Right when it feels like life’s gotten a bit too serious, all it needs is to tap back into that carefree kid energy. And Kelsey Plum is doing exactly that. Plum, after sharing her true emotions about the WNBA Draft, found herself at a similar stage this week as she rolled out her brand-new Kelsey Plum Foundation.
On Friday evening, right at the Heart of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Center, Plum hosted a launch event that had her grinning like a playground champ. The Under Armour sponsored even had the WNBA star recollect her initial time hooping in the backyard.
Kelsey Plum Launches New Foundation For Young Talents
Recently, Plum sat with the reporters to mark the beginning of a new foundation. Her latest venture will help the kids complete on-court basketball drills and a heartfelt mental health workshop. It all kicked off after a press release dropped on Thursday, and Plum couldn’t hide her excitement about getting back to basics.
“When you step out on the court, I try to remember that I’m that young kid that was playing in the backyard. And that imagination and just having the desire to play. That’s why I came to play basketball in the first place. So I always try to make sure that anytime I lose sight of that joy, to go back to being a kid again. And that always seems to do the trick,” Plum said.
Kelsey Plum back to ‘being a kid‘ with foundation launch
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However, she couldn’t get more honest about her true feelings. Growing up in Poway, California, the 2x WNBA champ wants to share the same joy with the coming generation of hoopers. Additionally, it’s refreshing to hear a pro athlete talk so openly about keeping things fun, especially in a high-pressure league like the WNBA.
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Kelsey Plum’s Foundation Is Offering More Than Just Basketball
While her foundation might sound like yet another career venture of an already successful pro athlete, it is not. At its core, the Kelsey Plum Foundation is all about mental health support for young kids, especially those from underprivileged spots who might not have easy access to help.
Though Plum has come so far after leaving the Las Vegas Aces, talking about the core values of her foundation, she got personal. She shared her own battles while learning a thing or two about the game.
“As a young girl growing up I had great support in mentors, and I still struggled with confidence issues and body image issues. I think that in itself, in terms of mental health, trying to figure that out on your own is tough. And so I’m fortunate and blessed that I had a great support system and I got through. But a lot of kids don’t have that,” she added.
Kelsey Plum, All-Star guard for the LA Sparks, spent her day off launching the Kelsey Plum Foundation, including an Under Armour Access Camp focused on expanding sports access and mental health resources for LA youth.#KesleyPlum | #Underarmour | #Lasparks | #WNBA pic.twitter.com/7Ku3zlm3ZY
— The Sporting Tribune (@SportingTrib) August 23, 2025
However, this isn’t Plum’s first rodeo in giving back. She’s been running her ‘Dawg Class’ camp since 2023, aimed at women’s college basketball players, with alums now sprinkled across WNBA teams. It would be an interesting coming few years to see how her philanthropy helps young talent.