Kelsey Plum’s MVP push hits decisive point with Sparks’ upcoming schedule originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Don’t look now, but Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum is making a case for herself as a WNBA MVP candidate.
Advertisement
Granted, ESPN’s awards tracker ranks A’ja Wilson as the favorite to claim the award for a record fifth time later this year. But Plum is listed as a contender amid the instability in Los Angeles — where the Sparks are trying to snap a five-year playoff drought.
“In her second season in Los Angeles, Plum has been the offensive engine for the Sparks as they’ve integrated a number of veteran players,” wrote ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.
MORE: LA Sparks just had their best game of the season and Cameron Brink was hardly involved
Plum is the WNBA’s leading scorer at 25.5 points per game. She’s averaging the most minutes in the league at 34.9 per game — and though the Sparks have the league’s worst defense by efficiency, Plum’s brilliance has Los Angeles (5-6) just one game out of the playoffs.
Though three-fourths of the season remain, the Sparks’ upcoming games could go a long way toward determining the viability of Los Angeles’ playoff push — and Plum’s candidacy as a challenger to Wilson’s MVP throne.
Advertisement
The Sparks visit two of the WNBA’s worst teams on Thursday and Saturday, and road wins over the Seattle Storm and the Phoenix Mercury would push LA over .500.
Next week, the Sparks have three consecutive games against 2025 playoff teams: the dangerousGolden State Valkyries, the league-bestMinnesota Lynx and the star-studded New York Liberty. After that is a visit to Toronto, where the high-powered Tempo are in direct contention with LA for a playoff berth.
Even at this early stage, the Sparks know the clock is ticking with Plum, Nneka Ogwumike and their veteran core. It already feels as if Plum will need to pull off some wizardry through this tough stretch to keep the Sparks’ push on track.
But if anyone in purple and gold is capable of that, it’s her.
Advertisement
