons in 1990-91, while Michael Cooper had his rookie season in 1978-79. 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
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 9 2 1990-91 to 2000-01
Michael Cooper 12 11 1978-79 to 1989-90

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Rookie Season

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1990-911978-79
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie Second Team-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 67 22.5 14.1 0.5 1.3 1.8 3.1 0.8 0.1 1.6 2.2 6.2 15.1 .413 0.4 1.5 .240 1.3 1.5 .857
Michael Cooper 3 2.3 2.0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 1.0 2.0 .500 - - - 0.0 0.0 -
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1991-921979-80
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 81 19.0 10.3 0.3 1.1 1.4 2.4 0.5 0.0 1.4 1.6 4.4 10.4 .421 0.4 1.2 .330 1.2 1.3 .870
Michael Cooper 82 24.1 8.8 1.2 1.6 2.8 2.7 1.0 0.5 1.7 2.6 3.7 7.0 .524 0.1 0.2 .250 1.4 1.7 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 16 29.0 9.1 1.8 1.9 3.7 3.6 1.5 0.7 1.8 3.4 3.6 8.8 .407 0.0 0.1 .000 1.9 2.3 .861

Season 3

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1992-931980-81
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Achievement Most Improved Player-
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 81 33.5 19.2 0.6 2.1 2.8 4.2 1.0 0.1 2.3 2.2 7.8 17.4 .450 0.9 2.4 .355 2.7 2.9 .935
Michael Cooper 81 32.4 9.4 1.5 2.7 4.1 4.1 1.6 1.0 2.0 3.1 4.0 8.1 .491 0.0 0.2 .211 1.4 1.8 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 3 34.0 10.7 0.7 2.7 3.3 2.3 2.0 0.0 2.3 2.3 3.7 6.7 .550 0.0 1.0 .000 3.3 4.7 .714

Season 4

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1993-941981-82
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf SemisNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 80 32.7 18.0 0.3 1.8 2.1 4.5 1.0 0.1 1.9 1.9 7.4 16.0 .460 0.5 1.7 .316 2.7 2.9 .956
Michael Cooper 76 28.9 11.9 1.1 2.4 3.5 3.0 1.6 0.8 2.0 2.8 5.0 9.8 .517 0.0 0.2 .118 1.8 2.3 .813
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 12 28.3 12.9 0.3 1.3 1.5 2.5 0.4 0.1 1.2 2.4 4.8 12.8 .370 1.0 3.1 .324 2.4 2.6 .935
Michael Cooper 14 27.4 11.9 1.4 3.0 4.4 4.4 1.7 0.8 2.1 3.4 5.0 8.9 .565 0.1 0.1 .500 1.8 2.4 .735

Season 5

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1994-951982-83
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Nuggets Lost West Conf 1st RdLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 73 28.5 16.0 0.4 1.4 1.9 3.6 1.1 0.1 1.6 1.7 6.5 13.8 .470 1.1 2.9 .386 1.9 2.1 .885
Michael Cooper 82 26.2 7.8 1.0 2.3 3.3 3.8 1.4 0.6 1.6 2.5 3.2 6.1 .535 0.1 0.3 .238 1.2 1.6 .785
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 3 25.3 13.3 0.7 1.0 1.7 1.7 0.7 0.0 2.7 2.7 4.0 11.0 .364 0.7 4.0 .167 4.7 4.7 1.000
Michael Cooper 15 30.2 9.4 0.8 3.1 3.9 2.9 1.7 0.4 1.3 3.6 3.5 7.6 .465 0.1 0.5 .143 2.3 2.7 .829

Season 6

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1995-961983-84
Team Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 57 35.6 19.2 0.5 2.0 2.4 6.8 1.1 0.1 2.0 2.1 7.3 16.8 .434 2.1 5.4 .392 2.6 2.8 .930
Michael Cooper 82 29.1 9.0 0.6 2.5 3.2 5.9 1.4 0.8 1.8 3.3 3.3 6.7 .497 0.5 1.5 .314 1.9 2.3 .838
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 21 34.4 11.3 1.0 3.0 3.9 5.7 1.1 1.0 1.4 3.8 4.2 9.1 .461 0.6 1.7 .333 2.4 3.0 .806

Season 7

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1996-971984-85
Team Sacramento KingsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 75 28.4 13.7 0.2 1.4 1.6 2.5 0.7 0.1 1.6 2.3 5.5 12.3 .445 1.3 3.3 .382 1.5 1.8 .846
Michael Cooper 82 26.7 8.6 0.7 2.4 3.1 5.2 1.1 0.6 1.9 2.5 3.4 7.2 .465 0.4 1.5 .285 1.4 1.6 .865
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 19 26.4 10.4 0.6 3.4 4.0 4.9 1.1 0.5 1.9 2.4 3.7 6.6 .563 0.4 1.4 .308 2.5 2.7 .923

Season 8

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 1997-981985-86
Team Sacramento KingsLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive Second Team
Playoffs Did Not PlayLakers Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 31 17.1 7.3 0.2 1.0 1.2 1.9 0.5 0.0 0.6 1.0 3.3 8.8 .377 0.2 1.0 .161 0.5 0.5 1.000
Michael Cooper 82 27.7 9.2 0.5 2.4 3.0 5.7 1.1 0.5 1.8 2.9 3.3 7.4 .452 0.8 2.0 .387 1.8 2.1 .865
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 14 30.1 9.7 1.1 2.1 3.3 4.9 1.3 0.3 1.5 1.7 3.9 8.2 .470 1.4 2.9 .463 0.6 0.8 .818

Note: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf didn't play in 1998-99 and 1999-00.

Season 9

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season 2000-011986-87
Team Vancouver GrizzliesLos Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
-Achievement Defensive Player of the Year
Playoffs Did Not PlayNBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 41 11.9 6.5 0.1 0.5 0.6 1.9 0.2 0.0 0.6 1.2 2.9 6.0 .488 0.1 0.3 .286 0.5 0.7 .759
Michael Cooper 82 27.5 10.5 0.7 2.4 3.1 4.5 1.0 0.5 1.2 2.4 3.9 9.0 .438 1.1 2.8 .385 1.5 1.8 .851
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 18 29.0 13.0 0.4 2.8 3.3 5.0 1.4 0.8 2.1 2.6 4.3 8.8 .484 1.9 3.9 .486 2.6 3.0 .852

Season 10

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season -1987-88
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-Defensive First Team
Playoffs -NBA Champion NBA Champion
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 61 29.4 8.7 0.8 2.9 3.7 4.7 1.1 0.4 1.7 2.2 3.1 7.9 .392 0.9 2.9 .320 1.6 1.9 .858
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 24 24.5 6.4 0.6 1.8 2.4 2.8 0.8 0.4 0.9 2.4 2.3 5.5 .412 1.0 2.6 .403 0.8 1.1 .741

Season 11

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season -1988-89
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Lakers Lost NBA Finals
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 80 24.3 7.3 0.4 2.0 2.4 3.9 0.9 0.4 1.2 2.3 2.7 6.2 .431 1.0 2.6 .381 1.0 1.2 .871
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 15 27.6 7.7 0.6 2.1 2.7 4.7 0.6 0.5 1.1 2.5 2.5 5.9 .416 1.4 3.7 .382 1.3 1.6 .833

Season 12

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Michael Cooper
Season -1989-90
Team -Los Angeles Lakers
Honors & Awards
Playoffs -Lakers Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 80 23.1 6.4 0.7 2.1 2.8 2.7 0.8 0.5 1.1 2.6 2.4 6.2 .387 0.6 2.0 .318 1.0 1.2 .883
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ------- --- ----------
Michael Cooper 9 19.2 2.6 1.2 1.4 2.7 2.8 0.8 0.4 0.8 2.3 1.1 3.9 .286 0.3 1.3 .250 0.0 0.0 -