Phoenix Mercury's Kahleah Copper named Western Conference Player of the Week
In five games, Kahleah Copper has averaged a league-best 29.2 points. Her three-game stretch from May 21 to May 25 earned her this honor.
Phoenix Mercury guard/forward Kahleah Copper, who was traded to the team in February for the No. 3 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week.
Copper, 29, starred for the Mercury, who are off to their best start since their 2014 WNBA championship season in their five games (3-2). In the three contests in which she won the award with, Copper averaged 29.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 53.2 percent from the floor, including a 48 percent clip from 3-point range. Her best performance was against the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces, when she scored 37 points on 15-of-23 shooting (5-of-9 from 3-point range) with four rebounds, three steals and three assists in a 98-88 win for Phoenix on the road May 21.
Copper is someone who is in her prime and giving the Mercury perhaps one last try to compete for a title with all-time great Diana Taurasi.
“She’s one of the best players in the league,” general manager Nick U’Ren said following Copper’s trade. “...This is a chance to acquire that talent and all the things that she brings from an athleticism standpoint, from a playmaking standpoint, from a defensive standpoint. It was one that we were really, really thrilled about.”
Copper is someone who the Mercury believe can guard point guards, shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards, according to coach Nick U’Ren.
In the Mercury’s 107-92 loss to the Dallas Wings Saturday, Copper had 32 points, becoming the 85th player in WNBA history to exceed 3,000 points in her career.
“She’s been fabulous,” Tibbetts said.
“Kah, those points are impressive and she’s been fantastic in all five games.”