Why the WNBA could fine Kelsey Plum despite Sparks star's heroics

Jeremy Beren

Why the WNBA could fine Kelsey Plum despite Sparks star's heroics image

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In one of the 2025 season's best games, the Dallas Wings and the Los Angeles Sparks went back-and-forth at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night.

Though Wings star Paige Bueckers tied a WNBA rookie record with 44 points, it was the Sparks' Kelsey Plum who got the last laugh in LA.

As time expired in the fourth quarter, Plum hit a running bank shot to secure an 81-80 win for the Sparks, who are now a half-game back of the Seattle Storm for the final WNBA playoff spot.

MORE: Thriller in Los Angeles: Sparks' Kelsey Plum ruins Wings' Paige Bueckers career night

Yet, Plum still faces disciplinary action from the WNBA -- not for anything she did with the basketball in her hands, but for what she did after the game, as the Sparks (17-18) won a vital game for their pursuit of the playoffs. 

Speaking to sideline reporter Nikki Kay, Plum used a little colorful language to call out LA's defensive effort after Bueckers' stellar individual performance nearly saw Dallas (9-27) steal a game on the road.

"We gotta play some f—ing defense," Plum responded when asked how the Sparks will prepare for their next game.

Warning: The following video contains NSFW language.

As a two-time champion with the Las Vegas Aces, Plum knows all about the value of strong team defense at this point in the season. However, the WNBA may not take too kindly to Plum's profanity -- especially as the All-Star guard has been on the league's radar for a couple months already.

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Jeremy Beren

Jeremy Beren is a freelance WNBA writer with The Sporting News. A Phoenix native, he is a graduate of Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and he has a decade’s worth of sports journalism experience. Jeremy's work has appeared in publications such as Marca, SB Nation, Athlon Sports and Vice Sports. He currently lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas.