The stress-strain behavior and incipient yield surface of nanoporous single crystal copper are studied by the molecular dynamics (MD) method. The problem is modeled by a periodic unit cell subject to multi-axial loading. The loading induced defect evolution is explored. The incipient yield surfaces are found to be tension-compression asymmetric. For a given void volume fraction, apparent size effects in the yield surface are predicted: the smaller behaves stronger. The evolution pattern of defects (i.e., dislocation and stacking faults) is insensitive to the model size and void volume fraction. However, it is loading path dependent. Squared prismatic dislocation loops dominate the incipient yielding under hydrostatic tension while stacking-faults are the primary defects for hydrostatic compression and uniaxial tension/compression.