Cynthia Cooper: Untold Kobe & MJ Stories, Hot Takes on Caitlin & JuJu, & Winning 4x WNBA finals MVP

All The Smoke

The Black Effect and iHeartPodcasts

Basketball, Society & Culture, Sports

4.8 • 7.4K Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2025

⏱️ 81 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper joins All The Smoke to share her incredible journey from picking up basketball at age 15 to averaging 45 points per game overseas and becoming the face of the Houston Comets dynasty. She opens up about her relationships with Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, reflects on her time at USC, and reacts to Cheryl Miller’s viral comments about being teammates. Cooper, a four-time WNBA champion and four-time Finals MVP, also discusses rising star JuJu Watkins, her late start in the league, and what it meant to be one of Nike’s first female signature athletes. From her perspective on today’s women’s game to her thoughts on Caitlin Clark’s impact, this conversation bridges eras and breaks barriers.

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