The Los Angeles Sparks are sitting at 8-10 and just dropped two straight games heading into July. Not great. But Kelsey Plum, in only 12 games, has been so good that ESPN moved her all the way up to second in their latest WNBA player rankings.
Only A’ja Wilson is ranked higher. And it’s not really a debate based on what Plum has done when she’s actually been on the floor.
Plum is averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game. Those numbers, along with her shooting percentages, would all be career highs if they hold. She dropped 43 points on the Mercury on June 13, hitting 53.8 percent from the field. She’s also knocked down four or more threes in five different games this year.
ESPN’s Michael Voepel put it simply: her season has been spectacular.
The problem? Health. Plum has only played in 12 of the Sparks’ 18 games. She picked up a left leg injury in late June and is expected to miss several weeks. Voepel noted that she could be out for most of July. And yet her early season performance was strong enough to land her that No. 2 spot anyway.
Can the Sparks Survive July Without Her?
That’s the real question. LA needs to stack some wins before Plum gets back. Otherwise, even when she returns at 100 percent — which might take a little time — there might not be enough runway left to save the season.
The schedule doesn’t do them any favors either. Up next is a home game against the Storm at Crypto.com Arena on July 6. Tip is at 10 p.m. ET.
For now, the Sparks have to figure out how to tread water. And the rest of the league gets a reminder that when Plum is healthy, she’s playing at an MVP-level clip. It’s just a question of whether she’ll get enough games to prove it over a full season.
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