American · Chicago, USA · Born 14 April 1966American basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest in WNBA history, leading Houston Comets to four consecutive championships (1997-2000).
Cynthia Lynne Cooper-Dyke was born on 14 April 1963 in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Locke High School in Los Angeles before starring at USC, where she won back-to-back national championships in 1983 and 1984 alongside teammate Cheryl Miller. She spent much of her prime playing years overseas, unable to pursue a professional career in the United States before the WNBA's founding, winning championships in Spain and Italy across an eight-year stint with Basket Parma. Cooper joined the Houston Comets for the WNBA's inaugural 1997 season at 33 years old, and delivered one of the most dominant runs in the sport's history, winning the league's first four championships and being named Finals MVP in every one of them, alongside back-to-back regular-season MVP awards in 1997 and 1998. Cooper retired in 2000, briefly returned in 2003, and was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, with the Houston Comets retiring her No. 14 and USC retiring her No. 44. Cooper moved into coaching after retiring, leading programs at Prairie View A&M, UNC Wilmington, her alma mater USC, and Texas Southern across two decades, continuing to shape the sport whose professional stage she helped establish at its very outset.
First WNBA superstar and four-time Finals MVP
How They Played
Explosive scorer and clutch performer with exceptional leadership
Lasting Impact
Pioneer who helped establish the WNBA as a viable professional league
Career Honours
- WNBA Champion 1997,1998,1999,2000
- WNBA Finals MVP 1997,1998,1999,2000
- Olympic Gold 1988
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Comets | 1997–2000 | 120 |
American Athletes