'A really bad joke' — Kelsey Plum clears the air on controversial Caitlin Clark All-Star Game comment in candid talk with Sue Bird
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum has broken her silence on the controversy surrounding her postgame remark about Caitlin Clark's team at the WNBA All-Star Game. Plum claims that it was meant as a joke quickly turned into a flashpoint.
Her comments quickly sparked criticism across social media and national coverage. Now, in a sit-down with Sue Bird on the 'Bird's Eye View' podcast, Plum admitted the timing of her words was off and that the moment was taken out of context.
Kelsey Plum admits her joke on Caitlin Clark didn't land
After the All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Kelsey Plum told reporters that 'zero members of Team Clark' had attended the players' morning meeting, where the decision to wear black 'Pay Us What You Owe Us' shirts was made.
At the time, she laughed alongside Sabrina Ionescu, trying to inject humor into a press conference heavy with collective bargaining questions.
On Bird's podcast, Plum admitted her intent never matched how the comments were received. 'The questions came in, and it was like, 'CBA, this, this, this.' It was like, 'Hey, Team Clark, they didn't make it to the meeting.' I was making a joke that they were hungover, even though our team nickname was 'hungover.'
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So it was like, 'At least we made it (to the meeting).''
Plum has long been known for throwing in lighthearted remarks, but this one hit differently. Fans interpreted her words as a slight against Clark, especially since Clark, though sidelined, was photographed wearing the protest shirt on the court. In retrospect, Plum acknowledged she failed to read the seriousness of the moment.
'I made a bad joke. I made a really bad joke, tough one,' she admitted. 'I should have—like, hindsight's 20/20—because of the shirts, because of the fans… I should have known it was a way more serious moment than a typical All-Star Game. Because I went into that press conference very, like, happy-go-lucky we won, you know?'
A brief context behind the Kelsey Plum's controversy
The WNBA's labor climate explains why Plum's comment became a hot topic of discussion beyond the locker-room.
Players are in the middle of collective bargaining with the league, with the current CBA set to expire in October. The protest shirts worn at All-Star Weekend were designed to highlight pay equity concerns following the WNBA's $2.2 billion television rights deal.
Clark joined her peers in wearing the shirts, despite being sidelined from her play. Plum emphasized that her words should not be taken as questioning Clark's commitment.
'Obviously, we're all on the same page. We all wore the shirts. Like, we're all unified. I think, if anything, I was more discouraged because I felt like the comments took away from the moment of what we were trying to do.'
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As the league and union move toward tense negotiations, even offhand remarks are under a microscope. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has remained optimistic that 'something transformational' will come from the bargaining process. But for Plum, the All-Star fallout was a reminder of how even a few misplaced words can shift the spotlight away from the message.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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