Sparks' Kelsey Plum torches WNBA refs in fiery NSFW rant: ‘F–k, I'm over it'

New York Post

2 days ago

Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum ripped the referees over 'ticky-tack' foul calls after a loss to the Golden State Valkyries in overtime on Monday night.
Plum was emotional as she complained about the apparent lopsided officiating, adding that she had scratches on her face and her body.
'I'm going to get fined for saying this, but, like, I drive more than anyone in the league. So, to shoot six free throws is f–king absurd,' Plum said after the Sparks' 91-89 defeat at the hands of the Valkyries, who are in their inaugural season as the 13th WNBA expansion team.
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'And I got scratches on my face, I got scratches on my body, and these guards on the other team get these ticky-tack fouls, and I'm sick of it. I get fouled like that on every possession. [Sparks forward] Rickea [Jackson] gets fouled like that in the post all the time, and they don't call it. And I don't know what else to do. It's really frustrating, though.
Plum, who had 24 points, including four 3-pointers, and seven assists for Los Angeles, went on to share examples of non-calls by the officials down the stretch.
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3 Sparks guard Kelsey Plum ripped the referees over ticky-tack foul calls after a loss to the Golden State Valkyries in overtime at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Monday, June 9, 2025.
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'There are multiple shots at the end of the game, either going into the third, into the fourth, where they're just coming out and just f–king swinging, and they just don't call anything,' she continued. 'I don't understand how that's… six free throws. I'm playing 40 minutes, touching the paint on almost every play. It's absurd. It's absurd.
'So I'm saying I'll get fined for that, and that's fine, but I mean — and I needed to make more shots like late-game, but they're fouling the s–t out of me every single play. I'm very frustrated with that, and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it. I don't know what I need to do. I've talked to the refs nice, I pray before the game, like, f—k, I'm over it.'
3 Sparks guard Kelsey Plum is fouled between Valkyries' Janelle Salaun #13 and Veronica Burton #22 a game at Crypto.com Arena on June 9, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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The Sparks had 23 fouls to the Valkyries' 25.
The three-time All-Star reached 1,000 career assists in the fourth quarter.
3 Sparks guard Kelsey Plum shoots a free throw during the game against the Golden State Valkyries on June 9, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
NBAE via Getty Images
The Valkyries knocked down shots in the extra period, unlike Los Angeles, which missed 8 of 9 field goals in overtime.
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Plum is in her first season with the Sparks after a trade with the Las Vegas Aces — with whom she became a two-time WNBA champ in 2022 and 2023 — this past offseason.
The former first round pick is averaging 21.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
The Sparks have a 3-7 mark heading into a matchup with the Aces (4-3) in Las Vegas on Wednesday.