Mercury guard Copper talks about playoff push, black women head coaches, all-star team
Rey Moralde
Host · Writer
LOS ANGELES — Before taking on the Sparks, Mercury guard Kahleah Copper talked about various topics.
Copper said that the league has come a long way in terms of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement).
"I just love the platform that we have now, I love how confident we are with using our voices and I'm also proud of the CBA," Copper said. "I was a Top 10 draft pick and I made $48,000, I think, that year. So to see how transformational that was and us getting what we actually deserve, I'm just proud of the league just continuing to grow. And then I just want to be able to look back when I'm retired and just see more money, see more talent continue to grow through the league, and then let's just continue to be ourselves."
By comparison, Flau'jae Johnson of the Storm, who was a Top 10 draft pick, is making over $300,000 this season. To think that Copper made under $50,000 her rookie year seems crazy.
There are currently no head coaches in the WNBA that are black women. Copper had something to say about that.
"I definitely think it's important because you look at the representation of the league: for us to continue to be inspired, why not have a black woman be a head coach here?" Copper wondered. "So I'm blessed, I'm grateful for this league, but I would love to see it just continue to grow, continue to grow in that aspect. Because like I said, this league is just full of black women, so why not be able to see that representation of the league?"
A Finals team last year, the Mercury have struggled mightily this year. Copper knew they're in for a challenge.
"Clear as day, we were in the Finals last year. At the break last year, I think we were a top team," Copper said. "So just kind of navigating through, us going through a different stage and trying to make a playoff push. But I think we're encouraged. We're understanding we're in this season for a reason, whatever that is. But just trying to navigate through that and make a playoff push."
At the time this interview was done, Copper was not named to the All-Star team. She expressed her disappointment about that.
"I think if you feel like you deserve it, it should bother you," Copper said. "If you feel like you work for it, it should bother you. It was something that I was definitely disappointed about for myself. I did have a rough start to the season. But just looking at the way I've been playing, it's really whatever at this point. So just want to get some rest."
Funny enough, Copper would be named as a replacement for Kelsey Plum a few hours after this interview was done.
Finally, Copper talked about building chemistry for this Mercury team.
"Just having players in and out," Copper said. "I think we needed some consistency of having everyone on the floor, everyone that was going to be here. So I think that we've been able to have that and just kind of grow from there."
The Mercury did defeat the Sparks on Wednesday and went into the break with a 10-18 record. There's little room for error with 16 games left for them. But if any team can do it, you can't count out Copper, who is a WNBA champion and a Finals MVP, and the Mercury.
