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Kelsey Christine Plum (born August 24, 1994) is an American professionalbasketball player for theLos Angeles Sparks of theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for thePhantom ofUnrivaled. Nicknamed "Plum Dawg", she is a four-timeWNBA All-Star and was named theWNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2022. Plum won gold medals with the United States in3x3 basketball in2020 and in5x5 basketball in2024. She is also the founder of theDawg Class basketball camp.
Born inPoway, California, Plum attendedLa Jolla Country Day School, where she was named aMcDonald's All-American. She playedcollege basketball atWashington, where she left as theNCAA Division I women's all-time leading scorer. In her senior season, Plum was named national player of the year and set the Division I single-season scoring record. She was selected first overall in the2017 WNBA draft by theSan Antonio Stars, later renamed theLas Vegas Aces. With the Aces, she won back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023 and earned her firstAll-WNBA First Team selection in 2022.
Plum is the daughter of Katie and Jim Plum.[1] Her mother was an accomplishedvolleyball player for theUniversity of California, Davis.[2] Her father earnedAll-American football honors and set theCIF San Diego Section career passing yardage mark atHelix High School inLa Mesa, California, and went on to play football and baseball collegiately atSan Diego State.[3][4] Plum has two older sisters and a younger brother. Her sisters both followed in their mother's footsteps and played volleyball. Her oldest sister Kaitlyn played for UC Davis, while Lauren played for theUniversity of Oregon and forUSA Volleyball's Junior National Team. Her younger brother Daniel played football at UC Davis.[5]
She went through fourth grade at a local Montessori school, but Plum, who has dyslexia, was bullied by her classmates, and was young for her class, felt unprepared to advance. This led to a transfer to Midland Elementary, a public school. Her mother Katie thought repeating fourth grade could be useful, but she left the decision to her daughter, and she agreed. The decision to repeat fourth grade did not go perfectly, since she didn't like her teacher and her friends were in another class, so she asked to switch classes and was granted the request. However, even into high school, Plum felt like she didn't belong. She has now said she hopes anyone facing situations like hers knows they can also get through it.[6]
Plum played volleyball at first, excelling in the USA Volleyball junior system, but when it came time for high school, she chose La Jolla Country Day School overPoway High School, where her sisters had attended, and Plum chose basketball over volleyball.[7] La Jolla Country Day School is whereCandice Wiggins played during her high school years as well.[8]
During the course of her high school career, Plum scored a total of 2,247 points, averaging 19.9 points per game. She recorded 677 rebounds, assisted on 381 baskets, and had 370 steals.[9] Over her four years, her team had a record of 103–22, which led to four section titles and the 2012 CIF Division IV state championship.[10] Plum also played AAU basketball for San Diego Sol.[11]
Plum was selected to the 2013 WBCA High School Coaches' All-America Team. She participated in the 2013 WBCA High School All-America Game, hitting six of her eight field goal attempts, scoring 14 points.[12][13]
When it came time for college choices, Plum consideredMaryland andVirginia on the east coast, and Cal,Gonzaga,Oregon andWashington on the west coast, then decided to accept the offer from Washington.[14][15]
Plum was named a McDonald's All-American.[16] This qualified her to participate in the2013 McDonald's All-American Girls Game.[17] She was named Ms. Basketball by CalHiSports, an honor bestowed upon the best female high school basketball player in California. Prior winners includeKaleena Mosqueda-Lewis,Courtney Paris,Candice Wiggins, andDiana Taurasi.[2]
After Plum helped the USA basketball team to win the gold medal in Lithuania, she flew directly to Seattle rather than heading home to San Diego. A teammate at the University of Washington picked her up at the airport and they were in the gym by the end of the day. By going directly to campus, Plum was able to sign up for summer school classes and get acquainted with the university and her teammates before the fall quarter began.[8] Her head coachMike Neighbors noticed her desire to get started, which helped him with his decision to name her the team captain before the season started, a rare event for a freshman. During her freshman year, she set six Washington freshman records. Her total points scored (695) were the most ever by a freshman, and her single game high of 38 points is a freshman record. She earned freshman of the year honors for thePac-12 conference. She averaged almost 21 points per game during the regular season.
One of the highlights of the year was a victory over the fourth ranked team in the country,Stanford. Plum was the high scorer with 23 points.[18]
Washington opened their regular-season with a game against Oklahoma. Washington lost the game 90–80 but Plum set a new school record with 45 points.[19] In her sophomore year, she was named to the "Wade Watch" a list of 25 players who are viewed as having the potential to win player of the year honors. She was also named to the list of 30 players to be considered for theWooden Award.[20] Plum helped the Washington Huskies earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. In a coincidence, they facedMiami, coached by Katie Meier, who had been Plum's coach while on the USA Basketball U19 team. Plum scored 17 points in the game, but Miami prevailed 86–80.[21]
For the week of January 11–17, Plum was named both the Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week and the Pac-12 Player of the Week. By scoring 25.9 points per game, she ranked first in the Pac-12 and fourth in the nation. Plum also led the Huskies on an improbableNCAA Tournament run, highlighted by their first Final Four appearance in program history. Unfortunately, the magical run ultimately ended in the Final Four as Plum and the Huskies lost to a deeper, more talentedSyracuse Orange team (who also clinched their first Final Four berth in program history), 80–59. The Orange would go on to lose to the undefeated 37–0 and three-time defending women's national championsConnecticut Huskies, 82–51.
During Plum'ssenior season, she became the all-time leading scorer for either gender in Pac-12 history, passing the former record of Stanford'sChiney Ogwumike in a December 11, 2016, win overBoise State.[22] The following month, during a win overArizona, Plum became the first Pac-12 player, and the 12thNCAA Division I women's player, to reach3,000 career points.[23][a] On February 25, 2017, in the Huskies' final regular season game, Plum scored aPac-12 record 57 points in an 84–77 win overUtah. The record-setting output also gave Plum the NCAA Division I women's basketballcareer scoring record. She entered the game trailingJackie Stiles' previous record of 3,393 points by 53 points and broke the record in the fourth quarter.[24] Plum led her Washington Huskies to a 29–6 record during her senior season, which boasted a record of 15–3 in the Pac-12. Plum, along with her third seeded Washington Huskies, made it to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament where they were knocked out by two seed Mississippi State.
According to ESPN.com, Plum was unanimously selected as an Associated Press All-American First Teamer, an honor only given to five players in women's college basketball. Plum averaged 31.7 points while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 43 percent from three-point range during her senior campaign. Plum ended her senior season with a total of 1,109 points scored, an NCAA women's basketball single season record. According to Excelle Sports, Plum broke the NCAA career free throw record, tallying 912 points from the free throw line throughout her illustrious career. Plum has also been named one of the five finalists for the Wooden Award, an award handed out to the best player in women's college basketball, in the eyes of 250 sportscasters and writers. Plum was also named the AP player of the year for women's college basketball, the first ever Washington Husky to earn the award. Other accolades Plum accumulated during her senior year include being a part of the all-Pac-12 team as well as winning the Pac-12 player of the year award, only the second husky ever to win the award, according to The Seattle Times' website. Plum also earned the Nancy Lieberman award, an honor given to the top point guard in women's college basketball, as well as the Dawn Staley award, handed out to the best guard in women's college basketball. Plum ended her outstanding career with a point total of 3,527 and an assist total of 519. She finished just 270 points shy ofPete Maravich's all-time scoring record regardless of gender. Plum graduated from Washington in June 2017 with a bachelor's degree inanthropology and a 3.3 GPA.[25][26]
On January 18, 2025, Plum's #10 jersey was retired during the half-time of Washington's game against Purdue.[27]
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Plum was selected as the first pick of the2017 WNBA draft by theSan Antonio Stars.[28] This marked the first time in history that the first overall pick from theNBA (Markelle Fultz) and the WNBA came from the same school (University of Washington) in the same year.[29] Plum made her career debut on May 25, 2017, against theDallas Wings, she scored four points along with one assist off the bench in a 94–82 loss.[30] On August 5, 2017, Plum scored a career-high 23 points in an 87–80 overtime win against theSeattle Storm.[31] By the end of the season, Plum averaged 8.5 ppg and was voted on the All-Rookie Team, but the Stars finished with the second worst record in the league.
In 2018, the San Antonio Stars relocated toLas Vegas, Nevada, and were renamed theLas Vegas Aces. In the 2018 season, Plum improved in every statistical category, averaging more points, rebounds and assists with higher shooting percentages. This helped the Aces improve overall from the previous season but they fell short of a playoff spot as they finished ninth place with a 14–20 record (6 wins better than the 2017 season).
In 2019, the Aces would finish the season as the number four seed with a 21–13 record, making the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They would receive a bye to the second round. In the playoffs, Plum would step up on the offensive end, averaging double-digits in ppg for the entire Aces playoff run. In the second round elimination game, the Aces defeated theChicago Sky 93-92 off a desperation half-court game winner by teammateDearica Hamby who came up with a steal on defence in the final 10 seconds of the game. In the semi-finals, the Aces would lose in four games to theWashington Mystics, who ended up winning the championship.
On May 15, 2020, Plum signed a two-year extension with the Aces worth $350K.[32] In early June, 2020, she suffered an injury to her Achilles tendon. Due to the injury and the surgery to repair it, she missed the 2020 season.[33] Without Plum, the Aces were 18–4 in the shortened 22-game season with the number 1 seed. They would advance all the way to the Finals but fell short by losing to theSeattle Storm in a three-game sweep.
In 2021, Plum came off the bench and had a career year averaging 14.8 points, 3.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals on 38.6% from the three and 94.4% from the free throw line. Plum ended the month of September averaging 21.7 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals, and was named Western Conference Player of the Month.[34] Plum was finally healthy and had a career revamp season coming off the bench winning theWNBA Sixth Player of the Year and finished second in theWNBA Most Improved Player voting.[35]
In 2022, Plum in a now starting role averaged a new career high in points, assist, and rebounds. 20.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.7 rebounds on 42% from three and 46% from the field. On June 22, Plum was announced to her first All-Star team as well as being voted a starter for the All-Star Game. She then signed a two-year contract extension with Las Vegas worth $185k for one year and $200k the other year.[36] On July 10, she scored 30 points in the All-Star Game en route to being namedthe game's MVP.[37] She grabbed Western Conference Player of the week two times for the weeks of May 30-June 5[38] and July 28-July 31.[39] Plum would go on to help the Aces to their second finals appearance and win their first championship in franchise history.[40]
Plum was involved in a three-team trade between the Las Vegas Aces, theLos Angeles Sparks, and theSeattle Storm, which resulted in Plum being traded to theSparks for the2025 season.[41][42]
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In 2017, Plum signed withFenerbahçe of theWomen's Basketball Super League (KBSL) in Turkey for the 2017–18 season.[43] During her first stint with the team, Plum would help the team win the KBSL championship title. She returned with Fenerbahçe for the2018–19 season, helping the team win another KBSL championship and theTurkish Women's Basketball Cup.[44]
On 15 January 2022, she signed withGalatasaray of the KBSL.[45] In 6 games in the KBSL, she averaged 26.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists.[46]
On July 15, 2024, it was announced that Plum would appear and play in the inaugural season ofUnrivaled, a new women's 3-on-3 basketball league founded byNapheesa Collier andBreanna Stewart.[47] In late November 2024, Plum announced via social media that she would no longer be playing in the2025 Unrivaled season and instead would "take some more time for myself this offseason."[48]
On November 5, 2025, it was announced that Plum had been drafted byPhantom BC for the2026 Unrivaled season.[49]
Plum was named to theUSA Basketball U19 team, coached byKatie Meier, the head coach of theUniversity of Miami. Among Plum's teammates wereMoriah Jefferson andBreanna Stewart. Plum competed on behalf of the US at the Tenth FIBA U19 World Championship, held inKlaipėda andPanevežys, Lithuania, in July 2013. The team won all nine games, with a winning margin averaging 43 points per game. Plum scored 5.6 points per game.[50]
Plum was injured in December, but cleared to continue playing through the season. After the season she underwent surgery on April 6. Her original dates for clearance to play extended beyond the Pan Am team trial date, but her rehabilitation went well, and she was cleared to return to the court two days before the Pan Am team trials.[51] She has been named a member of the twelve player squad representing the US to playBasketball at the 2015 Pan American Games inToronto which will be held from July 16 to 25 at theRyerson Athletic Centre.[52]
Plum was a member of theUSA Women's Pan American Team which participated inbasketball at the2015 Pan American Games held inToronto, Ontario, Canada July 10 to 26, 2015. The USA opened preliminary play with a game against Brazil. Although they opened up a 16-point lead in the second quarter Brazil came back, going on a 14–0 run to take a two-point lead in the third quarter. The USA responded with an 11–2 run with foul shot contributions by Jefferson and a three-point basket from Stewart. The USA ended up winning the close game 75–69.[53]
The second game was against the Dominican Republic. USA scored the first eight points and was never threatened. USA won 94–55. Plum led the team with five assists.[54] The final preliminary game USA played Puerto Rico. USA led by only three points at the end of the third quarter, largely due to the play ofCarla Cortijo who scored 24 points, but left with an injury late in the game. After the injury the US extended the lead to 18 points and ended up with a 93–77 win, good for first place in their group.[55]
In the semifinal game, Cuba led the US by as many as 14 points in the third quarter. The USA battled back and took a late lead. With under eight seconds to go, the USA was down by one point while Cuba had the ball. Linnae Harper stole the ball and made two free throws to give the USA the lead. Cuba missed its final shot to give the USA the win 65–64, propelling them into the gold-medal game against Canada.[56]
The gold-medal game matched up the host team Canada against USA. After trading baskets early, the US edged out to a double-digit lead in the second quarter. However the Canadians fought back and tied up the game at halftime. In the third quarter, Canada outscored the US 26–15. The lead would reach as high as 18 points. The USA would fight back, but not all the way and Canada won the game and the gold-medal 81–73.[57][58][59][60]
In late March 2020, theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government postponed the2020 Summer Olympics until the summer of 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[61] In July 2021, Plum won the gold medal in3x3 basketball at the2020 Summer Olympics.
In June 2024, Plum was named to theUS women's Olympic team to compete at the2024 Summer Olympics inFrance, alongside fellow Aces teammates,Chelsea Gray,A'ja Wilson, andJackie Young.[62] Plum and the United States defeatedFrance 67–66 in thefinal, earning her first 5x5 gold medal and the United States' eighth consecutive gold medal.[63][64]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | FG% | Field goal percentage |
| 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage | RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game |
| SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | TO | Turnovers per game | PPG | Points per game |
| Bold | Career high | * | Led Division I | ° | Led the league | ‡ | WNBA record |
| † | Denotes seasons in which Plum won aWNBA championship |
Stats current through end of 2025 season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | San Antonio | 31 | 23 | 22.9 | .346 | .365 | .870 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.5 | 8.5 |
| 2018 | Las Vegas | 31 | 27 | 25.5 | .467 | .439 | .875 | 2.4 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 9.5 |
| 2019 | Las Vegas | 34 | 30 | 25.5 | .365 | .357 | .872 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 8.6 |
| 2020 | Did not play (injury) | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | Las Vegas | 26 | 0 | 25.6 | .437 | .386 | .944° | 2.5 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 14.8 |
| 2022† | Las Vegas | 36 | 36 | 32.8 | .460 | .420 | .839 | 2.7 | 5.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 20.2 |
| 2023† | Las Vegas | 39 | 39 | 32.4 | .475 | .389 | .912 | 2.4 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 18.7 |
| 2024 | Las Vegas | 38 | 38 | 34.0 | .423 | .368 | .866 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 17.8 |
| 2025 | Los Angeles | 43 | 43 | 35.1° | .422 | .355 | .893 | 3.1 | 5.7 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 19.5 |
| Career | 8 years, 2 teams | 278 | 235 | 29.8 | .430 | .383 | .885 | 2.6 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 15.1 |
| All-Star | 4 | 1 | 18.4 | .611 | .419 | 1.000 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 21.3 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Las Vegas | 5 | 3 | 35.0 | .492 | .529 | 1.000° | 4.8 | 7.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 15.2 |
| 2021 | Las Vegas | 5 | 0 | 28.8 | .471 | .387 | .909 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 19.6 |
| 2022† | Las Vegas | 10 | 10 | 33.3 | .409 | .286 | .891 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 17.1 |
| 2023† | Las Vegas | 9 | 9 | 36.8 | .417 | .403 | .875 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 18.3 |
| 2024 | Las Vegas | 6 | 6 | 33.0 | .461 | .359 | .778 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 16.3 |
| Career | 5 years, 1 team | 35 | 28 | 33.7 | .439 | .369 | .880 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 17.4 |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Washington | 34 | 34 | 37.3 | 39.3 | 36.7 | 84.6 | 4.7 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 20.9 |
| 2014–15 | Washington | 33 | 33 | 36.8 | 43.2 | 39.9 | 89.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 22.6 |
| 2015–16 | Washington | 37 | 37 | 38.2 | 40.5 | 33.3 | 89.0 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 4.3 | 25.9 |
| 2016–17 | Washington | 35 | 35 | 37.2 | 52.9 | 42.8 | 88.7 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 31.7* |
| Career | 139 | 139 | 37.4 | 44.3 | 38.2 | 88.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 3.1 | 25.4 | |
On March 4, 2023, Plum married American football playerDarren Waller.[67] Waller and Plum filed for divorce on April 23, 2024, after one year of marriage.[68][69]
Plum is proudly of Irish descent. Despite this, she has been referred to as the "Puerto Rican Princess" and others have also claimed that she has Dominican ancestry. Nonetheless, Plum has embraced the nickname.[70]
Plum is a Christian. She got her only tattoo in 2018 on her right forearm, which reads "Keep the faith". Plum has said that the tattoo helped her push through a difficult time in her life.[71]
Plum kicked off the first marquee event of the WSOP's Mystery Millions and unveiled the gold bracelet to be won in the Mystery Millions.[72]
Plum has been involved in philanthropic efforts.[73][74]
Plum has a love for cigars and has developed her own cigar brand.[75]
Plum faced depression and suicidal thoughts during her career, and went so far as to sitting on a tall parking structure with her feet hanging over the ledge considering how her family would feel if she jumped. She is now an advocate for mental health.[76]
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