LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Sparks were at a crossroads.
And seemingly, so was Kelsey Plum, the battle-tested guard who won two WNBA championships with the Las Vegas Aces.
They found each other a couple of weeks ago (officially on Feb. 1st!) when the Sparks made the move to acquire Plum in the first major transaction of the WNBA offseason. By doing that, they traded the valuable second overall pick of this year’s draft (along with Li Yueru) to Seattle while the Storm dealt star Jewell Loyd to the Aces.
In Plum’s presser, her name was in lights all over the ol’ Staples Center (now Crypto.Com Arena). It was a big welcome for the three-time All-Star and has given new attention to this proud franchise.
Part of the attendees? Former and current teammate Dearica Hamby (who won a championship with Plum in Vegas in 2022) and the second overall pick from last year’s draft, Cameron Brink.
“D and I have always had just a true bond,” Plum beamed. “I think we both knew. I just remember the first time… we both kind of looked at each other. It’s almost like a nod; you don’t really need to say much. But I’m just so grateful for her and her friendship. And also to just the player that she is and the resilience that she has.
“We’ve always had a great connection if you look back on our times in Vegas. Me and her playing together; it’s just a different level of pace. I’m super excited to get back to that. Just also the joy that she plays with. I’ve always been her biggest fan. Looking forward to getting back to that. Just nothing but love.”
Plum called Brink a “defensive player of the year waiting to brew.” She also mentioned that Rickea Jackson is an all-star and that Rae Burrell can be one of the best two-guards in the league.
“In this league, your bigs will take you places,” Plum said. “If you look at championship teams down the line, your 3-4 are instrumental on making a run to a championship. Just looking at that, it’s the best young frontcourt in the league and it’s not close.”
That comment drew an applause from the people in attendance.
Coach Lynne Roberts had her own anecdote about Kelsey.
“Someone on our staff said Plum needs 53 to break the all-time (Division 1) scoring record in college basketball,” Roberts recalled, then coach of the University of Utah, before a game against Plum’s University of Washington. “I was like, ‘not getting 53 on us!’ And she didn’t. She got 57!”
Whatever road Plum seemed to take, it has only been filled with success. Nothing comes easy, of course; Kelsey would be the first to say that. But all the hard work pays off and that has been proven time and time again.
As for the coveted second overall pick? Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley wanted to accelerate the building process of the team.
“I think it’s really hard to come in as a rookie and to ask a young rookie point guard to come in when we want to win now,” Pebley said. “And the style of basketball that we want to play and the standard of excellence that the L.A. Sparks is and will continue to be… we just kept feeling like all roads pointed to Kelsey.
“And we had zero hesitation in doing what it took to make sure Kelsey was sitting right here today.”
As for the Sparks, they hope all roads lead to the promised land.
“Vegas has been home. It’s treated me really well. I’m grateful to the fans and the organization. And it’s a new chapter in my life,” Plum concluded.
Rey-Rey is all over social media. He’s on Threads, Bluesky, and the vomit-inducing Twitter (I refuse to call it with a certain single letter). In the past, he covered the NBA and the Lakers. Then he covered the Sparks as a beat writer for the Sporting Tribune the last two years.