Kahleah Copper’s Olympic success bolsters the Phoenix Mercury

Thursday, the Phoenix Mercury guard scored 29 points in her team’s 85-65 rout of the Chicago Sky, picking up where she left off in Paris, where she scored 10 crucial points in the final quarter to help Team USA win the gold medal.

“I think there was seven minutes to go in the [gold medal] game, and I think [Brittney Griner] probably could see this coming. Kah was ready. That’s what she does,” Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi told reporters Tuesday. “And you know, it took a whole tournament to get there, but that’s what Kah does. She’s been doing it all year for us, and we knew when things got tight, she’s always the offset. She could do things that no one else can do on our team, national team or here in the Mercury. So to see her do that, to get her first gold medal, we’re just super proud of her.”

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Copper’s stint with Team USA didn’t always go according to plan. Her 14.6 minutes and 8.2 points per game were a stark difference from the 32.4 minutes and 23.2 points per game Copper averaged prior to the Olympic break. Still, when Team USA needed her, Copper came up big. Her fourth quarter performance included the final free throw that ended up being the difference between gold and silver.

“I have a different level of respect for my teammates coming off the bench,” Copper told reporters Tuesday. “Just understanding, like when your name is called, that you just gotta be ready — I think 1,000% the biggest thing I’ve taken away. Also, is just [the experience] being able to kind of tell my story … preparation meeting opportunity. And that’s been the name of my story throughout my career.”

Despite Copper’s heroics in the final game, she was more of a background player leading up to it. She didn’t even see the floor in Team USA’s second game against Belgium. In the semifinals against Australia, she played 20 minutes and scored 11 points, giving a precursor to her championship game output.

Once the Olympics ended, Copper and her gold medal flew directly to Chicago for the Mercury’s first game after the extended break. Despite a seven-hour time change, Copper was energetic and aggressive from the get-go. She scored 18 of her 29 points in the first half, helping the Mercury carry a 50-28 lead into the break. Copper was potent and efficient in her attacks, going 12-for-19 from the floor and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.

“She should be very satisfied with that performance. I know we are,” Mercury center Brittney Griner told reporters postgame Wednesday. “She was locked in from the jump. She’s been locked in since, I mean, being over in Paris, so we all know what she can do. We’ve been on the other end of it in this arena, so I’m just happy that I get to see it from the side of being her teammate now.”

Copper’s performance in Thursday’s game was monumental, as it marked the star player’s return to Chicago after being traded in the offseason. Copper entered the arena wearing her old Chicago Sky jersey, an ode to the city she called home for the previous seven years of her career.

“[The outfit was planned] for a very long time. I thought it’d be cool to come back. One, I wanted to come back, and y’all know I like to get dressed, so I thought I could put something together and look good and then be able to rep the city at the same time. … It was special, you know, especially coming off of winning a gold medal. I think this was something that I’ve been building while I was here. So coming off of that, and then to be able to come here and be embraced by the city, by the fans, that means everything. I love this city.”

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Always improving

Even while actively competing for an Olympic championship, Copper still looked for ways to improve her game in Paris. The key focus for her was improving her effectiveness with driving and kicking. 

All season, Copper has transformed into a freight train with a full head of steam driving to the basket when she turns the corner. Thanks to her time in Paris, Copper was able to work on improving this aspect of her game and speak with other top USA basketball talent about how they’ve developed this skill.

“I just think that that’s the next part of my game,” Copper said. “I think me and [Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts] have had many conversations about me being a playmaker, and I think that’s important because as I continue to grow, it’s just going to get harder — teams are scouting and everything. So if I’m able to be a better passer, to find my teammates when they’re open, that’ll alleviate the pressure off of me also. … Being at the Olympics and being with the guys, we were just talking about, like matchups and how people play, and talk about LeBron [James] specifically, how he’s just incredible … You can’t guard him one-on-one, and then he’ll bring in help, and he’s finding shooters, and he’s just prolific. … That’s who I want to be like.”

Following her time in Paris, Copper now adds an Olympic gold medal to a trophy case that already includes a WNBA championship and a WNBA Finals MVP trophy. She’s reached some of the most impressive heights in her career. Now the Mercury are looking for her to turn her individual successes into team success.

“I think she’s entered her prime,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts told reporters Wednesday. “She’s comfortable in her skin. She knows who she [is], her strengths. I think she’s understanding her shot profile and wanting to get to the rim and more threes, but down the stretch, being willing to take those mid-range shots because she can get to her spots, and that’s what great players do. And just, yeah, we’re putting the ball in her hands, and she’s come through, and we’re going to keep going to her, for sure.”