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"Hooper Kupp": LA Rams drops reaction to WR Cooper Kupp talking about the time he defeated Bulls' Zach LaVine at a high school basketball game

Modified Oct 24, 2024 18:09 GMT

LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp may be a premiere football player, but many do not know that he also used to play basketball in high school, and he was good at it. A story of Kupp as a basketball player went viral, as he explained that he guarded Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine and held him to just four points during a 34-point victory.

Cooper Kupp was lauded for his strong defense on the basketball court when he played for Davis High School. He helped his team win the 2012 Washington 4A State Championship, showing that he had championship achievements from a young age.

When Sports Center Next posted that feat on Instagram, it got a hilarious reply from the LA Rams page, which called their star wide receiver "Hooper Kupp" in a pun.

LA Rams react to viral Cooper Kupp story (Source: Instagram/sportscenternext)

Both Kupp and LaVine played point guard when they were still in high school. While Kupp played both sports and chose to become a professional in football, LaVine, who went to Bothell High School in Renton, Washington, went down the basketball path. LaVine became a UCLA Bruin in college before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014.

Zach LaVine on playing against Cooper Kupp

When the story went viral, The Chicago Tribune's Julia Poe asked Zach LaVine about what happened when he played against Cooper Kupp. The Bulls star admitted that they got beaten badly and that he had 'no idea who this little white dude guarding him was.'

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While Zach LaVine is more known for his dunking prowess in the NBA, winning the Slam Dunk Contest twice, in 2015 and 2016, he was more of an outside threat back in high school. During their clash, Kupp defended him well and forced LaVine to attack the basket instead of shooting from behind the arc.

Kupp himself admitted to this approach to defending the soon-to-be NBA star.

"I'm going to admit that I played pretty good defense that game," said the Rams WR. "All I did was not let him shoot a 3-pointer, make him drive, help defense."

Kupp kept it honest as he pointed out that LaVine still ended the game with 14 points, though he only had four when the future LA Rams star was guarding him. However, he did not guard LeVine the entire game, as he sat out the entirety of the fourth quarter. Kupp also credited his teammates for helping contain the Bothell High School star.