Good take, Oso. Cooper and Richards are not new to each other, as I understand it. They have been acquainted through summer basketball and remained in contact, however distant, over the years. Chloe Jackson was one of the major elements in Cooper deciding in Baylor's favor, but the Lady Bear program had made efforts to recruit her out of high school and, if I remember correctly, she had them on her list of preferences. I suspect that the games that Baylor had with South Carolina in the past year or two also got her attention, particularly last year when she played well in a defeat.
Cooper was always known to score, and she had a reputation as a defender, but we are seeing a more complete player than we knew her to be, in my view. Her defense at the point is exemplary, and while she is a scoring point guard, she does it within the offensive scheme. I suspect that Kim Mulkey is as pleased with this acquisition as she has been with any she has had, with the possible exception of Chloe whose performance in the Final Four will not be forgotten by any Lady Bear fan.