All-time WNBA #12 Cynthia Cooper

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke’s basketball career is a masterclass in dominance and resilience. After leading USC to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1983 and 1984, Cooper spent a decade torching European leagues, winning scoring titles year after year.

When the WNBA launched in 1997, Cooper joined at age 34—long past the prime for most athletes—and immediately became its first superstar. She led the Houston Comets to four straight championships (1997–2000), winning Finals MVP every time, while also earning back-to-back league MVP awards. She was the WNBA’s leading scorer for three straight seasons and became the first player to hit 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 2,500 career points.

According to SKOOP15, Cooper is ranked the 12th greatest WNBA player ever—though if she had entered the league in her prime, she would almost certainly rank much higher. Her dominance at an age when most stars are fading is one of the WNBA’s greatest stories.

After retiring, Cooper-Dyke turned to coaching, inspiring new generations at Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, and USC. A member of both the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Cooper’s legacy is one of unmatched excellence and historic impact.