Kelsey Plum Invites WNBA Fine With NSFW Rant on Refereeing Disparity After 89-81 Loss to Valkyries

Kelsey Plum felt hard done by the referees in the Sparks' home loss to the Valkyries last night and had a meltdown moment.

Kelsey Plum Invites WNBA Fine With NSFW Rant on Refereeing Disparity After 89-81 Loss to Valkyries

Kelsey Plum, LA Sparks (FS Image)

The Golden State Valkryies overcame the Los Angeles Sparks in a West Coast duel at Crypto.com Arena. It went into overtime, with the LA Sparks held to a single bucket in the extra time period. Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby had 20-point games for the Sparks, but the Valkyries’ bench outscored them 25-18. This proved to be the deciding factor in a tight contest. Another factor, according to Plum, was the refereeing.

Kelsey Plum had 24 points on the night, but her output was inefficient as she only shot 7-20. She made four of her eight 3-point shots, but she was unable to get anything going inside the line. This dip in scoring closer to the bucket, according to Plum, was due to the Valkyries’ guards being allowed to play with a lot more physicality than she and her teammates were allowed in this game.

Speaking to the press at the post-game media availability, the two-time WNBA champion spoke her mind. After self-consciously declaring that she would be fined for her words, Plum launched into a tirade at the officiating standards:

I’ll be fined for saying this, but I drive more than anyone in the league. So to shoot six free throws is f***ing absurd. And then I got scratches on my face, I’ve got scratches all over my body. These guards on the other team get these ticky-tack fouls and I’m sick of it. I get fouled on every possession, Rickea gets fouled on the post all the time and they don’t call it. I don’t know what else to do, and it’s really frustrating.

Plum was hardly finished with her complaint, which she knew she would duly get fined for:

There’s multiple shots at the end of the game, either into the third or fourth quarter, where they’re just coming in and f***ing swinging and they just don’t call anything and I don’t understand how that’s (fair). Six free throws! I’m playing 40 minutes, touching the paint almost every play. It’s absurd. So I’m just saying I’ll get fined for that, and I need to make more shots. But late game, I mean, they’re fouling the s*** out of me every single play. I’m very frustrated, I‘m sick of it, I don’t know what to do. I talk to the refs nice…I’m over it.

Kelsey Plum needs to be more patient with the LA Sparks’ rebuild

Kelsey Plum had a lot of struggles during her early career with the Las Vegas Aces. Coming into the league on a rebuilding team as a No. 1 pick, Plum faced a lot of pressure. However, she and A’ja Wilson were able to build a winning culture in the desert and lead the Aces to back-to-back championships.

Kelsey Plum consciously decide to make a move from the team that drafted her this year. She wanted a fresh start, and to play with a newer group of players. She also wanted to mentor younger players, which she’s done a great job with on the Sparks so far.

The Sparks have some ways to go as a team, given that they are without the injured Cameron Brink. Brink’s return would give them great size and paint protection on the interior and allow Kelsey Plum to express herself. It would free her up with more offensive responsibility and a taller player to run screen actions with.

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