Cal Signs Guard Michael Cooper As Portal Transfer Addition

Cal men's basketball welcomes an all-conference honoree to its 2026-27 roster with the signing of sophomore Michael Cooper. A 6-3 guard, Cooper is set to join head coach Mark Madsen's Golden Bear squad as a transfer addition.

Cooper – an Indiana native – played last season at Wright State, where he earned a place on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. He tallied 17 points when the Raiders visited Cal in November 2025, and he ended his freshman campaign as his team’s leading scorer with 13.4 points per game while hitting 48 threes. Cooper started 15 games and appeared in 31 at Wright State, helping the team reach the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

“Michael was one of the most sought-after combo guards in the portal,” Madsen said of Cooper. “His dynamic ball skills make him a threat to score or distribute at any time. His winning pedigree goes back to high school where he won a state championship and continued his success with an NCAA tournament appearance last season. We cannot wait to add Michael to the Cal family!”

Cooper won the Indiana Class 4A State title with Jefferson High in 2025, averaging 18.7 points and 2.4 assists per game that season. As a junior and senior, he shot 54 percent from the floor and 41 percent from 3-point range.

Cooper joins a Cal program that made big strides in 2025-26 in recording the most wins in a season (22) since 2016 and its first postseason win since 2014. Last season's squad also recorded eight games with 90-plus points scored and had five players ranked in top-100 national statistical categories.

Right now, Cooper is one of four newcomers officially announced as signees for 2026-27, joining incoming freshman Dionycius Bakare and transfers Nojus Indrusaitis and Jake Wilkins as the Bears continue to build out their program for the season to come.

Transfer Portal Guard Michael Cooper Commits to Cal