Kelsey Plum played with the Las Vegas Aces from 2017 to 2024, during which she featured alongside former South Carolina star A’ja Wilson and won two WNBA titles. Before the 2025 season, she was part of a three-team trade that sent her to the Sparks.
She recently appeared on former WNBA legend Sue Bird’s “Bird’s Eye View” podcast, where she spoke highly about her former teammate. Plum noted Wilson’s consistency, competitiveness and ability to rise to the occasion since her college days at South Carolina under Dawn Staley.
“Yeah, I mean, talk about expectations,” Plum said (38:30). “That’s someone that had big expectations, and I think she’s completely superseded them. Her growth every year… I think the thing I always appreciate and admire about A’ja, even to this day, is she shows up every game.”
Plum added that it’s not only the stat line she puts up every game. When the going gets tough, she almost delivers every time.
“There are some players, not a lot, but some, where when you’re talented, you can kind of coast,” Plum said. “She’s a competitor. When the game’s on the line, she wants the ball. She’s someone who gets bigger in big moments. I’ve always really respected and admired that about that.”
Read More: “It Just Gets Worse”: Kelsey Plum Breaks Silence on Viral Caitlin Clark All-Star T-Shirt Remark
Kelsey Plum Was the Perfect 1-2 Punch Alongside A’ja Wilson for the Aces
When talking about some of the legendary duos in the WNBA, Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson’s 1-2 punch for the Aces should get its due recognition. Their partnership asserted a dynasty in Las Vegas that saw multiple trips to the playoffs along with two WNBA titles.
Last season, Wilson averaged 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, while Plum added 17.8 points and 4.2 assists. Meanwhile, a year earlier in 2023, both maintained elite production. Wilson averaged 22.8 ppg and 9.5 rpg, and Plum averaged 18.7 ppg. They won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023.
When Plum was traded after the 2024 season, it left Wilson hurt.
“It hurts my heart that she is no longer with us,” Wilson said in an interview with The Sporting Tribune. “To see her thrive in the purple and gold here is always good for my heart.”
Meanwhile, on the podcast with Sue Bird, Plum reflected back on her trade out of Las Vegas. She said:
“Every year, and you come back, and you’re like playing on a great team, you’re willing to sacrifice, do whatever it takes, but I think there’s a point where you start to feel like you’re underappreciated…I kind of just felt I needed a fresh start. I needed a fresh start personally. I needed a fresh start professionally, and I felt like my growth was kind of capped in Vegas.”
Now, with both duos separated, the rest of the WNBA teams can breathe a sigh of relief at not having to overcome this tandem.
Also Read: Dawn Staley’s Former Star A’ja Wilson Carrying Aces Alone as Insider Slams Quiet Trade Window
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