For Christmas , Kelsey Plum’s boyfriend gifted her a set of candles from different cities. She put them in different rooms throughout her house, and the Los Angeles one ended up right by her bedside.
“It’s just funny to me because it was on my spirit for a while,” she said of her new home. “And I look back now and it makes perfect sense.”
Plum took the podium at Crypto.com Arena Wednesday afternoon for her introduction as a Spark, 2½ weeks after the team pulled off a blockbuster, three-team trade with the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm that sent shock waves across the WNBA and landed the two-time champion with the team she grew up idolizing.
“I’m from 90 minutes away-ish, depending on the traffic,” the San Diego native said. “I remember coming to Sparks games as a kid when my mom would take me. I’m just super grateful for the love and support. … The ownership and the legacy that this franchise has had, I’m very well aware and I understand that we’re here to compete.”
Even though it’s been almost a decade since their last title run and the Sparks are coming off a franchise-worst 8-32 season that resulted in coach Curt Miller’s ousting, Plum made it clear “there’s expectations to win right away.”
The three-time All-Star point guard brings a veteran presence not just to the court but also in the locker room for a young core consisting of last year’s No. 2 and 4 overall draft picks in Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, respectively. Plum spoke glowingly of her new teammates.
“I think Cam is a defensive player of the year, Rickea’s an All-Star. Rae Burrell’s a tremendous talent, and I think that she can be one of the best two-way guards in the league,” Plum said. “So when you look at the versatility, everyone can shoot, they can play multiple positions, they can guard multiple positions, and they’re all competitors. Know they want to win, they want to get better. They want to be great. That to me, really stood out.”
Plum played with the Sparks’ other veteran star, Dearica Hamby, in Vegas and said they “always had just a true bond.”
“I’m just so grateful for her friendship, and also just the player that she is and the resilience that she has,” Plum said. “We’ve always had a great connection if you look back at our times in Vegas. Me and her playing together, it’s just a different level of pace, so I’m super excited to get back to that.”
Plum also was sold on the vision that new general manager Raegan Pebley and coach Lynne Roberts laid out from their first conversations. Plum already was familiar with Roberts’ system from playing against the former Utah coach in the Pac-12 and watching games over the years, and liked the potential fit.
“I’ve been chomping at the bit to get the opportunity to be able to lead and show who I am as a player on a different scale,” Plum said. “I’m just really excited about that, and I’ve never been more ready.”
On the Sparks’ side, adding Plum wasn’t just a flashy move but also filled their biggest need. Pebley mentioned that one of their top priorities going into the offseason was improving the backcourt and when they had the opportunity to acquire Plum, they didn’t hesitate to part with their No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft.
“It’s Kelsey Plum,” Pebley said emphatically. “It’s who she is and how she’s shown up. The courage that she competes with and leads with and presents with is so consistent. To be able to have not just her skill set but that confidence and leadership and ability here in L.A., we’re pushing our chips in.”
It was a full-circle moment for Plum, dressed in an all-white power suit, almost as if symbolizing a rebirth for the long-dormant Sparks.
“Just taking this franchise back to where it’s been and where it will continue to go,” Plum said. “It’s a new day in L.A., so we’re gonna hoop.”
