Kahleah Copper excited for home debut as the next stage of her injury recovery

“I was sad, obviously,” Satou Sabally told the media about her initial reaction to hearing the news about Copper. “She’s just someone that’s so vocal on the court, off the court, and genuinely, like such a good soul. So you hate to see someone down like that.”

The Mercury had high hopes for their new Big 3 of Copper, Alyssa Thomas and Sabally, but the realization of that trio taking the floor together was suddenly delayed.

It was also a devastating reality for Copper, who was coming off her best season yet in 2024. She averaged a career high 21.1 points while contributing 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. She was named to the Team USA Olympic roster for the first time in her career and designated as an All-Star and a second-team All-WNBA player.

She was supposed to pick up where she left off in 2025.

After a progressive training camp in which she set herself up for success on the court and as one of the team’s leaders, arguably putting herself in a position to be the present face of the franchise, it appeared she was on track to do so before the injury announcement was made.

“I think you’re really going to see her kind of, like, spread her wings and take pride,” head coach Nate Tibbetts said of Copper during training camp in April. “You’ve seen it this whole offseason. … She’s really bought into what we’re about. And, yeah, I’m just really proud of the step that she’s made and the mindset that she’s come into camp with. And now it’s like doing it day after day after day, and the more you do it, the more consistent it becomes. And so I feel like we’re on solid ground with where she wants to go and what we want to do.”

Now she’s back.

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After missing the first 11 games of the season and watching her team start 7-4 without her, Copper made her season debut in Las Vegas on June 15. The Mercury won 76-70, and Copper finished with 11 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal while being on a minutes restriction (she played 18 minutes).

With Copper on the floor, the Mercury are 3-0, with all the games being played on the road. To start her season, Copper is averaging 13.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.3 steals. She is also shooting a respectable 38.5% from three.

“I feel good, just looking forward to coming off a minute restriction,” Copper said postgame against Chicago on Sunday. “But in the same breath, just kind of giving myself grace and understanding that my body kind of went through a lot, so it’s just a matter of just getting in a rhythm and then just continuing to be unselfish and just working through it.”

Now that she’s treated road arenas in Las Vegas, Connecticut and Chicago with her dynamic offensive style and no-quit defensive attitude, Copper will finally make her debut in front of the X-Factor on Friday against the New York Liberty.

“I’m super excited,” Copper told the media after practice Thursday. “I’ve been on the sidelines getting goosebumps from watching the intro videos and just seeing everybody get so hyped, so for me to actually be able to enjoy this, I’m super excited. … Our crowd is just so locked in. They don’t miss a free throw, they don’t miss nothing. They’re always engaged. It just always loud, it’s always lit.”

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Dealing with an extended recovery period is something new for Copper. Prior to this year, the most games she’d missed in a WNBA season was five in 2022. For most of her career, Copper has had a relatively clean bill of health, playing consistently throughout seasons.

The process of healing was tough for Copper, but with the help of the Mercury’s coaches and athletic training staff, Copper trusted the process and was cleared to play four weeks after the initial injury announcement.

“I think it was a lot for me emotionally because this was my first big thing, so it was a lot,” Copper said. “I was like, it’s something that I need. And for me, it was about the rehab, consistently having to fight with that and having no court, no basketball. …  I hate the weight room, so just having to do it every single day and knowing that that will affect my knee, I have to really lock in, and I have to lock in on the rehab and consistently attack it every day with a with a positive mindset, not a mindset like I don’t feel like it.”

While on the bench for the first 11 games of the season, Copper still found a way to pour into her teammates with encouragement and support. 

Whenever a good play happened, she was the first one out of her seat, celebrating. If someone went down on the court, she went out there to comfort them. She brought the energy for every game, always carrying a smile on her face on the bench.

“I’ve also been on the coaching side, so I’ve also seen what that looks like,” Copper said. “And then [watching from the bench] helps my leadership skills, knowing what my teammates need in the moment, whether they’re hitting shots or not hitting shots, or needing help defensively, or just needing that pick me up, so I’ve been there.”

Copper’s leadership was one of the primary focal points in training camp. As one of just two returners from last season, and the only returning starter, a lot of weight landed on Copper’s shoulders to help the new players get acquainted with the organization.

Not only was Tibbetts looking for Copper to lead the team on the court with her gameplay, but he also expected her to lead the locker room and play an integral part in getting everyone on the same page.

“Staying in constant communication with Nate is super important,” Copper said during training camp. “I think he’s done a great job of telling me what it is that he’d like me to do, and then he just integrated that into my own leadership style. But overall, I’m just trying to get everyone on board, make everyone feel as comfortable as possible, and just lead us.”

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From the beginning of training camp, her desire to see this team succeed and her willingness to do everything necessary to make it happen were evident to those around her.

Sabally felt Copper’s drive before they were even teammates, while Copper was working to convince Sabally that Phoenix was where she needed to be. Upon Sabally’s arrival, Copper supported her every step of the way, flying from Miami to Phoenix with Sabally for her introductory press conference.

When practices started, Copper challenged Sabally, letting her know a lot would be demanded of her in the Mercury’s quest for a championship.

“I want that because I know her drive as a player,” Sabally said on media day. “Just being able to be accountable, hold us all accountable, and tell us not to settle and not to ever be not hungry. That instills something within you. … That is something that really fuels other people. And I’m very big on mindset. I’m very big on approaching something very seriously and preparing for it. So she’s been setting the standard. And I just love that. I love when someone comes in and does things the right way, and then demands things. Because, yeah, absolutely, girl, tell me everything you need.”

With Copper able to play again, her leadership has shifted into another gear. Now she can lead while being on the court alongside her teammates. For a Mercury team with half its roster comprised of players who’ve played two years or less in the league, Copper’s ability to lead on the court and be an example is invaluable.

“Once she steps on the floor, our young players can see the impact right away, what kind of player she is,” Tibbetts said pregame Sunday. “And I think every good leader, it’s more about your action than your words, and so she’s had to do it with her words being out. But now this is an opportunity, just like in training camp, the way she was doing it was with her actions, and that’s a great way to get respect from your teammates.”

Those inexperienced players played a key role in Phoenix’s 7-4 start without Copper. From watching them in training camp to them taking the floor for the season opener, everyone in the Mercury’s locker room, including Copper, believed in their ability to impact the game, despite limited WNBA experience.

In return, they get the opportunity to learn from high-level players like Sabally, Thomas and Copper in the early stages of their WNBA careers, building a foundation for longevity in the league and becoming players the Mercury know they can count on whenever.

“Honestly, [playing with Copper taught me to] believe in yourself, because she’s that type of player,” Monique Akoa Makani said after practice Wednesday. “She believes in herself, really confident. She came back after like one game, two games. She was already going at it, and that was just impressive to me. So just being with great people like that every day teaches me a lot.”

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Even with the excitement surrounding her return, Copper says she doesn’t feel like she’s back to 100% yet. She still has a minute restriction she has to play on as she finishes her sixth week of recovery.

But the impact her return has on the team in the locker room and on the court is special, and for a team that Tibbetts believes still has better basketball ahead of it, it’s dangerous.

“It’s great to have Kah back out there,” Thomas told the media Tuesday. “We know she was excited to get back out there. She’s been working really hard behind the scenes. So for her to finally be out on the court, as you can see, little by little, we’re just coming together. And the more she gets comfortable, the more dangerous we get.”