Phoenix Mercury star Kahleah Copper hasn’t had the easiest season, missing the first 11 games after knee surgery.
After losing two in a row, Copper and the Mercury (19-13) will try to get back on track when they visit the Seattle Storm (17-17) on Sunday night.
Copper, a four-time All-Star, said it was an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation to be sitting on the sidelines.
“I never experienced an injury in my career, so for it to hit me now, it was tough,” she told ArizonaSports.com. “Our support staff has been great, and our culture and my teammates have been great in helping me navigate through that and just being able to get back out there and doing whatever I can to help the team’s success.”
Copper is averaging 15.4 points through 16 starts, down from a career-high 21.1 in her first season with Phoenix in 2024.
Phoenix lost 86-83 at home to Las Vegas on Friday and is 4-6 in its past 10. Copper is 9-for-29 from the field over the past two games.
The Mercury have three other players averaging in double figures, led by Satou Sabally with 17.3 points per game. She scored 26 in the loss to the Aces. Alyssa Thomas (16.1) and DeWanna Bonner (11.9) have been key contributors.
The Storm are coming off a much-needed 80-78 win over the Atlanta Dream in Vancouver on Friday, snapping a six-game losing streak in the first regular-season WNBA game in Canada.
Defense was key for the Storm, especially in the fourth quarter. Ezi Magbegor blocked three shots in the period to help preserve what was only Seattle’s third win in its past 11 games.
“Big blocks by Ezi, big defensive stops by the group just willed ourselves to this victory,” Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. “We’ve been in it like this the last couple of weeks, so it’s just kind of the same routine, persevering through each moment.”
Nneka Ogwumike leads Seattle at 18.2 points per contest and is also the leading rebounder (7.3). Skylar Diggins is averaging 16.0 points, followed by Brittney Sykes (15.3), Gabby Williams (12.4) and Erica Wheeler (10.7).
Seattle is 2-1 against Phoenix this season and Sunday’s game marks the final meeting between the two squads.
–Field Level Media
