The Phoenix Mercury overcame the Seattle Storm on Sunday, once again led by the efforts of Kahleah Copper.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Copper scored 30-points against the Storm, marking her fifth 30-plus point game of the season — the most across the WNBA.
“I just try to be aggressive,” Copper said following the win. “It sounds like it’s what you’re supposed to say, but I’m literally put into a position to do what I do, and just make the right reads.”
Kahleah Copper drops another 30 piece.
Today marks Kah’s 5th 30 point game this season, the most in the league. pic.twitter.com/eCqQ1gpCVX
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) June 16, 2024
Copper is averaging a career-high 24 points per game, shooting 44% from the field and 38% from 3-point land.
At this point in the season, Copper knows that she’s at the top of the opposition’s scouting report on a nightly basis. But being a seasoned veteran, Copper finds ways to adjust to different looks and schemes on the fly.
“Being at the top of that scout ain’t no joke,” Copper said. “They want to take away things, and you got to figure it out on the fly. I try to keep my turnovers down because it’s tough, different defenses that I’m seeing. I’m really just in the perfect position.”
“When our defense is good, our offense is even better.”
Kahleah Copper (@kahleahcopper) responds to our @AlecCipollini about how important defense was in the Phoenix Mercury’s win over the Seattle Storm.#ValleyTogether #WNBA #TheNewStorm pic.twitter.com/K9x0mbc4zt
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 16, 2024
That poise and awareness offensively has helped ignite a spark in Copper that she has yet to see throughout her career. Copper, 29, is in the midst of her prime with the Phoenix Mercury.
But her abilities don’t stop on the offensive side of the floor. Copper has been a valued defender for the Mercury this season, and provides needed versatility with her presence.
Frequently, Copper has had the task to guard the best player on the opposing team, and she’s succeeded on multiple occasions. She uses her length and strong frame to be a strong presence on the perimeter, and excels at getting into passing lanes.
Copper spoke on her two-way ability, and how her defense goes hand-in-hand with her offense.
“Me playing defense also fuels my offense,” Copper said. “If I’m getting rebounds and I’m getting stops, it’s a lot easier for me to get out in transition and get some easy ones.”
WATCH: Brittney Griner, Kahleah Copper speak on Mercury’s win over Storm, their success as a duo
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Justin LaCertosa covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @LaCertosaSports
