Kelsey Plum grew up in the San Diego area and remembers her mom taking her to Sparks games as a kid. Now she returns to the same arena as a two-time WNBA champion and Olympian.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity,” she said at her introductory press conference.
Kelsey has high hopes for the historical Sparks team.
“Just taking this franchise back to where it’s been and where it will continue to go,” she said
Plum is excited to be in LA and so are the fans.
“I just feel like an overwhelming sense of love,” she said. “I was actually in the airport this morning, and I was just getting some water, and the guy was like, go Sparks!”
Plum gets to reunite with her former teammate, Dearica Hamby. When her press conference was starting, Hamby was tearing up in the first row.
“[Hamby] and I have always had just a true bond,” Plum said. “Me and her playing together, it’s just a different level of pace. And so I’m super excited to get back to that.”
After a three-team trade, Plum arrived with the Sparks, as LA gave up Center Li Yueru and their No. 2 pick in the move.
Other than Hamby and a homecoming, coach Lynne Roberts and general manager Raegan Pebley’s vision is what landed Plum in Los Angeles.
After seeing what Robert’s has done with “sub-level talent,” Plum knew the sky was the limit for the Sparks.
Roberts’ teams always overperformed and Plum believes her coaching style matches her skill set.
Pebley has faced criticism for trading the Sparks’ No. 2 pick.
“When you say all in the No. 2 pick, and what I would say is our focus was, it’s Kelsey Plum,” Pebley said.
Plum is looking forward to playing with the Sparks’ young core. She thinks Cameron Brink can be Defensive Player of the Year, Rickea Jackson is an All-Star and Rae Burrell is a tremendous talent.
“When you look at the versatility, everyone can shoot, they can play multiple positions,” Plum said. “They’re all competitors, you know, they want to win. They want to get better. They want to be great.”
On the Aces, Plum played in the shadow of Chelsea Grey, but now, she’s ready to take control of her team.
“I definitely have a lot more in the tank,” Plum said.
On the Sparks, Plum will be playing point guard, different from her shooting guard role in Las Vegas.
“Coaches [Roberts] system is a little bit more positionless, and we’ll be able to see a lot more of my ability to get people involved,” Plum said.
Plum has already set goals for herself this year to be top-five in assists and to bring competitiveness.
“What I’ve learned on the best teams I’ve played on everyone’s competitive, one through 12, and it’s in everything,” she said. “It’s in every drill, it’s in every practice, every film session. It’s a culture.”
If Plum on the Sparks goes like the last time she was wearing purple in Washington, then LA’s future is bright.
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