Kelsey Plum injury leaves Sparks facing major early-season test originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Sparks finally looked like one of the WNBA’s most dangerous teams over the last week. Now, they are suddenly facing a massive challenge just six games into the season.
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Star guard Kelsey Plum suffered a left ankle sprain during practice on Tuesday and will be reevaluated in one week, according to the team. The injury comes at the worst possible time for Los Angeles, which had started building real momentum after a statement win over the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Plum reportedly had to be helped off the court after the injury and did not return to practice. Even though the current timeline suggests the injury is not season-threatening, it immediately changes the outlook for a Sparks team that has relied heavily on her spectacular offensive production.
Kelsey Plum was playing the best basketball of her career
That is what makes this injury feel especially significant. Plum has not just been good to begin the 2026 season. She has arguably been the best offensive player in the entire WNBA.
Through six games, the four-time All-Star is leading the league in scoring at 26.8 points per game while shooting an absurd 58.9 percent from the field and nearly 49 percent from three-point range. She is also averaging 6.3 assists per game, putting her in elite company as both a scorer and playmaker.
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The timing feels especially brutal because Plum was coming off one of the most impressive performances of her career. Against her former team, the Aces, she exploded for 38 points and nine assists while leading Los Angeles to a statement upset victory. Even Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called it “the most unselfish 38 points” she had ever seen.
Plum later explained that her focus this season has shifted toward efficiency, even mentioning her desire to chase the rare 50-40-90 shooting benchmark. Only Elena Delle Donne and Napheesa Collier have accomplished that feat in league history. At least early in the year, Plum looked capable of joining them.
The Sparks suddenly have very little margin for error
The injury also highlights a growing concern for Los Angeles: depth and durability. The Sparks entered the season believing they finally had a roster capable of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The additions of Plum, Ariel Atkins and Nneka Ogwumike gave the franchise legitimate optimism entering the year.
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But injuries are already beginning to pile up.
Atkins previously missed time with a concussion, rookie Sania Feagin remains sidelined with a leg injury and Ogwumike recently dealt with a hand injury of her own. Now Los Angeles may have to navigate an upcoming road stretch without the player carrying the offense.
The Sparks are scheduled to face the Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun and Aces over the next week. Even though Washington and Connecticut have struggled early, losing Plum dramatically changes the difficulty of those matchups because so much of Los Angeles’ offense currently flows through her.
MORE: Sophie Cunningham’s latest comments show the WNBA may finally be hearing players’ frustrations
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Bigger picture concerns could emerge quickly
The good news for the Sparks is that early reports suggest this is not expected to become a long-term absence. Still, ankle injuries can become tricky for guards whose games depend heavily on burst, change of direction and shot creation. Plum has also been remarkably durable over the last several seasons, missing only four total games from 2022 through 2025.
That reliability has quietly become one of the most valuable parts of her game. There is also another layer worth watching here. Plum has long been one of the foundational players for USA Basketball and is expected to play a major role again during the upcoming FIBA World Cup cycle later this year.
For now, though, the focus stays on Los Angeles. The Sparks finally looked like a team beginning to discover its identity after years of inconsistency. Plum was at the center of all of it. Losing the WNBA’s leading scorer, even temporarily, now forces Los Angeles to prove whether this hot start was sustainable or simply being carried by one superstar playing at an unbelievable level.
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