Kelsey Plum Addresses Controversial Comment About Caitlyn Clark

Kelsey Plum, the Las Vegas ace star, recently responded to backlash regarding a comment she made last month. It was initially seen as a “joke” about Caitlyn Clark and her All-Star teammates.

In the aftermath of the WNBA All-Star Game, where many players donned t-shirts reading “We’ll pay you what you owe” — a nod to ongoing union negotiations — Plum mentioned to reporters that Clark’s teammates were not present for a discussion about the shirts.

Plum remarked, “But United Front, Just and United Front decided that we had a meeting, and although it’s not Tuttletail, the zero members of Team Clark were very present for that.” This comment stirred up considerable criticism as many pointed out that Clark herself wore a similar shirt during the event.

In light of the backlash, Plum stated her remarks weren’t meant to be taken seriously. She noted that players are often “hanging” around, seemingly implying a lighter atmosphere during such meetings. “I made a bad joke. I made a really bad joke, tough one,” she admitted in an episode of the WNBA podcast, “Bird’s-eye view.”

She acknowledged that the situation should have been approached with more gravity. “For fans, I should have recognized the second half of 2020 for the shirt,” Plum reflected, admitting she underestimated the serious nature of the moment. “I really liked that press conference, and I had a great weekend. It was a great time, although it felt very CBA-oriented.”

This protest highlighted players criticizing WNBA officials during important contract negotiations.

WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert expressed optimism about reaching an agreement before the current CBA expires. “I’m really optimistic that I can still accomplish something transformative,” she stated. “Obviously, there’s a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there.”