Kelsey Plum was absolutely electric in her debut for the Mercury on Monday night, scoring 20 points in a 106-101 victory over the Chicago Sky less than 48 hours after the Los Angeles Sparks traded the five-time All-Star to Phoenix. To make her outing even more impressive, Plum hasn’t played since June 21 due to a left leg injury, so she came off the bench for the first time since 2021 and was on a minutes restriction.
“I don’t think she’s played in six weeks either, right? She’s been … out for a while,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts stated. “To get in last night at 10:30, have one shootaround, and then come out and play the way she did — a hell of a first performance by her.”
Despite the quick turnaround and limited playing time, she had the highest-scoring Mercury debut for a guard since Diana Taurasi, who scored 22 points in her first game with the team in 2004. In just 21 minutes, Plum shot an efficient 60% from the field and went 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, including a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute that gave the Mercury the lead. She also added one rebound and four assists.
This was a crucial win for the Mercury, too. Phoenix is currently No. 10 in the WNBA standings with a 12-19 overall record. In order to qualify for the postseason, they need to overtake the Washington Mystics, who are No. 8 with a 16-12 record. It is a significant gap, but the Mercury play Washington three times this month, which gives them more control over their own destiny.
Big players make big plays 😤
Kelsey Plum drills the go-ahead three with under a minute to play!
PHX-CHI | USA Network
Tap to watch: https://t.co/lHLFMYSFcY pic.twitter.com/rKBZOrTEIO— WNBA (@WNBA) August 4, 2026
Plum’s trade from the Sparks to the Mercury was by far the biggest move of this trade deadline. Before her injury, Plum was the Sparks’ leading scorer with 23.9 points per game. Prior to her one and a half seasons with the Sparks, Plum spent six years in Las Vegas and won two championships there.
“I was overwhelmed,” Plum stated during her introductory press conference on Monday. “All of this happened very fast [and it was] very unexpected…. It’s been a crazy 48 hours but to be received like that by my teammates, from the staff, from the organization, I’m just super grateful.”
A welcome from the GOAT
Diana Taurasi officially stated goodbye to the team in 2025 as a three-time WNBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer, but despite being retired, she is still an important part of the franchise. Plum has looked up to Taurasi ever since she was a child, so playing on the same team as her idol made the move even more special.
“It means everything,” Plum stated. “That was the reason I started playing basketball. She actually texted me today and just stated there’s no one she’d rather have, and so I’m just very honored.”
Plum wore the No. 10 jersey in LA and Las Vegas, but that number is currently being used by Lexi Held. The franchise has retired No. 3, No. 7, No. 13, No. 22 and No. 32 in honor of their most legendary players, so Plum joked that joining a team with such a rich history made it hard to pick a new number. She eventually chose No. 0.
“Just excited to go out there and compete. There’s a lot of greats that played for the Mercury,” she stated. “It was really hard to pick a number because every one is almost retired. So yeah, I’m just really grateful and excited.”
Kelsey Plum on being connected to her basketball idol Diana Taurasi and the Mercury history pic.twitter.com/bpL8anykNl
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) August 3, 2026
Long-term future with the franchise
While Plum is undoubtedly a solid addition to the roster and puts the Mercury in a better position to reach the playoffs, this trade was a risky one because she will be a free agent in the offseason. For now, Plum has not given much of an indication as to whether or not she sees Phoenix as a short- or long-term stay.
“As far as long-term goes, I don’t want to sound cliché, but I’m where my feet are,” Plum stated on Monday. “Last night I was in Portland, and now it’s here. But that’s why I’m a professional. I’m paid to play basketball at the highest level, and that’s what I’m going to do tonight.”
Tibbetts stated the team is not thinking about this trade as “just a 14- or 15-game rental” and hopes they can keep building with her. Meanwhile, general manager Nick U’Ren also expressed his desire to get a long-term deal done with Plum, but did not give any details on the conversations they’ve had regarding her future with the Mercury.
“I’ll keep all my discussions with Kelsey private,” U’Ren stated. “We hope that she values her time with us here. We hope she’s here for a long time.”
