Kahleah Copper, a four-time All-Star and major force for the Phoenix Mercury, faces a critical moment in her career. The Mercury announced Copper's left knee injury just before their 2025 WNBA season opener, leaving fans and analysts questioning the team's outlook in her absence. Let’s dive into what this means for the Mercury and Copper’s journey ahead.

Kahleah Copper’s Injury and Expected Recovery

Kahleah Copper underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, sidelining her for four to six weeks. This comes at a crucial time for the Mercury, who are adapting to a completely revamped roster with legacy legends Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner no longer at the helm. Copper, the only returning starter from last season, averaged an impressive 21.1 points per game in 2024, earning her All-WNBA honors for the first time in her career.

According to The Athletic, Copper’s injury compounds the Mercury’s recent roster shakeups and leaves the team missing key players for their season debut. With only three rookies joining and no players from the 2024 Mercury team on the court, continuity and chemistry have become immediate concerns.

How the Mercury Are Responding

Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts addressed the challenge directly, noting the emotional and competitive blow dealt by Copper’s absence. In a recent Yahoo Sports interview, Tibbetts remarked, “It’s the beauty of sports and the [expletive] part about sports, right? People don’t care about injuries. The games just keep coming. I feel really bad for Kah, she had a great camp. I feel unfortunate for our team.”

Copper will miss at least 12 games based on this recovery timeline. Her experience and leadership had positioned her to guide the new-look Mercury in their transition phase. Now, even with All-Star additions like Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix faces an uphill battle in the early weeks of the season.

Outlook for the Season

Copper’s injury is not the only setback for the Mercury. Center Natasha Mack is also out with a back injury, further testing the team’s depth. Still, the Mercury are determined to compete, relying on veteran ingenuity and their newest stars to fill the scoring and leadership void.

As detailed by The Athletic, the Mercury’s offseason involved significant sacrifice of depth to bring in established talent. This short bench will remain a challenge until Copper and Mack return to full health.

What’s Next for Kahleah Copper and the Mercury?

The coming weeks will be vital for both the Mercury's performance and Kahleah Copper’s rehabilitation. Fans and teammates alike are eager to see how quickly she can return to the lineup and regain her elite form. Copper’s journey from this setback will undoubtedly shape the Mercury’s trajectory in 2025.

For more on the roster’s evolving dynamics and the latest injury news, check out Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts addresses injuries to Kahleah Copper, Natasha Mack - Yahoo Sports and follow along for updates throughout the season.

Stay tuned as we track Kahleah Copper’s recovery and what her return could mean for the Phoenix Mercury’s playoff ambitions. Don’t miss future updates on this developing story.