May 16, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (center) dribbles against Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin (20) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Sparks' Kelsey Plum Delivers Strong Message To Coach After Season Debut

Originally posted on Los Angeles Sparks on SI
By Ben Geffner | Last updated May 18, 2025 7:21 PM ET

Kelsey Plum poured in 37 points, five steals and six assists in the Sparks' 84-67 season-opening win over the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night — nearly mirroring her 40-point career-high set against Minnesota in July 2023. It cemented her as the first player in WNBA history with 35-plus points, five-plus assists and five-plus steals in a single game.

"Mentality for me tonight was just to come out and have fun," Plum said postgame.

But it came with an abnormally high usage rate.

Plum played all 40 minutes in the season opener — just the second time she hasn't rested in a game since the beginning of the 2024 campaign — following fellow guard Rae Burrell's leg injury that came within the first minute on Friday.

After the final buzzer sounded, signifying head coach Lynne Roberts' first career WNBA win and Plum's first in a Sparks uniform, the star guard approached her coach to discuss the heavy minutes.

"She told me after that happened, like: 'Hey I can play 40. Take me out if I'm doing something wrong, but don't take me out because you think I'm tired,'" Roberts recalled in Sunday's pregame media availability.

"Kelsey's fitness and strength and conditioning is otherworldly," Roberts said. "I know she can play 40 [minutes]."

Kelsey Plum’s first rest comes after 15 minutes of play in Sunday’s home opener, at the 5:04 mark before halftime — an intentional move by Sparks’ coach Lynne Roberts.

Here’s Roberts pregame on managing Plum’s minutes after the star guard played all 40 in Friday’s season opener: pic.twitter.com/ocEv3pkm3B
— Ben Geffner (@BenGeffner) May 18, 2025

Despite Plum's confidence and high-impact abilities she brings when on the court, Roberts knows the high usage rate isn't sustainable across a 40-game WNBA season. Varying amounts of rest plan to be a constant moving forward, she said.

"If there's situations like there were at Golden State, where she needs to, she will and she can. But ideally, no, that's not the best case scenario," Roberts added.

Kelsey Plum puts Minnesota on SKATES for her first-ever home basket in a Sparks uniform. ⛸️

pic.twitter.com/u5AmA7qUQu
— LA Sports Report (@LA_SportsReport) May 18, 2025

Plum's first rest in Sunday's home opener versus the Minnesota Lynx came after 15 minutes of play, at the 5:04 mark before halftime — undoubtedly an intentional move by Roberts to manage the star guard's minutes moving forward.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Sparks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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