Former Rutgers Star Kahleah Copper Named WNBA All-Star for Fifth Time

Former Rutgers women’s basketball star Kahleah Copper has been named to the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, earning the fifth All-Star selection of her professional career.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert selected Kahleah Copper as an injury replacement for Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, the league announced Wednesday. Copper will join Team Coop for Saturday’s game at the United Center in Chicago.

Rutgers fans can Tune in and support the former Scarlet Knight for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game on 7/25/2026 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. You can watch the game live with a Disney+ or ESPN app subscription.

Copper Continues Strong 2026 Season

Now in her third season with the Phoenix Mercury and 11th overall in the WNBA, Copper remains one of the league’s most productive scorers.

Entering the WNBA All-Star break, 6-foot-1 guard-forward averages a team-high 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per contest. Copper’s scoring average of 20.5 ranks seventh in the league, marking the second-highest scoring average of her professional career thus far, behind only her 21.1 ppg average in her initial 2024 campaign with the Phoenix Mercury.

Copper has started all 27 games this year for the Phoenix Mercury. Copper has scored 553 points this year for a 42.8% shooting average from the field and an 81% average from the free-throw line.

Copper gets another shot at the All-Star Game after being selected in 4 of the last 5 years (2021-2024, skipped 2022). Her fifth honor adds to a professional résumé that includes the 2021 WNBA championship and Finals MVP award with the Chicago Sky, a 2024 All-WNBA Second Team selection and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA.

Washington Mystics had the 7th pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft and chose to select Kahleah Copper. In 346 regular-season games, Kahleah has averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game for 4,636 points, 1,241 rebounds and 511 assists.

From Rutgers Standout to WNBA Champion

4 Year player at Rutgers University under Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer's tenure. Copper is among the most productive players in Rutgers' program history. The Philadelphia native finished her Rutgers career with 1,872 points, placing her third on the program’s all-time scoring list behind only Sue Wicks and Cappie Pondexter at the time. She led the Scarlet Knights in scoring during each of her final three seasons.

As a senior in 2015-16, Copper averaged 17.7 points and eight rebounds while earning Second Team All-Big Ten recognition from the conference’s coaches and media. She produced 11 double-doubles and scored at least 20 points in 13 games, including a career-high 31 against Minnesota.

Copper also helped Rutgers win the 2014 WNIT championship and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 16.1 points and 6.2 rebounds during her sophomore season. She returned to the Rutgers staff for the 2023-24 season and served as the Director of Athletic Culture and Professional Development.

Copper was recently selected for the WNBA All-Star Game. As Gary Redus II is working to attempt to bring Rutgers back to the National powers on basketball’s grandest stage. Cooper’s success is among the few current lights for the alumni of the great women’s basketball program at Rutgers.

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