When Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier stepped to the microphone for her exit interview this week, she unleashed a scathing rebuke of WNBA front office leadership, a rebuke that has continued to have ripple effect throughout the week. As more and more of Colliers’ peers get wind of her comments, more of them have come out in support, with one of the latest being Phoenix Mercury star guard Kahleah Copper.
The Mercury are preparing for Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Friday against the Las Vegas Aces, but Kahleah Copper made sure to mention that she is in full support of Napheesa Collier’s comments, as per Kendra Andrews of ESPN.
“We are in heavy support,” Copper said. “We got to get to four and then we can go full throttle. I’m in there and I want to talk about it.”
Collier’s comments come as the WNBA and its players are currently embroiled in ongoing CBA negotiations. Both sides have until Oct. 31 to reach an agreement on a new CBA, with that outcome increasingly unlikely. During her exit interview, Collier questioned league leadership while revealing eye-opening conversations she had with league commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
Following Collier’s comments, Engelbert released a statement expressing disappointment at Collier’s comments and her understanding of their conversations.
More is certain to come as the league and the players continue their CBA talks, but far as the immediate topic at hand in the WNBA Finals, Copper is set to play a big role for the Mercury. She is the one of three players on the roster, including DeWanna Bonner and Sami Whitcomb, who have a championship. Copper was the Finals MVP during the Chicago Sky’s title run in 2021.
This season, Copper has appeared in 28 games for the Mercury at a little over 26 minutes per game. She averaged 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 42.3 percent shooting from the field, 37.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 85.2 percent from the free-throw line.
During the Mercury’s playoff run so far, Copper has been averaging 15.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 43 percent from the field, 29 percent from three-point range and 94.1 percent from the free-throw line.
