Women’s Basketball Alum Kahleah Copper to Represent Team USA in 2024 Olympic Games – Rutgers University Athletics

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women’s basketball alum Kahleah Copper will make her Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games. USA Basketball announced its final roster on June 11.  

Copper, a three-time WNBA All-Star and Finals MVP, will join her 11 teammates as Team USA strives to win its eighth consecutive gold medal on the biggest stage in the world.  

“We are so excited for Kahleah and realize what an amazing accomplishment this is,” head coach Coquese Washington said. “Rutgers alums have always been impactful in the sport of women’s basketball and Kahleah is making sure this influence continues for many years to come.” 

Copper is no stranger to the international basketball scene as she helped Team USA win the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup. She averaged 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the tournament.  

She also has an extensive six-years of experience playing overseas, most recently traveling to Turkey to represent Cukurova Basketbol Mersin this past off season. In five games she averaged 18.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists.  

Copper was picked seventh overall by the Washington Mystics in the 2016 WNBA Draft before joining the Chicago Sky via trade in 2017. With the Sky, she played a pivotal role in leading the team’s rise to success, becoming a three-time WNBA All-Star and leading the team to its first WNBA Championship in 2021 as the Finals MVP. 

This past offseason, Copper was traded to the Phoenix Mercury where she has again proved herself as a dominant force in the league. Through 12 games so far, she is averaging 24 points and 4.5 rebounds. She has netted 30+ points five times, including 38 points versus the Atlanta Dream (May 18) and 37 against the Las Vegas Aces (May 21) to become just the second player in WNBA history with consecutive 35+ point games.  

Prior to her professional career, Copper was a standout for Rutgers, playing four seasons under legendary head coach C. Vivian Stringer. She finished her collegiate career third on Rutgers’ all-time scoring list with 1,872 career points, only Sue Wicks and Cappie Pondexter ranked higher at the time. She led the Scarlet Knights in scoring during her final three seasons.  

Copper led RU to a 2014 WNIT Championship and was named the MVP of the tournament as a sophomore. That same season, she was also selected to the American Athletic Conference First Team. Copper also guided the Scarlet Knights to the Second Round in the NCAA Tournament in 2015. She was a two-time Second Team All-Big Ten selection, by both the coaches and media.  

Copper’s accomplishments earned her praise from across the nation during her senior season as she was among those selected to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Watch List, Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch List and Dawn Staley Mid-Season Watch list.  

During the 2023-24 slate, Copper returned to The Banks as a member of the coaching staff, serving as the Director of Athletic Culture & Professional Development.  

Team USA will begin its quest for gold on Monday, July 29 as they take on Japan at 3 p.m. ET. The gold medal game is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 11. 

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