Kelsey Plum may now be a WNBA champion, but the Las Vegas Aces guard says the reality of the achievement still hasn’t fully settled in.
“Some days I genuinely forget we won,” the 28-year-old tells PEOPLE. “It still feels a little unreal.”
Plum expects the moment to hit her only when she and her teammates finally receive their championship rings. Until then, she’s savoring the memories of the celebration that swept across Las Vegas after the franchise captured the city’s first-ever professional sports title.
“The energy in Vegas has been insane,” Plum says. “I don’t think I understood how much it meant to the people here. They love winners, and being the first pro team to bring a championship home made the whole city explode with pride.”
She’s felt that appreciation everywhere she goes. “I get stopped constantly. I’ve never had so many people offer me free parking, free food, free valet—everyone just wants to say thank you,” Plum shares.
The championship carried even more weight given the hardships Las Vegas has weathered—from the 2017 mass shooting to the economic devastation of the COVID-19 shutdown.
“Vegas has taken some hits,” Plum says. “The pandemic was brutal, and the shooting still haunts people. They were ready for some joy, and it felt amazing to be part of giving them that.”
The Aces’ parade drew more than 20,000 fans and shut down the entire Strip after initial plans to close only half. “It was absolute pandemonium—in the best way,” Plum says.
But the celebrations haven’t dulled the team’s competitive fire.
“We’re proud, but we’re still hungry,” the reigning WNBA All-Star MVP says. “Our success came from having that edge, and it hasn’t gone away.”
Plum says the Aces are focused on more than just wins as they look toward next season.
“We believe we can build something bigger than basketball,” she explains. “We want to reach people who might not have known about the Aces or the WNBA before. And trust me—we’re ready.”
While the new season approaches, Plum is channeling her intensity into a different arena: gaming. On December 9, she will face New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu in a live NBA2K showdown on Twitch, part of her partnership with American Express.
“There’s going to be a lot of trash talk,” Plum says with a grin. “I’m practicing, because even if I’m not the best player, I’m not showing up unprepared.”
She jokes that fans shouldn’t be fooled by Ionescu’s friendly image. “She has devilish tendencies,” Plum laughs. “People think she’s all sweet—but don’t be fooled. She went to Oregon!”
Fans can watch the matchup online or attend the American Express x NBA 2K23 Lab pop-up in SoHo from December 8–11, where game specialists will offer personalized coaching sessions for anyone looking to sharpen their skills.
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