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The WNBA’s Philly connections: Kahleah Copper, Natasha Cloud, and some you may not know

Here's a list of players and coaches in the WNBA with ties to the Philadelphia region, whether because of their roots or where they went to college.

Chicago Sky star Kahleah Copper (center) regularly comes home to North Philly to visit family and friends, and to teach kids about basketball.
Chicago Sky star Kahleah Copper (center) regularly comes home to North Philly to visit family and friends, and to teach kids about basketball.Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer

While there isn’t a WNBA team in Philadelphia, the league’s Collingswood-born commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, knows how many players and coaches have ties to the region. Here are some names to know, whether because of their roots or where they went to college.

Atlanta Dream: Head coach Tanisha Wright (played at Penn State); general manager Dan Padover (was a 76ers video assistant from 2010-11)

Chicago Sky: Kahleah Copper (from Philadelphia, played at Rutgers); Isabelle Harrison (daughter of 1980 Eagles Super Bowl defensive end Dennis Harrison)

Connecticut Sun: Alyssa Thomas (from Harrisburg)

Dallas Wings: Jasmine Dickey (played at Delaware); Maddy Siegrist (played at Villanova)

» READ MORE: Go behind the scenes with Maddy Siegrist during Villanova's historic season

Indiana Fever: Erica Wheeler (played at Rutgers)

Las Vegas Aces: Kiah Stokes (daughter of former 76er Greg Stokes)

Los Angeles Sparks: Assistant coach Chris Koclanes (former St. Joseph’s video coordinator)

Minnesota Lynx: Head coach Cheryl Reeve (from Washington Township, N.J., played and later was an assistant coach at La Salle)

New York Liberty: Jonquel Jones (her legal guardian is Temple women’s basketball head coach Diane Richardson); Betnijah Laney (from Clayton, Del., played at Rutgers, and her mother, Yolanda, is a mainstay of the Philly youth basketball scene)

» READ MORE: Betnijah Laney watched her mother give back to the Philly basketball community. Now the WNBA standout is following her lead.

Phoenix Mercury: Shey Peddy (played at Temple)

Seattle Storm: Arella Guirantes (played at Rutgers)

Washington Mystics: Natasha Cloud (from Broomall, played at St. Joseph’s); Elena Delle Donne (from Wilmington, played at Delaware); assistant coach Shelley Patterson (was an assistant with the now-defunct ABL’s Philadelphia Rage from 1998-99)

» READ MORE: Maddy Siegrist is the latest City 6 player picked in the WNBA draft. Who are the others?