Kahleah Copper didn’t expect to be traded by the Chicago Sky, but now sees it as a “win-win situation.”

Once the centerpiece for the Sky’s rebuild, the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP was traded to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, as well as other compensation. Speaking Thursday, Copper said that watching how the Sky approached free agency this year had her going to the organization to communicate her need for “wanting to compete.”

She says the team then worked with her to put her “in a really good position.”

“This is not like what I expected,” she said. “I’m just glad that we were able to come to an agreement and both come out in a win-win situation. I think it was what’s best.”

The Mercury have been loading up this offseason, adding Natasha Cloud in free agency complement Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. Still, Copper said she doesn’t feel the pressure to win – even as Taurasi inches closer to retirement.

“No pressure really,” Copper said. “I know I have experience playing with older players who probably don’t have as much basketball ahead of them than they have behind them, playing with Candace Parker and just wanting to be the best version of myself every single day for them, and to win and to do big things.

“So, it’s kind of the same kind of same approach for me. No pressure really. I just want to go in and bring what I bring every day.”