Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

WNBA Team Reveals Update on Brittney Griner's Former Teammate

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 5:47 PM ET

As the WNBA season inches toward its July 19 All‑Star Game, the Phoenix Mercury are on the brink of welcoming back one of their leading scorers.

On May 18, the Mercury announced that guard Kahleah Copper had undergone a left‑knee arthroscopy to address persistent soreness. Initially, the team projected a four- to six-week recovery timeline.

When it happened, head coach Nate Tibbetts said, "I feel really bad for Kah, she had a great camp. I feel unfortunate for our team," noting that Phoenix would rely on its young pieces until Copper’s eventual comeback.

However, on Friday, Tibbetts told reporters that Copper is "trending toward playing" on Sunday, when the Mercury visit the Las Vegas Aces, her earliest possible return, exactly four weeks after surgery.

Tibbetts: Kahleah Copper (knee) trending toward playing on Sunday, via @DesertWaveCo.
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) June 13, 2025

Since being drafted seventh overall in 2016, Kahleah Copper has evolved into one of the league’s most dangerous two‑way wings.

After bench roles in Washington and early years in Chicago, Copper exploded onto the national stage in 2021 as a Finals MVP, leading the Sky to their first championship and earning her first All‑Star nod.

She followed with three more All‑Star appearances (2022-24), a WNBA Three‑Point Contest title in 2023 and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Paris last summer.

Last season in Phoenix, Copper led the Mercury in scoring with 21.1 points to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, shooting 43.5% from the floor.

Behind her was All-Star Brittney Griner, now with the Atlanta Dream, with 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across 30 games.

While no official medical release has been filed, Tibbett's update suggests that Copper has progressed through rehab faster than expected and appears nearly ready to rejoin a 7-4 Phoenix team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: