Mercury’s Copper shows appreciation to teammates before WNBA Finals

In a season marked by injuries, including to its stars, Phoenix was tested by its depth and resilience. Players such as Lexi Held, Kitija Laksa, Kalani Brown and Kiana Williams stepped up when the team needed them, contributing to key wins and helping the Mercury secure the No. 4 seed in the playoffs.

Heading into the WNBA Finals series on Friday against the Las Vegas Aces, Copper stressed the important contributions these players made, even if they’re not seeing the same opportunities now.

“‘Us’ has been our saying all season,” Copper said. “… Seeing our fight, you know? We have players who have never played in the W before, go out there and compete at the highest level. And they went on a winning streak and I think now, they’re sending me and [Alyssa Thomas] and [Satou Sabally], and they’re talking about us. But, don’t forget about those players who held it down.”

Copper, along with Natasha Mack, began the season with injuries that sidelined them for several weeks. Thomas went down with a calf injury in late May and Sabally injured her right ankle before the All-Star break.

Injuries didn’t hinder the team, as they held a winning record the entire regular season. They ended the regular season with a 27-17 record, their most wins since 2014 when they went 29-5.

Phoenix won the WNBA Finals that year.

“They’re really important for this team,” said Copper. “And what they’ve built when we didn’t have everyone at a hundred percent… I think we had constant talks about what this team was capable of and we weren’t even at full strength yet.”

Copper’s message before the Finals was a reminder that a championship run isn’t built by stars alone, but by the full roster rising when it matters most.

The Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces play Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Friday, Oct. 2, at 5 p.m.