Phoenix Mercury star Kahleah Copper shared images of racist messages she was sent publically over Instagram following their team’s 111-109 win over Indiana Fever on Wednesday. It was a tightly contested game.
The Mercury capitalized on their chances, executed when it mattered most, and ultimately earned the victory, but the game was also marred by an incident involving a Caitlin Clark foul which went unnoticed by the referees, sparking a firestorm among fans and analysts.
Copper, who led the team with 28 points, posted screenshots of messages she had been sent and wrote on her Instagram Story:
“Oh, good morning”
The screenshot Copper revealed showed a message which read:
“Dark flopping monkey hoe, non ethical”
Another message read:
“Flopping ahh bihh”
While the users’ names didn’t reveal who they are, going by the rivalry between the Fever and Mercury, everything seems to point toward Indiana fans.
Not only Kahleah Copper, but Alyssa Thomas – who suddenly became the most hated figure among Indiana fans due to her dirty play with Clark – was also bombarded with hateful messages across her social media.
The internet has more than a few anonymous users willing to spew bile at athletes. While criticism of performance is common in professional sports, direct threats towards players cross a serious line.
Cooper, a four-time All-Star, has long been a polarizing figure because of her playing style and high-usage role on offense. However, personal attacks targeting her with racist attacks present a far more troubling trend.
Kahleah Copper takes cheeky dig at Sophie Cunningham after Mercury win
Sophie Cunningham went viral in the Indiana Fever’s 86-77 win over the Mercury for finger-pointing at Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner. She received a technical foul as part of a massive fourth-quarter scuffle that saw six players in total hit with penalties.
Kahleah Copper returned the favor by initiating the same finger-pointing expression after the Wednesday win.
Copper and Cunningham were teammates in the 2024 season, but it looks like it’s all just part of the game in a fiercely competitive manner.
With the win, the Mercury go 4-6 in their last ten, while the Fever are 10-8. Copper leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.7 points per game.
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