Is Kelsey Plum playing tonight against the Minnesota Lynx? Latest on Sparks star's availability (June 21)

Kelsey Plum is set to return to the starting five on Saturday as the LA Sparks travel to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. Plum missed the Sparks' 98-67 loss to the Seattle Storm at Crypto.com Arena due to a lower leg injury.

According to ESPN.com, the former Aces guard is no longer on the injury list and is set to feature against the league leaders. Her last appearance was against the Lynx on Friday in a 101-78 loss. Following that, Plum was ruled out with an injury, which was her first in an LA Sparks jersey.

Since being traded to Los Angeles during the offseason, Plum has been consistent. She leads the team in scoring and assists, averaging a career-high 20.9 points and 5.6 assists per game, but the Sparks have struggled to gain a strong foothold.

The Sparks (4-9) are 10th in the WNBA standings and are on a two-game losing streak. They are yet to win two straight games this season and have suffered multiple injuries. Only Dearica Hamby and Azura Stevens have started all 13 games.

Although Plum is set to play against the Lynx, the Sparks will be without Rae Burrell, Odyssey Sims, Cameron Brink and Julle Allemand.

Kelsey Plum on fans waiting outside team hotel to grab an autograph: "Kind of weird"

LA Sparks star Kelsey Plum expressed her thoughts on fans waiting outside the team hotel for autographs on Thursday. The guard was unimpressed with fans lining up in front of the Sparks' lodging as she said:

"Don't y'all find that kind of weird? Low-key? I'm really turned off right now," Plum said.

Plum called out a fan and discouraged him from repeating the act. However, she did sign an autograph, showing appreciation for their support.

"I appreciate that (the support), okay I will sign one," Plum said.

Expand Tweet

The interaction showcased the duality of being in the public eye, as fans were left divided by Kelsey Plum's action. While the guard cares about her privacy, considering fans were lined up outside her hotel, some believe it's a result of being in the spotlight.

About the author

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

Know More

Edited by Bhargav