Sources: Sparks re-signing Plum to 1-year deal

Four-time WNBA All-Star and two-time champion Kelsey Plum is signing a one-year, $999,999 deal to return to the Los Angeles Sparks, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Sunday.

Plum was in line for the $1.4 million supermax but opted to sign at discounted rate to give the Sparks financial flexibility to build a title-contending roster.

The 5-foot-8 guard and four-time All-Star averaged 19.5 points and 5.7 assists last season with the Sparks. That was her first campaign with the organization after previously spending her entire career with the San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces franchise, which drafted her No. 1 overall in 2017 out of Washington.

Plum, who held the NCAA scoring record (3,527) before Caitlin Clark broke it in 2024, was a key piece of the Aces core that won consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023. But she arrived in Los Angeles as the team's clear-cut star and with the goal of helping the storied franchise return to relevance. The Sparks, one of the WNBA's original franchises, have not reached the playoffs since 2020, the longest active streak in the league.

Plum, 31, is also a former Sixth Player of the Year (2021), All-Star Game MVP (2022), all-WNBA First Team selection (2022) and Olympic gold medalist with both the 5-on-5 (2024) and 3x3 (2020) USA teams.