Las Vegas, NV (July 17, 2022)—Las Vegas Aces General Manager Natalie Williams announced today that the team has signed 2022 WNBA All-Star MVP and 2021 Olympic gold medalist Kelsey Plum to a contract extension.
“Kelsey Plum is a generational talent, and one of the hardest working athletes I have ever known,” said Williams. “Her preparation and work ethic are second to none. Kelsey has the ability to impact the game in so many facets, and with the great mentorship of Coach Becky Hammon, she is proving herself to be one the best guards in the WNBA. We are thrilled to re-sign her, and strengthen our incredibly talented core group.”
“I’m thrilled to remain with the Aces, and continue playing with my teammates and for our coaching staff,” said Plum. “I look forward to persisting in our journey to delivering a championship to Las Vegas.”
Plum is enjoying a breakout season for the Aces, earning her first All-Star nod, and winning MVP honors in the WNBA’s mid-season classic after scoring a record-tying 30 points in a 134-112 victory for Team Wilson. The fifth-year pro ranks second in the league in scoring (20.2), eighth in assists (5.5), and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.422) this season, and led all guards in fan voting for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2022.
Plum could break the franchise record for made three-pointers in a season as early as today, and is on pace to become just the second player in league history to make 100 or more three-pointers in a season.
In 2021, she was named the Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year after setting what were then personal career highs in scoring, steals and free throw percentage. Plum’s 14.8 points per game were the second most in league history by a player who played the entire season as a reserve, and her 94.4 percent shooting from the charity stripe was the second highest in franchise history.
Plum also represented the United States in the Tokyo Olympics last summer, leading the U.S. to gold in the inaugural 3×3 competition.
After a record-setting career at Washington, which saw Plum set NCAA Division I marks for single-season and career points, and career free throws, the San Antonio Stars made the Poway, California native the number one overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft. She rewarded them with an All-Rookie Team performance, averaging 8.5 points, 3.4 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game while making 36.5 percent of her three-pointers.
In four-plus seasons in the WNBA, Plum boasts career averages of 11.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists, while connecting on 39.6 percent of her three-point field goal attempts. She has been even better in the postseason where she owns career averages of 17.4 points, 3.4 assists and 5.6 assists, and makes 43.8 percent of her shots from long range.
The Las Vegas Aces, who are currently in second place in the WNBA with a 17-7 record, take on the Connecticut Sun today on ABC beginning at 10 am PT.