Is Kelsey Plum playing tonight against the Valkyries? Exploring 2x Champion's status for LA Sparks' preseason showdown

LA Sparks star Kelsey Plum is available to play in her team’s preseason opener against the Golden State Valkyries. There is a lot of buzz surrounding Plum’s debut for the Sparks. Back in January, the 30-year-old was traded to LA as part of a three-team blockbuster trade that saw Jewell Loyd join the Las Vegas Aces.

Plum, a two-time WNBA Champion with the Las Vegas Aces, was terrific for them last season as well. She made 38 appearances, averaging 17.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 42.3% from the field. The three-time All-Star brings a wealth of experience to a relatively young roster.

She is expected to make quite the impact in LA next to Dearica Hamby and Rickea Jackson. Hamby ended the 2024 season, averaging 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.

Meanwhile, Jackson recorded 13.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. There was plenty of excitement surrounding the Sparks last season as well, after they drafted Cameron Brink with the second overall pick.

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Unfortunately, Brink’s rookie season didn’t quite go to plan as she only made 15 appearances before tearing her ACL. She recorded 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. With Kelsey Plum’s addition, LA looks set to improve on last season’s performance when it finished last in the league (8-32).

The Sparks will start their preseason without Julie Allemand and Cameron Brink, who are expected to return to the court in June. Meanwhile, the Valkyries will approach this game at full health, as they have no players listed on their injury report.

“Plan to make big waves”: Kelsey Plum on what she expects out of her tenure with the Sparks

Being a California native herself, Kelsey Plum is excited to make an impact with her new team, the LA Sparks. Speaking to the Mirror during the Sparks’ training camp, Plum outlined what she expects out of herself during her stint in LA. She said:

“Super grateful to be here, born and raised in SoCal. I've just been so grateful for the welcome. Everyone's been super, just warm and very excited. And I'm excited to be here. I was brought here for a reason and plan to make big waves."

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If Kelsey Plum plays up to her potential, the LA Sparks could end up surprising many this season. Plum will make her preseason debut for the team against the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman