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If the University of New Mexico wanted to make a change in leadership of its men's basketball program, it wouldn't have to look beyond the city limits to find an interested candidate.

Michael Cooper, head coach of the defending champion NBA Development League Albuquerque Thunderbirds, was an important part of the heyday of Lobos basketball in the late 1970s.

Some Lobos fans still crave the excitement of basketball in The Pit when Cooper roamed the court from 1976-78.

Cooper, having seen the ongoing decline in fan support under head coach Ritchie McKay, would like to revive that magic.

Cooper told The Tribune in an interview this week he has major interest in coaching his alma mater in the future.

This former Los Angeles Lakers defensive standout is busy these days coaching the Thunderbirds, but other possibilities - whether as an NBA coach or the Lobos coach - are options he'd like to pursue in his future.

"It would be a great honor to coach here, and it's very much of interest (to me)," Cooper said. "It's not the reason I started coaching the Thunderbirds, but who wouldn't want to coach at his alma mater? It'd be the ultimate job to coach college kids."

UNM's job isn't open as of now, but first-year Athletics Director Paul Krebs said all the school's coaches will be evaluated after their seasons. Fans on sports talk radio and Internet message boards have been critical of McKay, who's in his fifth season at UNM. The Lobos (11-7) are working to snap a four-game losing streak against Utah tonight in The Pit.

The team's slide has affected attendance drastically. Cooper might have the right pedigree for a program that needs to bring Lobos fans from living rooms to The Pit.

When Cooper was an All-American in 1978 and the Lobos were ranked as high as No. 5 nationally, attendance was at 17,235 per game, No. 2 nationally that year. The 2006 attendance average is 12,675 per game, the lowest since The Pit's mid-70s renovation.

Cooper has also shown he's a winner. He's won championships as a player and coach at both the college and pro level. Still, the idea of coaching the Lobos is moot unless this 50-year-old hits the books.

Cooper, who's name has surfaced during past UNM coach searches, said he's about 30 credit hours short of a college degree from UNM.

"I think he'd be a wonderful coach for any college program, but he couldn't do it unless he had that (degree)," said Jamie Koch, president of the UNM Board of Regents. "I'm sure the University of New Mexico would love to help him get his degree."

It seems Cooper is finally capitalizing on that resource.

Cooper said he's working with Scott Carruthers, director of African American Student Services at UNM, to obtain a degree within the next year.

Cooper said the chance to coach the Lobos in the future isn't the only factor driving his scholastic push.

"It's needed now," Cooper said. "I'm all about timing, and if the timing isn't right, then it's not supposed to happen. But the timing feels different on this one. It feels positive."

It's undeniable that Cooper knows how to coach - and win championships, whether in tan suits or purple-and-gold jerseys.

A five-time champion as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers, Cooper transferred his success to the WNBA, where he coached the Los Angeles Sparks to two titles. He led the Thunderbirds to an NBA-Development League title in the team's 2006 inaugural season. The T-Birds are 8-9 this season.

There is, of course, his 4-10 stint as Denver Nuggets interim coach before the organization hired George Karl, but this was probably too brief to judge wins and losses.

Where Cooper is unproven at the college level is whether he can recruit, build a program and guide 19-year-olds.

Cooper said he could teach college players toughness and how to win. His resume will help with recruiting.

"With what I've done and the contacts I've made over the years - plus the fact that New Mexico is already an alluring place to go - that would be a winning combination," Cooper said. "Young men would want to come here."

Cooper said he would also have to consider a coaching position in the NBA if the chance to coach the Lobos doesn't happen for him.

He's hoping he won't have to leave Albuquerque for his next job.

"I've seen what this program can do," Cooper said. "I remember when there was a game, everybody knew about it. It's time to get fans excited, and one way to do that is with the team's play and having the right kind of players."