She Got Game®
           Player of the Week
   Philadelphia’s Kahleah Copper Named She Got Game®Player of the Week

​Kahleah Copper does not just play basketball. She attacks it.

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Kahleah Copper plays basketball with the kind of urgency Philadelphia fans understand.

The North Philadelphia native has built her career on speed, strength and a willingness to attack the basket. She pushes the pace, absorbs contact and keeps defenders under pressure. Nothing about her game feels passive.

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That combination of talent, toughness and persistence makes Copper this week’s She Got Game® Player of the Week.

Long before she became a WNBA champion, Finals MVP, Olympic gold medalist and All-Star, Copper was developing her game in Philadelphia. She grew up in a city where basketball credibility is earned, and that competitive edge has remained part of her identity throughout her career.

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At Rutgers, Copper became one of the program’s leading scorers while playing for Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer. She showed that she could score in different ways, defend multiple positions and compete against top-level talent. By the time her college career ended, she had established herself as a legitimate professional prospect.

Copper was selected seventh overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft, but her path to stardom was gradual. She spent her early seasons learning the league, earning more minutes and expanding her role. Her development from reserve player to dependable starter and eventual All-Star did not happen overnight.

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Her breakthrough came with the Chicago Sky.

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In 2021, Copper helped lead Chicago to the first WNBA championship in franchise history. Her ability to get to the rim, score in transition and bring energy on both ends of the floor made her one of the most influential players in the series. She was named WNBA Finals MVP, placing her among the league’s most accomplished postseason performers.

The award introduced Copper to a wider audience, but her approach remained the same. She continued to play with force, confidence and a sense that every possession mattered. Whether driving through contact or pushing the ball in transition, she became known as one of the league’s most difficult players to contain.

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Now with the Phoenix Mercury, Copper remains one of the WNBA’s most dynamic scorers. She has added experience to her natural athleticism without losing the edge that made her successful. Her résumé grew again when she won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA.

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For Philadelphia, Copper’s career carries special meaning. She is a hometown player who worked her way from local courts to the highest levels of women’s basketball. Her success offers a visible example for young athletes throughout the city who are building their own dreams in school gyms and neighborhood recreation centers.

Copper’s journey has not been defined by instant recognition. It has been shaped by steady development, opportunity and the determination to be ready when her moment arrived.

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She is a champion, an Olympic gold medalist and one of Philadelphia’s most accomplished women’s basketball players.

Kahleah Copper is the She Got Game® Player of the Week.