WNBA’s 'stupid' rule stops Kelsey Plum from helping teammate, but Sabrina Ionescu comes through with wholesome assist

LA Sparks star Kelsey Plum thanked Sabrina Ionescu for giving her signature shoes to her rookie teammate Sarah Ashlee Barker.

On Wednesday, Plum narrated the story of Barker sporting an old version of the New York Liberty star's signature shoes during training camp. The 6-foot guard said it takes a long time to order the popular sneakers.

Plum told Barker that she would help her get the newer version from Ionescu herself.

"So, I hit Sab, I'm like, 'Yo, help my teammate, it's a nightmare out here.' And she was like, 'I got you, what size does she wear?' I said, '10 and a half.' She said, 'Great, that's the size I wear,'" Plum said. "I said, 'Just don't send any Oregon colorways. I can deal with Liberty but don't send the Oregon colorway."

In the following Instagram story, Plum showed that the Liberty star came through with her promise and sent six colorways of the "Nike Sabrina 2."

Plum's posts were shared by Overtime WBB on Instagram.

The Sparks selected Barker with the ninth pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. Meanwhile, Plum, a two-time WNBA champion, is in her first season with the Sparks after being traded from the Las Vegas Aces.

Plum played for the Washington Huskies in college, which is the rival of Ionescu's Oregon Ducks.

What was the WNBA rule Kelsey Plum referenced?

Kelsey Plum posted a third Instagram story on Wednesday, in which she wrote:

"Btw only reason SA can't wear UA (Under Armour) shoes is cause of the stupid WNBA rule or l'd have her laced a loooong time ago😂😂."

Kelsey Plum's Instagram story on Wednesday (Credits: IG/@kelseyplum10)

The WNBA's rulebook states that players must be "uniformly dressed" following the "color guidelines set in place by both their team and the league." In terms of shoes, the official rules only state that it is the only article of clothing that can bear a commercial logo.

While Plum didn't elaborate on which rule she referenced, the Sparks star might be referring to the league's partnership with Nike. The apparel and shoe giant has been the WNBA's exclusive uniform and apparel provider since its inception in 1997.

In October, the WNBA, the NBA and the G League signed a 12-year extension to be the on-court outfitter of the basketball leagues through 2037.

In 2022, Kelsey Plum signed a multi-year deal with Under Armour and has her own "Breakthru 5 PE" colorway, which she debuted last season.