As the Phoenix Mercury took the court against the Connecticut Sun for the fourth time this season, the home team missed one of their star players, Kahleah Copper. A standout this season, the 2024 Olympian was sidelined due to back discomfort. Playoffs already on schedule, Copper’s absence was a definite cause of concern. Well, head coach Nate Tibbetts is here to dismiss any worry.

Before leading her team onto the court at Footprint Center, Tibbetts took a moment to address the media in a pre-game press conference. Answering the questions on the back injury and when the issue began, the HC revealed there mustn’t be much to worry about.

“Yeah, I would say in the last 24 to 48 hours, you know. I — we — don’t think it’s anything serious,” said Tibbett via Desert Wave. This marks the first game Kahleah Copper has missed all season after playing in every one of the Mercury’s 36 fixtures so far. Tibbetts also shed light on the decision to keep Copper sidelined tonight, revealing the factors that led to this choice.

“We just – obviously there’s bigger games ahead – we want to be smart player first approach, and yeah we just we just think this is the best move for her in our organization,” stated the Mercury head coach.

Currently, Tibbetts’ team is holding the seventh seed and is in hot pursuit of the sixth spot held by the Indiana Fever. They are 1.5 games behind the Fever and will certainly look to assert their dominance. While Copper is sidelined, the Mercury will need someone to step up and fill her shoes. 

Kahleah Copper’s absence: Who replaced her?