playoffs, his first playoff appearance, Cooper played a key role in the Trail Blazers sweeping the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round by averaging 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game in the series. However, the Trail Blazers ultimately lost in the semifinals to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was eventually traded with Fat Lever and Calvin Natt to the Denver Nuggets on June 7, 1984, in exchange for Kiki VanDeWeghe. In his first season with the franchise, Cooper recorded the second-highest block percentage (5.4) in the NBA behind Mark Eaton, as well as fourth-most blocks (197) and fourth-highest blocks per game (2.5). During the 1985–86 season – arguably Cooper’s best season as a professional – he started 78 games for the Nuggets and averaged 13.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. He finished third in the league in block percentage (5.9), fourth in blocks (227), and fourth in blocks per game. He also committed the third-highest number of personal fouls (315). Also that season, on December 11, 1985, he blocked a then-career-high 9 shots in a 134–95 win against the Los Angeles Clippers. He subsequently bettered that mark on December 30, 1988, when he blocked 10 shots in a 109–83 over the Miami Heat. He had the third-highest block percentage (6.4), sixth-most blocks (211), seventh-highest blocks per game (2.7), and tenth-highest total rebound percentage (17.1) in the league in 1988–89. Cooper became an unrestricted free agent at the end of that season, whereupon he returned to the Trail Blazers. He later appeared in the 1990 NBA Finals and 1992 NBA Finals, both with the Trail Blazers. The franchise lost to the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, respectively. Throughout his NBA career, Cooper played in 984 games and scored a total of 7,777 points in the regular season. Later life After retiring as a player at the end of the 1991–92 season, Cooper remained with the Trail Blazers and worked in its front office for two years. He subsequently became an assistant coach and director of basketball services of the Sacramento Kings in 1994. Two years later, he was promoted to vice president of basketball operations and served in that capacity until 2013. Cooper was part of the inaugural class inducted into the University of New Orleans Hall of Fame in 1988. Four years later, he was enshrined in the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Hall