LAS VEGAS -- Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum felt right at home Friday night, making her way onto the court at Michelob Ultra Arena inside Mandalay Bay for her infamous, and extensive, warmup.
Only thing, it's no longer Plum's home.
It marked the first time the two-time WNBA champion guard played in Las Vegas opposite the Aces since the franchise moved from San Antonio.
Part of a three-team trade that brought Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas, the Plum Dawg was still greeted by throngs of fans seeking autographs after her warm-up, and a standing ovation after her pre-game tribute video.
"I'm doing great," Plum told The Sporting Tribune during an exclusive interview. "Honestly, it's been a full circle moment to be back to see a lot of familiar faces here in Vegas. You know, Vegas (was) my home for a long time, and I feel like I'll be forever grateful.
"I became a woman here, pretty much, you know? So, it's cool to be back. I'm sure there are a lot of things that will be said, but there's really no bad blood. I'm grateful for the fans, I think I'll be welcomed tonight, which will be cool. And regardless of what happens tonight, I'm just gonna have a ton of fun. But I'm doing great."
As stated, she was welcomed. Whether or not she had fun after scoring 17 points in the Sparks' 96-81 loss is debatable.
And while her first game back was the theme for many, the 30-year-old's current chapter is the bigger storyline: a former first-overall pick returning home to Southern California and what one of the most dynamic sports personalities brings to one of the biggest professional sports markets.
Just ask Chelsea Gray, who's won three WNBA titles, one with the Sparks and two with the Aces, and knows the meaning of representing Los Angeles as a professional athlete.
"It's huge, I mean, her name kind of speaks for itself," Gray said. "And her accolades that she's been able to accomplish in a different uniform, (there's) a presence about her. She comes from a winning culture. So when you're trying to build something, especially in a city like L.A., it takes people (who have) won before and vets who have the right mindset to get it done."
And that's Plum, who might be averaging 24.0 points per game after Friday's game, but recently said after a 28-point performance that she "doesn't give a damn" about how many points she's scoring.
She wants to win.
"When somebody that can go off for 40 points doesn't care, doesn't give a damn about points, and it's easy to say that, she genuinely (means that) from the bottom of her heart, and toes and everything," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "And so that frees everybody up to just make it about winning and competing."
FRESH START
Plum admitted she needed this past offseason to collect herself mentally, which is why she decided to forego her commitment to Unrivaled even before she was traded to Los Angeles, hoping to decompress from a roller coaster of a 2024 that included her divorce to former NFL star Darren Waller, a gold medal in the Paris Olympics, and a rugged quest for a third-straight WNBA title with the Aces.
"People talk about trying to win a championship, trying to win three in a row is something completely different," she said. "It's in a different realm. Every night we were playing someone's best game, and it weighs on you.
"I was just super grateful to be able to take some time in the offseason and really rest. It was the first time I've been able to do that for a while. I mean, people forget, there's a lot of personal stuff that happened, (and then) literally the season started. ... You're playing every other day, you're traveling, (there) is (a lot) going on. So I didn't really have a chance to even fully decompress and process my life. It was really hard."
Which is why, she said, all she wanted was the chance to disappear for a minute, take a break and recover mentally, physically and emotionally.
Now, refreshed in Los Angeles, Roberts calls Plum "the head of the snake."
But the three-time WNBA All-Star isn't worried about being the face of anyone's franchise as much as she's ready to build something new with what is as close to her hometown team as she'll get, having grown up roughly 100 miles south in Poway.
"I guess you could say it's cool to be in a new season, different space," she said. "I'm just grateful. I'm excited about L.A. Remember, in Vegas, we were not good for a long time. And, so, it takes time to build things. I'm so like, just a day at a time."
NEW ROLE
While Roberts is obviously counting on Plum to be a facilitator, scorer and leader, it's her dawg mentality that has taken on the role of mentor, too.
Plum said the biggest joy with her new team thus far has been taking younger players, like rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker, under her wing and sharing her knowledge.
"It means the world to me, honestly," Barker told The Sporting Tribune. "Growing up, I watched her play basketball. I knew her as Kelsey Plum who played basketball. She was a great basketball player. But now getting to know her as a person, off the floor, she's just as good a person as she is a basketball player.
"She's poured into me, honestly. She doesn't have to do that, but she wanted to. And she's gotten to know me on a personal level, and has asked questions, and has gotten to know me just beyond the game of basketball, and that's what I've appreciated about her the most."
On the court, Barker said she couldn't have asked for a better teacher, as Plum is constantly pulling her aside to offer tutelage.
"She's a tremendous leader in that way," Roberts said. "And she plays with joy. She loves to play basketball. If she had a bad day, you'd never know it. And the way she plays with joy is just consistent and steady and predictable. As a coach, that's unbelievably valuable."
Never short of wit and charm, Plum joked she's taken lessons from her younger teammates, too, especially when it comes to music.
"They're playing songs in the locker room I've never heard of," Plum said. "I'm like, 'Whoa. I feel dated right now.' TikToks and all the things? But it's been cool, just a different energy. And there's different things you appreciate about different teams. You have vets and experience and all the things, but ... that's been really a fun surprise for me."
And while everyone shared the same sentiment of what it means for not only the Sparks, but a sports city used to winning championships, to have someone like Kelsey Plum wearing Los Angeles across her chest, the humble side of her emerged.
"I think maybe when I retire, I'll look back and probably enjoy that then," Plum said. "But there's a lot of work to be done through now and then."
Which she's willing to do, feeling right at home, only back in Southern California.
