Fresh off of scoring 10 crucial points in the fourth quarter of the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s basketball final vs. France, Team USA and Phoenix Mercury star Kahleah Copper is proud to represent her country and play alongside the biggest stars in the sport.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With multiple lead changes and ties throughout the championship, it was Copper who became a hero in the end. She made two layups and converted on six free throws, including two that won the game for the United States 67-66 with five seconds left on Sunday.
After taking time to comprehend what just happened, she talked with USA basketball media about her thoughts and she praised the team that she was surrounded by.
“Just [an] unbelievable experience,” Copper said. “Such a great group. I think we all sacrificed a lot for a gold medal, but what better group to do it with. I am happy I am leaving here with a gold medal.”
It takes a special group to win Gold.@kahleahcopper x ???????? #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/qmVlUEmLjT
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 12, 2024
This is Copper’s first-ever Olympics of her career and for her to be a major reason why the team came out victorious, it will be a lifelong memory and day that she will cherish forever.
She ended up playing less than 13 minutes a game and did not feature in the group-stage matchup against Belgium. Once the United States advanced to the knockout stages, however, her minutes and offensive production shot up simultaneously.
The Rutgers product would score 11 points in the semis against Australia and finished with 12 vs. France. Copper also had five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 22 minutes in the final, shooting 3-for-8 (37.5%) from the field.
From being a certified starter for the Mercury to coming off the bench for the Americans was a change that she adjusted to on the fly, but she took advantage of every opportunity she was presented with in the Olympics and it paid off in the end.
Now being crowned as a gold medal winner, she can check another accomplishment on her bucket list. Kah is a four-time WNBA All-Star as well as winning the 2021 WNBA Championship with the Chicago Sky and being named the Finals MVP.
Once she makes the trip back to the U.S., the Philadelphia native will reunite with her Mercury teammates when she returns to Chicago and faces the Sky for the first time since being traded on Feb. 6.
Phoenix clashes with Chicago on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
