A new identity is upon the Phoenix Mercury in 2025. Although Kahleah Copper remains with the team, they brought in Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally, and swapped out Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner.

With the new era in Phoenix and the WNBA preseason underway, ESPN published a list of its Top 25 players in the WNBA. On that list, Copper was ranked as the No. 11 player out of those 25.

Their justification was having players like Nneka Ogwumike and Jonquel Jones over her. However, Copper's impact cannot be underestimated.

She was a part of the 2024 Women's National Team for USA Basketball. In addition, Copper was selected to the All-WNBA second team, and averaged a career-high 21.1 points per game.

On a Phoenix team with Taurasi and Griner, she led the Mercury in scoring. Her athleticism, explosiveness, and versatility left a major mark. Not to mention, Copper knew when to take over.

She had the clutch gene, which was deja vu to Taurasi when the latter was in her prime.

Ranking Copper as the 11th-best player in the WNBA does a disservice. Although players like Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young were more efficient, the former Rutgers basketball standout had to do more. She created the majority of her offense off the dribble.

Head coach Nate Tibbetts even spoke about her having to initiate the offense off a bounce, whether a dribble or pass.

That alone makes matters tough for someone to be an excellent shooter. Funny enough, Copper led the WNBA in usage rate, even leading 2024 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson.

Other players weren't the sole offensive weapon on the perimeter like the Phoenix star was. Still, there might be a major element in deciding where she ranked on that ESPN list.

Wins.

The players are worthy of being on the list. However, there is a recurring theme in what ESPN published. Nine of the ten players ahead of Copper were in the playoffs.

While the Phoenix combo guard was also there, she was quickly eliminated in two games in the opening round. Meanwhile, there were three players from the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty on there.

The winner of that semifinal series was destined to win the WNBA championship.

That's beside the point, though.

There's some recency bias to the list. Young emerged as a true superstar this past season. Plum was on the 2022 All-WNBA first team and was an all-star. Furthermore, Wilson secured the 2024 MVP award and had a dominant season. All of those players have shown leadership, either in huddles, on the court, in timeouts, or in any other situation.

Something has yet to be discovered for casuals watching Copper: the visible leadership.

Throughout Mercury training camp, Copper's leadership was the main story. Players like Natasha Mack have said she's been more patient and diligent with all the players. In the same breath, Mack mentioned how Copper isn't afraid to push people when necessary.

The Mercury head coach emphasized that point as well. He talked about her being patient, understanding, yet not losing that edge that makes her dominant.

Players like Ogwumike and Jones are both leaders. Although they might not be as elite as they once were, they have savvy championship experience.

Despite Ogwumike being on a rebuilding team in Seattle, she's been instrumental in developing players like Ezi Magbegor. The same goes for Jones. The New York center was the focal point of the 2022 Connecticut Sun WNBA Finals team. Once she landed in the Big Apple, that was the missing piece.

Even though Copper has the championship on her resume, Candace Parker was the leader of that team. Now, the second-year Phoenix can be both the scoring leader and the mental leader heading into 2025.

That alone could force ESPN to regret placing her as the 11th-best player in the league.