Kahleah Copper

Copper is a native of North Philadelphia.{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=July 17, 2021 |title=Kahleah Copper's All-Star debut just the beginning for young star from North Philly |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky-and-wnba/2021/7/17/22573796/kahleah-coppers-all-star-debut-just-the-beginning-for-young-star-from-north-philly |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}} She attended and played for Girard College and the Preparatory Charter High School in Philadelphia.{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Damichael |date=June 30, 2021 |title=Prep Charter grad Kahleah Copper becomes the first Philly player since 2006 named to the WNBA All-Star game |url=https://www.inquirer.com/high-school-sports/pennsylvania/kahleah-copper-wnba-all-star-game-philly-20210630.html |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=Philadelphia Inquirer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hunt |first=Donald |date=October 11, 2021 |title=Former Prep Charter standout Kahleah Copper stars in the WNBA Finals |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/sports/former-prep-charter-standout-kahleah-copper-stars-in-the-wnba-finals/article_deb8f456-e8e1-564e-ae8d-573cef131799.html |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=The Philadelphia Tribune |language=en}} As a high school player, she was named to the All-Public League team in Philadelphia, the All-State team in Pennsylvania, and the McDonald's All-American team. She played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball team in college from 2012 to 2016, finishing her college career with the third-most points all time in team history (1,872).{{Cite web |last=Breitman |first=Aaron |date=July 14, 2021 |title=Former Rutgers stars Kahleah Copper & Betnijah Laney making WNBA All-Star Game debuts |url=https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/7/14/22576763/rutgers-basketball-kahleah-copper-betnijah-laney-wnba-all-star-game-chicago-sky-new-york-liberty |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=On the Banks |language=en}}

Copper was drafted as the 7th overall pick in the 2016 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics.{{cite web |url=http://www.scarletknights.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1025 |title=Kahleah Copper - 2015-16 Women's Basketball Roster - The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics |website=www.scarletknights.com |accessdate=August 24, 2017}} She was a bench player in her first season, averaging 16.2 minutes and 6.2 points per game. After the season, she was traded to the Chicago Sky as part of a deal that sent Elena Delle Donne to the Mystics and Stefanie Dolson, Copper, and the 2nd overall pick in the 2017 draft to the Sky.{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Sean |date=February 2, 2017 |title=Elena Delle Donne trade: win for all three sides |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/18606176/elena-delle-donne-trade-win-washington-mystics-chicago-sky |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=July 29, 2020 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=October 12, 2021 |title=The trade that brought Kahleah Copper to Chicago |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky-and-wnba/2021/10/12/22721101/the-trade-that-brought-kahleah-copper-to-chicago |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}

In her first three seasons with the Sky, Copper generally came off the bench and averaged 6.7 to 7.1 points per game.{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=October 12, 2021 |title='She's the best player out there sometimes': Chicago's Copper is the breakout player of the WNBA playoffs |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/32385227/2021-wnba-finals-chicago-sky-kahleah-copper-five-biggest-breakout-performances-wnba-playoff-history |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} In 2020, she was re-signed by the Sky.{{Cite web |last=Ariail |first=Cat |date=February 25, 2020 |title=With VanderQuigs returning, plus arrival of Azurá Stevens and Sydney Colson, is the Sky the limit for Chicago? |url=https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba/2020/2/25/21150660/wnba-free-agency-chicago-sky-courtney-vandersloot-allie-quigley-stefanie-dolson-azura-stevens |access-date=July 29, 2020 |website=Swish Appeal |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Kahleah Copper Returns to Chicago, Re-Signs With Sky |url=https://sky.wnba.com/news/kahleah-copper-returns-to-chicago-re-signs-with-sky/ |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Chicago Sky |language=en}} She was elevated to a starting role in the 2020 season, which was played in a "bubble" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and led the team in scoring with 14.8 points per game.{{Cite web |last=Kenney |first=Madeline |date=August 22, 2020 |title=Sky guard Kahleah Copper shining in starting role this season |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturday/2020/8/22/21374186/sky-guard-kahleah-copper-shining-in-starting-role-this-season |access-date=August 23, 2020 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kenney |first=Madeline |date=December 5, 2020 |title=Sky star Kahleah Copper is taking an unexpected career turn in the offseason |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturday/2020/12/5/21824285/sky-star-kahleah-copper-is-taking-an-unexpected-career-turn-offseason-wnba-purdue-northwest |access-date=October 12, 2021 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}

Copper continued into her starting role in the 2021 season, and was named as an All-Star for the first time. She averaged 14.4 points per game in the regular season and led the team in scoring in the postseason with 17.7 points per game. Copper led the Sky to their first championship and was named Finals MVP.{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=October 17, 2021 |title=WNBA Finals 2021: 10 biggest questions for the WNBA offseason |url=https://abc7ny.com/11137613/ |access-date=October 17, 2021 |website=ABC7 New York |language=en}}

In the offseason, the Sky used their one available "core player" designation for Copper, and subsequently signed her to a two-year contract.{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=January 13, 2022 |title=Sky put core designation on WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky-and-wnba/2022/1/12/22864933/sky-put-core-designation-on-wnba-finals-mvp-kahleah-copper |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=January 31, 2022 |title=Kahleah Copper will sign multiyear deal with the Sky |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky-and-wnba/2022/1/31/22910554/kahleah-copper-sky-multiyear-deal-wnba |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}} In the 2022 season, Copper was once again named an All-Star as the Sky returned to the postseason but lost in the semifinals in 5 games.

On February 6, 2024, Copper was traded to the Phoenix Mercury alongside the rights to Morgan Bertsch in exchange for Michaela Onyenwere, Brianna Turner, the 2024 No. 3 pick, a 2025 second round pick (from CHI), a 2026 first round pick, and the right to swap 2026 second round.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/39471363/sky-trades-kahleah-copper-mercury-wnba-draft-picks-players |title=Sky trades Kahleah Copper to Mercury for WNBA draft picks, players |work=ESPN |first=Alexa |last=Philippou |date=February 6, 2024 |access-date=February 19, 2024}}

In the 2021–2022 season Copper played for Perfumerias Avenida in the Spanish League and the Euroleague. She was named the MVP of both leagues.{{cite web |url=https://www.slamonline.com/wnba/kahleah-copper-brings-back-spanish-league-championship-and-mvp-to-chicago-sky/ |title=Kahleah Wins Spanish League Championship and MVP |date=May 13, 2022}}

On July 17, 2024, it was announced that Copper would appear and play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, a new women's 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.{{cite tweet |user=Unrivaledwbb |date=July 17, 2024 |number=1813634839914160605 |title=KAH IS UNRIVALED👑 8/30✅}} She plays for Rose BC.{{Cite web |last=Maloney |first=Jack |date=January 17, 2025 |title=Unrivaled basketball league: Full rosters, list of players participating, teams, head coaches, 'wildcards' |url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/unrivaled-basketball-league-full-rosters-list-of-players-participating-teams-head-coaches-wildcards/amp/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119013237/https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/unrivaled-basketball-league-full-rosters-list-of-players-participating-teams-head-coaches-wildcards/amp/ |archive-date=January 19, 2025 |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=CBS Sports}} Rose won the first ever Unrivaled championship.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=Rose win Unrivaled's first women's 3-on-3 title |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/44296402/rose-win-unrivaled-first-women-3-3-title-vinyl |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

In September 2022, Copper was named to the USA international team ahead of the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=September 19, 2022 |title=North Philly's Kahleah Copper among WNBA stars representing Team USA at the FIBA World Cup |url=https://www.inquirer.com/sports/fiba-world-cup-kahleah-copper-philadelphia-native-20220919.html |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Philadelphia Inquirer |language=en}} The team went undefeated in the tournament and won the gold medal.

In June 2024, Copper was named to the US women's Olympic team to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in France.{{Cite web |last=Costabile |first=Annie |date=February 9, 2023 |title=USA Basketball camp provides outlet for Sky star Kahleah Copper after time of 'emotional' free-agency news |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-sky-and-wnba/2023/2/8/23591611/team-usa-camp-provides-outlet-for-sky-star-kahleah-copper-after-week-of-emotional-free-agency-news |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}{{cite news |first=Cydney |last=Henderson |title=USA basketball Olympic women's team roster: Who made the cut for Paris Olympics |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/06/17/usa-womens-basketball-roster-paris-olympics/74066385007/ |work=USA Today |date=June 17, 2024 |access-date=July 6, 2024}} Copper and the United States defeated France 67–66 in the final, earning Copper her first gold medal and the United States' eighth consecutive gold medal.{{cite news |first=Juana |last=Summers |title=U.S. women's basketball team defeats France to win eighth straight Olympic gold medal |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/08/11/g-s1-16527/us-womens-basketball-gold-france-paris-olympics |work=NPR |date=August 11, 2024 |access-date=August 11, 2024}}

{{WNBA player statistics legend}}

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA regular season statistics{{cite web |title=Kahleah Copper WNBA Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/c/coppeka01w.html |website=Basketball Reference}}}}

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2016

| style='text-align:left;'|Washington

| 30 || 3 || 16.2 || .417 || .467 || .683 || 3.1 || 0.8 || 0.5 || 0.1 || 1.1 || 6.2

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2017

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 34 || 10 || 14.3 || .465 || .294 || .830 || 1.9 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 0.8 || 6.7

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2018

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 33 || 2 || 15.9 || .397 || .375 || .875 || 2.2 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 1.0 || 7.1

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2019

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 34 || 0 || 14.8 || .387 || .306 || .771 || 1.9 || 0.9 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 1.3 || 6.7

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2020

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 22 || 22 || 31.3 || .496 || .344 || .737 || 5.5 || 2.1 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 2.5 || 14.9

|-

| style='text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;'|2021^†

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 32 || 32 || 30.8 || .459 || .306 || .818 || 4.2 || 1.8 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 1.9 || 14.4

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2022

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 31 || 31 || 28.7 || .481 || .356 || .775 || 5.7 || 2.3 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 2.0 || 15.7

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2023

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 38 || 38 || 31.2 || .448 || .404 || .770 || 4.4 || 2.0 || 0.9 || 0.3 || 2.5 || 18.7

|-

| style='text-align:left;'| {{wnbay|2024}}

| style='text-align:left;'| Phoenix

|37||37||32.4||.435||.314||.807||4.5||2.3||0.8||0.1||3.0||21.1

|- class="sortbottom"

| rowspan=2 style='text-align:left;'| Career

| style='text-align:left;'| 9 years, 3 teams

| 291 || 175 || 23.9 || .447 || .348|| .787 || 3.6 || 1.4 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 1.8 || 12.5

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;"| All-Star

| 4 || 0 || 14.3 || .514 || .308 || — || 2.0 || 1.0 || 0.8 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 10.0

{{s-end}}

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA playoff statistics}}

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2019

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 2 || 0 || 16.0 || .545 || .750 || 1.000 || 2.0 || 1.0 || 1.5 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 9.0

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2020

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 1 || 1 || 35.0 || .500 || .500 || .250 || 0.0 || 4.0 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 2.0 || 17.0

|-

| style='text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;'|2021^†

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 10 || 10 || 32.8 || .520 || .344 || .791 || 5.3 || 1.9 || 1.2 || 0.2 || 2.0 || 17.7

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2022

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 8 || 8 || 30.5 || .452 || .346 || .795 || 3.8 || 0.9 || 1.6 || 0.4 || 1.8 || 16.8

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2023

| style='text-align:left;'|Chicago

| 2 || 2 || 34.5 || .406 || .455 || .750 || 7.5 || 1.5 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 20.0

|-

| style='text-align:left;'|2024

| style='text-align:left;'|Phoenix

| 2||2||29.5||.407||.364||.600||4.5||2.5||1.0||0.0||3.5||14.5

|- class="sortbottom"

| style='text-align:left;'| Career

| style='text-align:left;'| 6 years, 2 teams

| 25 || 23 || 30.7 || .476 || .386 || .764 || 4.4 || 1.6 || 1.3 || 0.2 || 2.0 || 16.6

{{s-end}}

Between the 2020 and 2021 WNBA seasons, Copper worked as an assistant coach for Purdue University Northwest's women's basketball team.

{{reflist}}

• Career information and player statistics from [http://www.wnba.com/player/kahleah-copper/# WNBA.com], [http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careerplayer NCAA.org], and Basketball-Reference.com
• {{commonscatinline}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Copper, Kahleah}}

Category:1994 births

Category:Living people

Category:American women's basketball players

Category:Basketball players from Philadelphia

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