Cynthia Cooper had a legendary WNBA career. She was there from the beginning, as she signed with the Houston Comets in the league’s first season.
Cooper averaged 22.2 points, 4.7 assists, four rebounds and 2.1 steals. The Comets won a championship in her first year, and they dominated from there. The won three more after that, and Cooper was there for all of them.
During that time, she was a four-time WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), she was a three-time scoring champion, a two-time MVP and more. She retired in 2000, and after that she embarked a new path. She decided to get into coaching.
Cooper became the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury in 2001. The Mercury were coached by Cheryl Miller from 1997 to 2000. During her time, Miller led Phoenix to the playoffs three times. They reached the WNBA Finals for the first time in 1998, as she led them to a 19-11 season.
Miller left the Mercury, and Cooper quickly took her place. The Mercury finished the 2001 season with a record of 13-9. It was an up and down year for Phoenix, as they had moments of success and their share of low moments. At one point in the season, they won five games in a row, and it started with a win over the Minnesota Lynx. They beat them 80-67.
After this streak, the Mercury lost their next seven games. However, their season ended on a decent note, as they beat the Portland Fire and the Comets in their last two games.
Nov 15, 2014; Columbia, SC, USA; USC Trojans head coach Cynthia Cooper directs her team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
In the 2002 season, Cooper coached the first 10 games. She resigned from the position, and Linda Sharp took over. Sharp finished the season with a record of 5-17.
After her stint with the Mercury, Cooper returned to the court. She played with the Comets and played four games. She averaged 16.0 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and a steal. A few years later, she continued to coach, and she coached Prairie View A&M. She also spent time as the coach of UNC Wilmington, Texas Southern and USC.
Cooper was the second coach for the Mercury, and there were more to come. Now, Nate Tibbetts is leading the way, and his team is in a position to win. Cooper’s time with Phoenix was brief, but it was one of the dominoes that got them to this point.
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