WNBA star Kahleah Copper is opening up about the mentorship she provided Angel Reese after a rough start in their new 3-on-3 pro league.
The Rose BC team has started in Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 league co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, with a disappointing 0-2 record, most recently falling 79-70 to Lunar Owls BC on Jan. 18, Sports Illustrated reports. While Reese scored 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the field, she missed a few shots close to the basket, an issue she had during her rookie season playing for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.
With Copper and Reese playing together for the Rose BC in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, Copper, a WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury, offered some advice to help out her rookie teammate.
“The night before, she had a tough finishing night,” Copper shared on NBC Sports‘ On Her Turf. “I know how that feels because I play heavy at the rim. So coming off a heavy finishing night, it’s like ‘I need to work on my finishes.'”
Rose BC has played two games in Unrivaled so far. The nine-week league, which kicked off on Jan. 17, offers players an alternative to playing overseas during the offseason. It is hosted entirely in Miami.
After a rocky start, sports analysts are eager to see how Reese’s finishing skills develop under Copper’s mentorship.
“For her, it’s
just creating that routine. So I’m telling her ‘Every day, we gotta work on your finishes after practice,'” Copper added of Reese. “What people don’t understand is that little bit that you do every day, that s*** adds up. So we’re just working on that every day. And then just being able to stay mentally strong, it’s very hard.”Copper continued. “So just walking her through that and helping her understand that it’s not just you. I’ve been there. You know, you look at a player like, ‘OK, you’ve been there, and you’ve done the things that I want to do and would like to accomplish.’ So I trust that.”
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