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Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum made the most of her All-Star weekend, combining stellar on-court performances with a strong off-court statement on equity.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum made the most of her All-Star weekend, combining stellar on-court performances with a strong off-court statement on equity.
Plum, a four-time WNBA All-Star, competed in her second three-point contest and went on to shine in the All-Star Game itself. She scored 16 points for Team Collier in just 17 minutes of action during their dominant 151-131 win over Team Clark. That win also featured a record-breaking 36-point performance by team captain Napheesa Collier and the first triple-double in All-Star Game history by Skylar Diggins.
Although Plum didn’t win the three-point shootout, her impact was undeniable throughout the weekend.
“I’m just playing hard. We want to blow them out. We’re a lot better than them—I hate to say it,” Plum said with a laugh during a halftime interview on ESPN.
A Historic Weekend on the Court
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game featured several rule changes, including the addition of a 4-point line, which Team Collier used to full advantage. Allisha Gray added 18 points, while Nneka Ogwumike and Plum each tallied 16. Diggins’ triple-double—11 points, 15 assists, and 11 rebounds—set a new standard for All-Star performances.
Team Collier also set a new scoring record for the event, eclipsing the previous high with their 151-point total. Collier’s 36 points broke Arike Ogunbowale’s 2024 All-Star scoring record of 34.
Off the Court: Players Demand Fair Compensation
Plum and her fellow All-Stars made headlines before the game even began. During warmups, they took the court wearing black T-shirts that read “Pay us what you owe us,” signaling solidarity amid ongoing collective bargaining negotiations with the league.
“It was a very powerful moment,” Plum said at the postgame press conference. “We wanted to do something united and collective. Sometimes you don’t have to say anything.”
She added that the T-shirt protest was coordinated the morning of the game. “We had a meeting… All of us were on the same page.”
A Gesture of Generosity
While Plum didn’t advance in the three-point contest, a touching moment came when Sabrina Ionescu, who won the competition, honored a promise to rookie Sonia Citron. Ionescu pledged to split her $62,575 prize with Citron, who was the only rookie in the contest.
“I told Sonia I would give her half if I won. She was nervous, and I was nervous for her,” said Ionescu. “That takes a lot of courage to do that as a rookie—I was really proud of her.”
Plum’s Place in History
Plum continues to build her legacy as one of the greatest three-point shooters in WNBA history. She holds a career 38.6% mark from beyond the arc and ranks 15th all-time in total threes made (539). This season, she’s tied for second in the league with 50 made triples.
Among all players in league history with at least 300 threes, only Allie Quigley, Elena Delle Donne, Sue Bird, and Kara Lawson boast a higher career three-point percentage.