5 Things To Know About Unrivaled Star Kahleah Copper: Scarlet Knight to Olympic Gold
Copper is shining bright on and off the court.
In a league where 18 out of 36 players are out as LGBTQ+, Unrivaled is just the beginning of many more groundbreaking and exciting things to come for queer athletes. For queer women’s basketball superfans who’ve long been shooting their shots or newbies who are breaking their ankles to learn all the lore about one of the gayest professional sports leagues, we’re highlighting all the GOated things about its queer players that make them the greatest. This week, we’re spotlighting Kahleah Copper, the kid from ‘Norf’ Philly, AKA Kah.
Scarlet Knight
Copper has been shining in basketball ever since she was a kid. In high school, she was named to the 2012 McDonald’s All-American team, an honor given to talented high school senior basketball players. She then went to Rutgers University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and finished her Scarlet Knights basketball career totaling 1,872 points. Her points rank third on Rutgers’ all-time scoring leaders list, following behind former Rutgers and WNBA legends Cappie Pondexter and Sue Hick. Per game, she averaged 17.7 points and 8 rebounds. Copper returned to Rutgers for the 2023-2024 Scarlet Knights basketball season as the director of athletic culture and professional development.
Killer Kah
One word to describe Copper’s WNBA career—deadly. She’s spent nine years playing in the WNBA. The veteran player was drafted as the No. 7 pick for the Washington Mystics in 2016 and traded to the Chicago Sky after playing one season. After three years with the Sky as a bench player, her WNBA career began to take off in 2021 when she led the Sky to its first franchise championship win, earned the title of WNBA finals MVP, and was named a WNBA All-Star for the first time. She now plays for the Phoenix Mercury, where she averaged 21.1 points per game in the 2024 season. Recently, she won her first gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, and is one of the highest-paid WNBA players. In Unrivaled, she plays on the Rose team.
Love and Hoops
In 2023, Copper was engaged to Binta Daisy Drammeh, a player on the Swedish National team. In the past, Copper and Daisy Drammeh played together overseas for the Barcelona women’s basketball team. The couple has kept their relationship private; however, they revealed their engagement in an Instagram post containing some of the most beautiful engagement photos we’ve ever seen!
Winning Wardrobe
When it comes to walking through the pregame tunnel, Copper’s fits are always on point. Whether it’s Rick Owens sneakers or an Eagles letterman jacket, her street-wear style brings all the swagger to the court.
Baller Brands
The new era for the league’s top athletes is brand partnerships. In May, Gatorade signed a brand deal with Copper as a Gatorade athlete, recognizing her athletic skills and solidifying her status as a WNBA star. Besides Gatorade, she partnered with Google Shopping and made a commercial appearance with fellow WNBA player Kelsey Plum. Athletes such as Copper being cast by major brands has increased investment in the sport, and given the WNBA more exposure.
