There’s no end to calls against Kelsey Plum’s suspension. The Los Angeles Sparks star has found herself in hot water after a heated moment during a 72-59 loss to the Golden State Valkyries. Sitting at ninth seed in the league, the growing frustration among the fans is not looking good for the Sparks.
If Plum goes down after the calls keep on mounting, things could go worse. With the Sparks fighting for a playoff spot at 15-16, this drama has sparked a firestorm on social media, and everyone’s got an opinion.
Why Does Everybody Want Kelsey Plum Suspended?
It all went down in the fourth quarter at Chase Center, when a frustrated Plum appeared to kick Valkyries guard Veronica Burton intentionally. The incident, caught on video and shared widely on X (formerly Twitter), has fans crying foul and calling for a suspension. Plum’s rough night, where she scored just four points on 1-of-9 shooting, didn’t help her case. Most of the critics saw the move as a reaction to the Sparks’ double-digit deficit.
Kelsey Plum definitely stuck the leg out on Veronica Burton there, and Veronica was NOT PLEASED at all about that.
— The Whole Delivery (@TWDTV1) August 10, 2025
The full 617 Boston, via Newton, came out of Burton there. Plum was given a flagrant 1 on it.
🎥 @sluggahjells #WNBA pic.twitter.com/Bid2xevfab
With under four minutes left, Plum stuck out her leg as Burton tried to maneuver past her, sending the Valkyries’ guard crashing to the floor. The refs called a flagrant foul, but fans weren’t satisfied. Even during the game, reactions kept flooding the social media platforms.
However, Burton popped up, ready to confront Plum, before teammates separated them. The play, described as “dirty” by some, fueled comparisons to Draymond Green’s antics. The WNBA didn’t add further punishment, letting Plum play in the Sparks’ next game, a 20-point outburst against Seattle.
Despite all this, the league has not officially punished Plum. It will be interesting to see if the officials make any statement or keep the matter unaddressed.
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Sparks Coach Defends Kelsey Plum’s Intent
Even if the league has not heard of the incident, the Sparks coach Lynne Roberts jumped to Plum’s defense. She insisted that it wasn’t as bad as it looked.
“The flagrant, she was trying to kick the ball. She didn’t mean to — I didn’t see the replay, but I saw it live, and I know she didn’t mean anything by it. She’s not a dirty player,” she said.
Despite fans portraying the moment as a definitive point for a budding rivalry, coach Lynne has a word for them.
“I guess I can see that. Today was just a must-win for us… I just kinda wanna leave it there. If people wanna create this as a rival, then sure. That’s part of sports,” she added.
Still, fans argue the league needs to crack down to prevent reckless plays. But that would leave it as it is unless someone from inside the league steps in.