Kelsey Plum’s Buzzer-Beater Lit Up the Court — But Not the Press Room
- Jackie Rae
- Aug 21
- 3 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
The Los Angeles Sparks sealed an epic win over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night, thanks to a buzzer-beater by the team's star player, Kelsey Plum. With Wings rookie sensation Paige Bueckers making history by dropping 44 points — the most ever by a rookie in a single game — the matchup was destined to come down to the wire.
Videos and quotes of Plum seated beside head coach Lynne Roberts and her teammate at the postgame press conference should have lit up social media and energized fans with the belief that a playoff push was still within reach. Instead, something felt off—and truthfully, it has for some time.
In early February, Plum made her debut in Los Angeles during an emotional media day. In front of reporters, family, and friends, she instantly set the tone by giving everyone in attendance hope, joy, and belief that her desire to return the franchise to "Sparks basketball" would be the catalyst to end a five-year drought from the postseason.
Despite the team's struggles, that hope is still very much alive. Yet securing a one-on-one interview with Plum to discuss her journey with the team thus far has been challenging. From requesting reporters to submit questions in advance, to postponing interviews altogether, opportunities to connect her story to the fan base — her motivations, her joys, her humanity — have been scarce.
To be fair, Plum has taken part in postgame press conferences before. But with access so limited, those appearances rarely allow for conversations beyond the night’s game.
The Sparks' media room is small, and frustrations about limited access to Plum abound. For a brief moment, her game-winning shot seemed like it would cut through all that tension. Surely she would take the podium after a made-for-TV buzzer beater that secured an 80-81 victory over Dallas. She did not.
Instead, head coach Lynne Roberts was joined by Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, who provided valuable perspective. Brink admitted she is still working to build her offensive confidence, choosing instead to focus on defense.
‘It's really hard to come back,” Brink said. She played a season-high 19 minutes, posting 11 points and eight rebounds — four of them offensive, creating crucial second-chance points.
"I've definitely struggled with my confidence," she explained. “My teammates are great; they instill confidence in me. [Coach] Lynne has done a great job about that. I just appreciate their patience, but I think it’s just been hard. It's like you're jumping on a moving train.”
Coach Roberts emphasized that Brink's career-high of four offensive rebounds were pivotal in the second half. “That counts as offense in my book, too,” she said.
Jackson, meanwhile, apologized for a late technical foul, noting she felt it should have been a double tech. The accountability led to an endearing moment where Jackson received support not only from the media but from head coach Roberts as she patted her on the back. The honesty, chemistry, love, and support this team has for one another was on full display. But there was still one looming question: where is KP?
When the presser wrapped, Plum stood in the hallway with Sparks staff and two well-known reporters. At first, it seemed she was simply prioritizing outlets with the largest reach. But then came the tears, the retreat, and the quiet admission: she didn't trust reporters.
Most reporters genuinely want to see this team succeed. Not just because covering a winning season is easier, but because we've seen the trials and tribulations the team has endured—and the relentless hard work, resilience, and growth of this legacy franchise.
It's fair to assume that reporters will inevitably ask questions that players or coaches don't want to answer. But just as much as asking tough questions is part of the job, "No comment" is a very acceptable answer.
The WNBA is experiencing exceptional growth. It's an exciting time, especially for reporters who have a love for the game and put in the work to ensure that portraying the human side of the players will endear them to fans not just today, but for generations to come.
As the Sparks fight for the postseason, one truth is clear: trust between players and media can’t be the missing piece. Just as respect for the league grows, so must respect for those working to tell its stories.
I was honestly nervous about where this was going. Over these recent years, journalism has begun to lose its credibility in pursuit of views/likes/etc. We’ve seen media pushing narratives that are less than accurate in all walks— from politics to world news, wars, and the like. Media coverage for the WNBA isn’t immune to it. Players are pit against each other, rivalries turn people into villains or heroes, and simple comments are completely blown out of proportion. And to add to it, now that the audience is growing in the W, we have more casual fans who obtain most of their WNBA content by watching game highlights and scrolling through social media made by content creators— and these condensed versions…