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Alexa Philippou
After struggling to establish on-court success and relevance in recent years, the Los Angeles Sparks got the WNBA’s attention Wednesday as they introduced three-time All-Star and two-time Olympian Kelsey Plum as the franchise’s next star.
And one thing was very clear: The expectation with Plum is to win now.
“It’s going to be a good season. It’s going to be a winning season,” new Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “And I’m not shying away from that. I want to win, and Kelsey being here gives us a really good chance of that.”
“It’s a new day in L.A.,” said Plum, who is from San Diego and grew up going to Sparks games. “We’re gonna hoop.”
Plum, the 2017 No. 1 overall pick, arrives in Los Angeles after spending her entire career with the Las Vegas Aces/San Antonio Stars organization, with whom she won WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023.
The Sparks haven’t been a prized free agent destination in recent years, with the franchise slowly losing star power as legends like Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray departed for new teams from 2021 to 2023.
That dynamic changes with Plum’s arrival.
The 5-foot-8 guard was an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but was cored by the Aces, meaning the only way she could change teams was via trade (though she had to sign off on where she was moved to and chose L.A). Ultimately a three-team deal also involving the Seattle Storm sent Plum to the Sparks, Seattle’s Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas, and the Sparks’ 2025 No. 2 overall pick to the Storm.
Giving up the No. 2 pick was seen as a controversial move by some, particularly with so much talent potentially coming out of college this year. Most WNBA veterans are signing one-year contracts with a new CBA — and big salary bumps — expected in 2026, while players drafted this April would remain on rookie-scale contracts at a bargain price.
But the Sparks knew they needed an elite lead guard to bolster their backcourt and complement their young core of 2024 lottery picks Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink, which Plum called “the best young frontcourt in the league, and it’s not close.”
Plum will also be reunited with former Aces teammate and close friend Dearica Hamby, who thrived last season in Los Angeles.
General manager Raegan Pebley said she felt it would be a lot to ask a rookie point guard to come in and lead a team when the organization is in win-now mode.
“We’re pushing our chips in,” Pebley said. “We just kept feeling like all roads pointed to Kelsey.”
Plum’s competitive fire and championship pedigree made her an even more appealing addition for a franchise that last had a winning season and a postseason appearance in 2020. The Sparks are searching for their first championship since 2016.
“It’s the work that she stands on,” Pebley said of Plum. “She is not about the glitz and the glam. She is about the work and holding herself to an accountability standard that really influences and inspires everyone else to do the same. And we knew we needed someone like that, not just in our backcourt, but in our locker room, in our city.”
Added Roberts: “She’s a competitor, and that’s what we need. I want our team to get back where it belongs. That’s why I’m here, and that’s why Kelsey is here.”
Plum has blossomed over the last three seasons in Las Vegas, averaging 18.9 points and 4.6 assists per game in that span. But she feels there’s a whole other level she can unlock with her new squad.
“For someone like me, it’s just a perfect mix of preparation and opportunity,” Plum said. “I’ve been champing at the bit to get the opportunity to be able to lead and show who I am as a player on a different scale. And so just really excited about that, and I’ve never been more ready.”
Plum thinks her skillset matches well with Roberts’ playing style, which prioritizes 3-point shooting and layups, and that the system will also accentuate her strengths as a facilitator. “It’s a little bit more position-less, and we’ll be able to see a lot more of my ability to get people involved,” Plum said. “I plan to be definitely top-five in assists this year and it’s because I get the opportunity to do it. … I made the Olympic team as a point guard. Think people forget that sometimes.”
Plum said she had some concerns during her free agency process when it came to whether the Sparks would provide a high-quality player experience. Franchises such as the Aces, New York Liberty and Storm have separated themselves by building their own practice facilities or boasting top-tier amenities.
Sources told ESPN last month that the Sparks will soon announce plans to build a practice facility, but the completion of the project isn’t imminent.
“Despite that initial hesitation, every step of the way, they have not just met but exceeded my expectations,” Plum said, “and I’ve been treated better than I’ve ever been as a WNBA player.”
And she hopes this will be the launching point for more success to come.
“I’m excited to be part of the new wave,” Plum said. “And we’ll be able to show players that this is a place where — L.A. — you want to play.”
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