PHOENIX — When Kahleah Copper, Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi were introduced ahead of the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, the hometown crowd at Footprint Center exploded.
All three Phoenix Mercury stars took the floor representing Team USA. Although they couldn’t win over Team WNBA, their presence on the court Saturday night was fitting for the conclusion of the high-quality All-Star weekend in Phoenix lauded by players and coaches.
“Phoenix did an amazing job,” Griner told reporters Saturday night. “I mean, shout out to everyone on our side that made this such a great experience. I think everybody that I’ve seen, smiles on their faces, having fun and you know, the crowd everybody that came here locally flew in from wherever they were.
“This was amazing. This was an amazing time. … I love this. This organization is amazing. And they put on a damn good All-Star.”
Taurasi shows humility as the weekend’s focal point
Meanwhile, Taurasi has been the topic of conversation throughout the All-Star celebration. Starting Thursday, she was the center of attention at the Mercury’s practice facility opening and court unveiling, with the two practice courts being named in her honor. All weekend, players young and old commented on her legacy and what she means to the WNBA and USA Basketball.
Taurasi wasted no time in giving the spectators what they came for, scoring the first points of the game – a wide-open three on the left wing –- in just 12 seconds. She finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.
“[Taurasi is] one of the greatest competitors that the league or women’s basketball has ever seen or sports have ever seen,” Team USA head coach Cheryl Reeve told the media pregame. “One of the all-time greatest competitors. It’s a player that we have loved to hate as an opponent. But that means you are really really doing something great. And you know, it’s been a thrill for me to be around her all these years in this capacity. And I’m thrilled to have a chance to be a head coach and coach D at this level. So it’s a great honor for me.”
Throughout the weekend, Taurasi has reflected a lot on the past and been optimistic for the future. She’s quick to give praise to the players who played in the league before her and created a path for her 20-year career and the players who’ve helped carry the league in recent years.
She also continued to highlight her Phoenix Mercury teammates who will be playing alongside her in Paris. She mentioned how their prior chemistry is an advantage when playing together on the floor, but she also talked about the significance of her teammates’ achievements in the grand scheme of who they are as people.
“The thing I love about Kah is she took the hard path,” Taurasi told media Friday. “I think a lot of times in our careers you think things just are gonna happen because they just should. And when they don’t, I think it knocks a lot of people off the path. And if anything, she did it the hard way. She’s earned every single thing that she’s received. …
“We all know what the last couple years have been like for BG and for her to be sitting over there, and going to another Olympics is truly remarkable. And that just says a lot about her character, her family, the people around her. And the thing about BG is it’s so hard not to like her because she genuinely has a big heart for everyone. And we try to do the same thing for her.”
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Where Copper fits in
Saturday night, Copper participated in the fourth All-Star game of her career. It’s also the second time Copper has played in a Team WNBA versus Team USA formatted All-Star game — but this time, instead of being on Team WNBA as she was in 2021, Copper played with USA across her chest.
The 2021 All-Star game in Las Vegas was Copper’s first. She came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Team WNBA’s 93-85 win over Team USA. Copper scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and recorded two rebounds.
“First of all, we won that game. That’s number one,” Copper told The Next pregame Saturday. “… I think that was a great point in me, great point in my career, All-Star, won a championship that year. And then from there, kind of just took off, but just looking back, to be in this position now, I’m excited. I mean, I don’t think there are any words that I can really say to kind of describe what I’m feeling.”
Saturday night, Copper’s presence on the Team USA bench illustrated just how far she’s come in just three years. In nearly 12 minutes, Copper scored seven points on 3-for-6 shooting and recorded three steals. She was one of just three Team USA players with a neutral or positive +/-.
While Copper may not have spent as much time on the floor as she’s used to, she brought a valuable asset to Team USA: defense. Her three steals were second to only Team WNBA’s Allisha Gray’s four. Copper was solid on defense, tasked with defending a pair of Team WNBA’s top offensive threats in guards Arike Ogunbowale and Allisha Gray.
Copper’s first points of the game came by turning defense to offense. She jumped a pass to Team WNBA center Jonquel Jones from center Aliyah Boston. In a two-on-one scenario, she passed it to a cutting Alyssa Thomas, who gave it right back for Copper to finish with a layup.
“She’s hectic out there,” Griner said. “She has that dog in her. … It doesn’t matter even if she’s doing her amazing defense, they hit a shot, she’s right back down. There’s not like a letdown on her. She’s like, ‘Okay, now I’m locked in even more,’ and that’s what we need, especially on this team right now. You need that spark. You need that chaotic defense, pressure. I mean, I don’t want her to pressure me like that. I know that.”
Griner taking pride in playing for Team USA
Amidst the spectacle of Taurasi and what a sixth gold medal could mean for her legacy, Griner also had an idea about where this year’s Olympics could fit into the story of her career.
It’s Griner’s first time going back overseas since being wrongfully detained in Russia in 2022. Not only did she express a lack of discomfort about traveling internationally again, but she explained that she was excited to travel again with Team USA.
“Yeah, I’m excited, actually, to go,” Griner said. “My overseas career didn’t really end the way I wanted it to. So this is kind of a way for me to you know, kind of do that on my own terms.”
Griner enjoyed all the festivities of All-Star weekend, including participating in Friday night’s Skills Challenge. Although she was eliminated in the first round, she was happy to represent the other forwards and centers of the league who “used to get overlooked” in All-Star competitions.
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As for her pride in getting to wear a Team USA jersey once again, Griner said Friday she was honored to be chosen by the selection committee.
With her Mercury teammates around her and several other familiar faces on the Team USA roster, and the legacy of Team USA and its previous players on the line, Griner feels locked in on winning a gold medal for the United States.
“[Representing Team USA] always meant everything to me,” Griner said. “My dad fought for our country. … And so it’s always been something that we’ve always cherished, but even now even more so. My country literally saved my life. And I’m able to represent them again. And it’s just meant so much more.”
