Mercury’s Kahleah Copper Discusses Wearing Her Old Sky Jersey Ahead of 1st Game Back in Chicago

Kahleah Copper recently grabbed headlines on her return to Chicago. The Phoenix Mercury forward made a statement by wearing the old jersey of her former franchise, the Chicago Sky, as part of her pregame outfit.

This bold choice ahead of her first game back at the Wintrust Arena drew widespread attention. She had to explain the motive behind her gesture later on.

During the post-game interview, she admitted feeling great about wearing her old practice jersey over a full-sleeved white shirt. She explained how it was her way of honoring her lasting bond with the city of Chicago and its people.

Expressing her stance publicly, the 29-year-old mentioned,

“I thought it would be cool to come back when I wanted to come back, and y’all know I like to get dressed. So I thought I could put something together. Looked good and to be able to rep the city at the same time.”

Kahleah Copper on returning to Chicago and wearing her former Sky jersey pregame:

“…To come back when I wanted to come back, and y’all know I like to get dressed. So I thought I could put something together. Looked good and to be able to rep the city at the same time.”#WNBA… pic.twitter.com/hcS0bpzIdK

— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) August 16, 2024

This showcased her deep connection to the franchise she had represented for seven years. After joining the Sky in 2017, Copper became a dynamic scorer and rebounder. Her skills became evident during the 2021 playoffs when she averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game to lead the Sky to their first-ever championship.

Unfortunately, her time in Chicago ended in early 2024, when the Mercury traded for her. In the latest road game against her former team, the 4x WNBA All-Star dominated the Sky, scoring 29 points in a 20-point Mercury win.

However, Copper proved that her bond with the city is still very strong. The fans, for instance, welcomed her with a warm reception. During the post-game conference, Copper expressed her gratitude to them as well,

“To be able to come here and be embraced by the city, by the fans, it means everything. I love this city”.

Kahleah Copper on the reception from Sky fans right before the game:

“To be able to come here and be embraced by the city, by the fans, it means everything. I love this city.” #WNBA #WNBATwitter #ValleyTogether #SkyTown pic.twitter.com/msXTH3Fe0f

— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) August 16, 2024

The respect that Copper and the Sky fans showed each other highlights one of the best aspects of the WNBA, its ability to bring people together.