Kelsey Plum admits to making a humorous remark broadly criticizing Caitlin Clark's squad during the All-Star Game event.
Kelsey Plum Apologizes for WNBA All-Star Game Joke
Kelsey Plum, star of the WNBA and the TV show Sparks, has issued an apology for a comment made during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis on July 19. Plum made a joke about Caitlin Clark and her team, Team Clark, not attending a morning meeting to discuss wearing "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts during the game.
The context involved strong league-wide activism during the All-Star event, as all players wore shirts supporting improved pay and contract terms amid tense Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks. Plum later admitted that she underestimated the gravity of the moment and that her joke detracted from the solidarity shown by players like Clark.
Plum explained on Sue Bird’s "Bird's Eye View" podcast that her comment was a poorly timed joke referring to players being "hungover" that morning and admitted it was inappropriate given the serious context of the players’ pay negotiations. She emphasized that her remarks were not meant as a serious accusation but rather a failed attempt at humor during a sensitive time.
Clark was one of the players who wore the "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts during the game. Plum's intention with the hungover joke was to emphasize that they all wore the shirts and were unified. However, many took her comment as a slight against Clark and her teammates.
Plum faced significant backlash, with harsh criticism from fans and media. Her subsequent public clarification aimed to defuse the situation by emphasizing that her remarks were not meant as a serious accusation but rather a failed attempt at humor during a sensitive time.
Meanwhile, the WNBA and the union are currently in negotiations regarding the players' pay and contract terms. The details of how the negotiations are progressing were not provided.
In a separate incident, a fan of the Indiana Fever managed to get Sophie Cunningham to sign a card featuring her on-court rival Jacy Sheldon, which reads as a major troll. The details of how the fan pulled off this feat were not provided.
Despite the controversy surrounding her comment, Plum's apology appears to have been accepted by many in the league. She has taken steps to make amends and ensure that similar incidents do not happen in the future. The focus for the players and the league now is on the upcoming games and the ongoing negotiations for improved pay and contract terms.
- Kelsey Plum, while discussing the WNBA All-Star Game incident on Sue Bird's podcast, revealed that her hungover joke was about the unified stance of the players wearing "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts, aiming to emphasize solidarity, but it was misunderstood as a slight against Caitlin Clark and her team.
- Plum's team, the LA Sparks, is based in Los Angeles, California, a city known for its sports teams and vibrant basketball culture.
- The WNBA All-Star Game took place in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the players wearing "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts as a show of strong league-wide activism for improved pay and contract terms amid tense CBA talks, a cause relevant to all California teams, including the Sparks.
