Te'a Cooper

Last updated
Te'a Cooper
Te'a Cooper.jpg
Personal information
Born (1997-04-16) April 16, 1997 (age 27)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Listed weight160 lb (73 kg)
Career information
High school McEachern
(Powder Springs, Georgia)
College
WNBA draft 2020: 2nd round, 18th overall pick
Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Playing career2020–present
Position Point guard
Career history
2020–2021 Los Angeles Sparks
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Te'a Omari Cooper (born April 16, 1997) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Baylor Lady Bears, South Carolina Gamecocks, and the Tennessee Volunteers. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Cooper played high school basketball for McEachern High School. [3] In her freshman year, McEachern High School was undefeated as they finished 33–0. She shot 65 percent from the field. She won three Georgia 6A State titles in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and she was the co-MVP of the 2015 McDonald's All-America game.

Professional career

On April 17, 2020, the Phoenix Mercury selected Cooper as the 18th pick in the 2020 WNBA draft. [4] [5] Due to the global pandemic from COVID-19, Phoenix Mercury were forced to cut some of their players from the team in May 2020, including Te'a Cooper. [6] The Los Angeles Sparks team took this as an opportunity to transfer some of the Phoenix Mercury players to play for them, and Cooper was picked to play as a point guard. [6] From her previous college 3-point range (56-of-135 for 41.5%), can prove to the Sparks coach, Derek Fisher, how well of a point guard and shooter she can provide for his team, despite her being a rookie. [6] Cooper continues to gain experience and skills from the other players in the Los Angeles Sparks team. [6] Cooper's current average for about 17 minutes in a game consists of making around 7.3 points and having about 2 assists. [7] On August 13, 2020, the Los Angeles Sparks played against the Washington Mystics, leading Cooper to have one of her best games of the season with 10 points (5-of-6 shooting) with 3 assists, all within 19 minutes of playing time. [8]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader
WNBA record

WNBA

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2020 Los Angeles 20317.0.451.344.7651.02.00.70.01.57.0
2021 Los Angeles 311322.0.379.324.7501.71.40.90.21.89.1
Career511620.1.401.330.7541.51.60.80.11.78.2

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2020 Los Angeles 1021.0.250.500.0000.02.01.00.03.03.0
Career1021.0.250.500.0000.02.01.00.03.03.0

College

Source [9]

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2015-16Tennessee3631136.9%26.0%72.2%1.92.11.2-8.6
2016-17TennesseeMedical redshirt [10]
2017-18South CarolinaSat due to NCAA transfer rules [10]
2018-19South Carolina3035742.9%28.9%76.2%2.52.21.10.311.9
2019-20Baylor3040843.8%41.5%73.0%2.34.61.90.113.6
Career96107641.2%33.2%74.1%2.22.91.40.111.2

Personal life

Te'a Cooper is the daughter of Omar and Kindall Cooper. She has three siblings: Mia (Imani) and twins Sharife and Omar. Sharife was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.

Te'a dated Dwight Howard and the pair became engaged in 2019. In 2021, Cooper and Howard parted ways. Cooper once dated New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara. [11] Cooper and Kamara welcomed a baby girl, Stori Kamara, on December 25, 2022.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Sparks</span> Womens basketball team

The Los Angeles Sparks are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began. Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Taurasi</span> American basketball player (born 1982)

Diana Lorena Taurasi is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Taurasi is widely recognized as one of the greatest women's basketball players of all time; she rose to fame while playing college basketball at the University of Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candace Parker</span> American basketball player (born 1986)

Candace Nicole Parker, nicknamed "Ace", is an American former professional basketball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She spent 13 seasons on the Sparks, two seasons with the Chicago Sky, and one season with the Las Vegas Aces, winning a championship with each team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McEachern High School</span> Public high school in Powder Springs, Georgia, United States

John McEachern High School or McEachern High School is a public high school established in 1933 in Powder Springs, Georgia, United States. It was originally established as the Seventh District Agricultural and Mechanical School. Due to its history, McEachern has an open campus, with its buildings spaced across the property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsey Harding</span> American basketball player (born 1984)

Lindsey Marcie Harding is an American professional basketball coach and former player. She is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Throughout her playing career, Harding played for the Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and has played overseas in Turkey and Russia. She was previously a scout and a player development coach for the Philadelphia 76ers. She was born in Mobile, Alabama, but grew up in Houston, Texas, and also holds a Belarusian passport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noelle Quinn</span> American basketball player/coach (born 1985)

Noelle Quinn is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Quinn played in the WNBA for Minnesota Lynx, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, and the Storm. She won the WNBA Championship with the Storm in 2018. She also played for Botaş SK in the Turkish Women's Basketball League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Gators women's basketball</span> College basketball team

The Florida Gators women's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gators play their home games at the O'Connell Center located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, and are currently led by head coach Kelly Rae Finley, following the resignation of Cameron Newbauer. The Gators have appeared in 15 NCAA tournaments, with a record of 12–15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riquna Williams</span> American basketball player (born 1990)

Riquna "Bay Bay" Williams is an American basketball player who is a free agent. She played collegiately for the Miami Hurricanes of the University of Miami, where she majored in sports administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odyssey Sims</span> American basketball player (born 1992)

Odyssey Celeste Sims is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). An AP and WBCA All-American, Sims was born in Irving, Texas and graduated from MacArthur High School.

The USC Trojans women's basketball team, or the Women of Troy, is the collegiate women's basketball team that represents the University of Southern California, in the Big Ten Conference. The team rose to prominence in 1976, at which time scholarships became available to female basketball players. They were the first Division I team to give these scholarships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelsea Gray</span> American basketball player (born 1992)

Chelsea Nichelle Gray is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was the eleventh pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft. She missed the 2014 WNBA season due to injury, but she made her debut with the Sun in the 2015 WNBA season. Gray won her first title with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016. She won her second title with the Las Vegas Aces in the 2022 WNBA Finals, where she was named Finals MVP. She won gold medals for 5x5 basketball at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Talbot</span> Australian basketball player (born 1994)

Stephanie Talbot is an Australian professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for the Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Wiese</span> American basketball player (born 1995)

Sydney Rose Wiese is an American professional basketball player who is a free agent. A four-time All-Pac-12 Team point guard and third-team All American during her collegiate career with the Oregon State University Beavers, Wiese was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 WNBA draft</span> Draft of incoming WNBA players for the 2020 season

The 2020 WNBA draft was the league's draft for the 2020 WNBA season. A draft lottery was held on September 17, 2019 and the New York Liberty were awarded the first overall pick in the draft. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the draft was held virtually without players, guests, and the media on-site. The draft was televised as planned; it was the most-watched WNBA draft in 16 years and the second most-watched in ESPN's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharife Cooper</span> American basketball player (born 2001)

Sharife Omar Cooper is an American professional basketball player for the Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi of the Basketball Super League (BSL). He played college basketball for the Auburn Tigers.

The 2020 WNBA season was the 24th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season tipped off on July 25, 2020, versus the Phoenix Mercury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arella Guirantes</span> American basketball player (born 1997)

Arella Karin Guirantes is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for CB Avenida of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto. She played college basketball at Texas Tech and Rutgers. She was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and most recently played in the league for the Seattle Storm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kianna Smith</span> American basketball player

Kianna Smith is an American-South Korean professional basketball for the Samsung Life Blueminx. She played college basketball for the California Golden Bears and the Louisville Cardinals. Smith graduated from Troy High School in Fullerton, California, where she was rated a five-star recruit by ESPN and earned McDonald's All-American honors.

Evina Westbrook is an American professional basketball player who is a free agent. She most recently played for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at UConn and Tennessee. She was selected in the 2nd Round of the 2022 WNBA draft by the Seattle Storm. During her time in the WNBA, Westbrook has played for the Minnesota Lynx and the Washington Mystics.

References

  1. ↑ "2020 WNBA Draft Profile: Te'a Cooper". wnba.com. Women's National Basketball Association. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  2. ↑ Knight, Mandy. "Te'a Cooper's Journey to the WNBA". Fox44news.com. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  3. ↑ "Te'a Cooper". espn.com. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Maloney, Jack. "2020 WNBA Draft winners and losers: Liberty add Sabrina Ionescu with top pick; Wings land talented trio". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  5. ↑ Bernarowski, John. "Former McEachern standout Te'a Cooper selected by Phoenix in WNBA Draft". mdjonline.com. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Merchant, Sabreena (2020-07-20). "The Replacements: What can Te'a Cooper and Reshanda Gray bring to the Sparks?". Silver Screen and Roll. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
  7. ↑ "Sparks guard Te'a Cooper cleared to return following inconclusive COVID-19 test". au.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  8. ↑ "Sparks guard Te'a Cooper making her mark as a rookie". Whittier Daily News. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  9. ↑ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  10. 1 2 HADLEY, GREG (February 22, 2019). "Dawn Staley updates Te'a Cooper's injury status for Tennessee". charlotteobserver.com. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Sparks' Te'a Cooper..." yardbarker.com. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.