Former NBA player and beloved Sacramento Kings executive Wayne Cooper dies at age 65
Wayne Cooper, a former NBA player who later helped lead the Sacramento Kings to memorable heights as a front office executive, died Monday at the age of 65.
Cooper served under Kings president Geoff Petrie as the vice president of basketball operations in Sacramento from 1996-2013. Cooper was part of the brain trust that constructed the Kings teams that became a global phenomenon in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a run that included eight consecutive playoff appearances and a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2002.
Longtime Kings radio play-by-play announcer Gary Gerould was one of many who took to social media to share memories and send condolences to Cooper’s family.
“Stunned and profoundly saddened to learn of Wayne Cooper’s passing,” Gerould tweeted. “Coop was a gem! Wishing peace and comfort for Denise and their girls.”
The Golden State Warriors selected Cooper, a 6-foot-10 center, with the 40th overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft after he was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year at New Orleans. He went on to play for the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets, posting career averages of 7.9 points and 6.2 rebounds over 14 NBA seasons.
Cooper had his best seasons with the Nuggets. He averaged 12.1 points and 7.9 rebounds for a 52-win team that reached the Western Conference finals in 1984-85. He averaged a career-high 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds for a team that reached the conference finals after winning 47 games.
The Nuggets shared the news of Cooper’s death on Twitter.
“We are saddened to hear of the passing of a great Nugget, teammate, and person, Wayne Cooper,” the Nuggets tweeted. “He will be sorely missed, and our thoughts are with his family at this time.”
The Kings issued a statement Tuesday, saying: “We are incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Wayne Cooper. A coach, mentor and friend, Coop will forever be a beloved member of the Sacramento Kings family. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.”
This story was originally published April 11, 2022 at 11:45 PM.
