Kelsey Plum Sends Message After Unfortunate Decision

Phoenix Mercury star Kelsey Plum announced that she’s out for the remainder of the season to recover from her injuries.

On Monday, Plum officially revealed that she, along with the Mercury organization, has decided to sit out the team’s last four games of the 2026 season due to a lower left leg injury.

The two-time WNBA champion sent a heartfelt message via an Instagram story explaining the decision.

“After careful consideration and conversations with my family, team doctors, coaching staff, and front office, the decision has been made to shut it down through (the) remainder of the season and focus on getting my body back to 100%,” Plum wrote.

This injury also forced her to withdraw from Team USA and give up her roster spot for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. She will be replaced by Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron.

It’s a big blow for Team USA since she played well in the qualifying tournament in March. Plum averaged 11.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game in five games to help the national team sweep their assignments.

“Additionally, I won’t be able to represent Team USA in Berlin over the next two weeks,” Plum continued. “This is not an easy decision as I love to compete but I know it’s the right one for the long term. I’ll be back, smiling, better than ever. See you soon, KP.”