This past offseason, the Phoenix Mercury acquired All-Star and WNBA Champion Kahleah Copper from the Chicago Sky. Copper, a seasoned veteran and former finals MVP, spent seven seasons with the Sky before being dealt to the Mercury.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Copper is 29-years-old going on 30. Many players hit their peaks around this age, but it seems as if Copper’s career is only just getting started.
Through seven games in Phoenix, Copper is averaging 24.7 points on 45% from the field and 38% from long-range. This is a six point increase from last season, while maintaining a similar level of efficiency on higher volume.
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“My offseason was big. I took pride in being a three-level scorer, but I wanted to be able to be more consistent,” said Copper. “Seeing this roster, understanding who I want to play with. Our off-court [dynamic], nobody understands. It’s like we’ve been together forever. A bunch of competitors, a bunch of jokesters. We have so much fun. We’re having fun in these games together, and I think that’s where we’re getting our separation.”
Copper credits her early-season leap to her work in the off-season, but also credits her team for putting her in the right situations to succeed.
The only way for a player to effectively get to their spots is if they have proper spacing around them. Although the Mercury have been cold as of late, they still fire a league-high 31 triples every game. Thanks to this, Copper has a large portion of the floor opened up to create and find openings.
Copper uses her physicality to get to her spots, and is tremendously skilled attacking downhill. She’s shown poise as a mid-range creator, and is generally a controlled and patient offensive wing.
a moment for the hang time, thoooo pic.twitter.com/zWMpBC5fL4
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) May 30, 2024
The 6-foot-1 guard is a smart and savvy scorer, and has all of the space to operate in Phoenix’s offense. With multiple shooters on the floor at all times, frequent screens and dribble handoffs allow Copper to create in bunches.
Copper had one seven point doozy against Connecticut on Tuesday, but has scored 19-plus points in every other game. Without Brittney Griner, Phoenix has struggled over the course of the season, and its lack of size has been a detriment thus far. However, Copper has been turnover prone as of late — turning the ball over four times in each of the past three games.
Copper isn’t perfect, and it’d be beneficial to see her grow more as an initiator and secondary playmaker. However, she has been a clear leader-by-example for Phoenix, and is in the midst of a career year on her new team.
Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper continue breaking WNBA records with Mercury
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Justin LaCertosa covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @LaCertosaSports
