Kelsey Plum expected to be back on the floor for the Los Angeles Sparks after recovering from injury. Instead, the former WNBA champion found herself making her debut for a new team less than 48 hours after the trade deadline.
The move to the Phoenix Mercury came together quickly, leaving Plum with little time to process everything. She even compared the experience to being in Spider-Man's "multiverse," saying the past couple of days felt like she was living in different realities.
But once she arrived in Chicago to join her new team, any uncertainty quickly faded. Plum said her new teammates welcomed her with hugs and a bouquet of white roses at the team hotel before Monday's game against the Chicago Sky.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Before helping the Mercury pick up a 106-101 win in her debut, she reflected on what the last two days had been like.
"I was overwhelmed, to be honest. All this happened really fast, very unexpected personally,” Plum said, per Shane Young. “So, I think for me, I was just kind of just overwhelmed, just felt like God's grace on me, to be honest. It's been a crazy 48 hours, but to be received like that, from teammates, from the staff, from the organization, I'm just super grateful, and I can't say how thankful I am to just go out and compete tonight."
Plum made an immediate impact in her first game with Phoenix, scoring 20 points in 21 minutes off the bench. Her biggest basket came in the final minute when she knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer to help seal the victory over Chicago.
The Mercury are hoping Plum's arrival gives them a boost as they continue their push for a playoff spot.
Phoenix enters the next stretch of the season sitting 11th in the standings, 6½ games behind the eighth-place New York Liberty after reaching the WNBA Finals last season.
