Michael Cooper vs. Etan Thomas Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Etan Thomas and Michael Cooper, 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.

Michael Cooper played 12 years in the NBA, 3 more than Etan Thomas, who played 9. Michael Cooper had the first of his seasons in 1978-79, while Etan Thomas had his rookie season in 2001-02. 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
Michael Cooper 12 11 1978-79 to 1989-90
Etan Thomas 9 5 2001-02 to 2010-11

Comparison Season by Season

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

Rookie Season

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1978-792001-02
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards
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 %
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 -
Etan Thomas 47 13.1 4.3 1.2 2.7 3.9 0.1 0.4 0.7 0.6 1.6 1.7 3.2 .536 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.6 .554
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
Michael Cooper ------- --- ----------
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 2

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1979-802002-03
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 38 13.5 4.8 1.8 2.5 4.3 0.1 0.2 0.6 0.9 1.7 1.6 3.3 .492 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 2.5 .638
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 3

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1980-812003-04
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 79 24.1 8.9 2.3 4.4 6.7 0.9 0.5 1.6 1.4 2.8 3.3 6.7 .489 0.0 0.0 - 2.4 3.7 .647
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 4

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1981-822004-05
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionWizards Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 47 20.8 7.1 1.8 3.4 5.2 0.4 0.4 1.1 1.1 2.8 2.7 5.4 .502 0.0 0.0 - 1.6 3.1 .528
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 8 16.1 6.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 0.3 0.0 0.9 1.1 2.9 2.4 3.6 .655 0.0 0.0 - 1.3 2.8 .455

Season 5

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1982-832005-06
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsWizards Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 71 15.8 4.7 1.4 2.5 3.9 0.2 0.3 1.0 0.7 2.1 1.8 3.5 .533 0.0 0.0 - 1.1 1.8 .600
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 3 6.0 2.0 0.7 1.3 2.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 0.0 1.0 0.7 1.7 .400 0.0 0.0 - 0.7 1.3 .500

Season 6

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1983-842006-07
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost NBA FinalsWizards Lost East Conf 1st Rd
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 65 19.2 6.1 2.1 3.7 5.8 0.4 0.3 1.4 1.1 2.5 2.4 4.3 .574 0.0 0.0 - 1.2 2.1 .558
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 4 21.0 5.0 0.5 5.0 5.5 0.3 0.5 0.8 1.5 2.3 1.8 4.3 .412 0.0 0.0 - 1.5 2.3 .667

Note: Etan Thomas didn't play in 2007-08.

Season 7

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1984-852008-09
Team Los Angeles LakersWashington Wizards
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionDid Not Play
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 26 11.8 3.1 1.0 1.6 2.5 0.2 0.1 0.7 0.7 1.3 1.2 2.5 .485 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 0.9 .696
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 8

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1985-862009-10
Team Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive Second Team-
Playoffs Lakers Lost West Conf FinalsThunder 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 %
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
Etan Thomas 23 14.0 3.3 0.8 2.0 2.8 0.0 0.2 0.7 0.8 1.7 1.3 3.0 .456 0.0 0.0 - 0.6 1.0 .591
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 2 8.5 6.0 0.5 1.5 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 2.5 3.0 .833 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.000

Season 9

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
Season 1986-872010-11
Team Los Angeles LakersAtlanta Hawks
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Defensive First Team-
Achievement Defensive Player of the Year-
Playoffs NBA Champion NBA ChampionHawks Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 13 6.3 2.5 0.5 1.3 1.8 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.8 0.8 1.6 .476 0.0 0.0 - 0.9 1.2 .800
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas 1 7.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 2.0 .000 0.0 0.0 - 0.0 0.0 -

Season 10

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
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 %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 11

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
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 %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------

Season 12

Michael Cooper Etan Thomas
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 %
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
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF FGM / A % 3PM / A % FTM / A %
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 -
Etan Thomas ------- --- ----------