Aces star Kelsey Plum retires from first undefeated season

On November 29, 2024By Littum

After all, Kelsey Plum won’t be playing in the new Unmatched League this offseason.

The Las Vegas Aces star shared on her Instagram story Wednesday night that she has opted out of the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, which will start in Miami in January.

“I have decided not to participate in the first season of Unrivaled in order to take some more time for myself this offseason,” she said. “I appreciate the league’s understanding and being so accommodating. I wish the league and all the players nothing but the best and I’m excited to watch.”

Kelsey Plum announces that she is dropping out of Unrivaled, which was supposed to have 36 players and now presumably has 3 spots left.

The offseason league, set to tip off in Miami in January, is now down to four Aces players: Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Tiffany Hayes and Kate Martin. pic.twitter.com/rKmuLaMYDj

— Callie Fine (@CallieJLaw) 28 November 2024

Plum was set to star at Laces with Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas, Stefanie Dolson and Kate Martin. Andrew Wade is the team’s coach. It is unclear who will fill Plum’s spot on their roster or who will fill the other two open spots in the 36-man league.

Aces teammates Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes are also in the league along with Martin.

Unrivaled officially opens play in January in Miami. The league was originally set to include only 30 WNBA players, but it expanded and added six more roster spots in October. The six teams will play 14 games each, and the season will end with a single-elimination Final Four tournament to determine the champion. The games will be played on a 70-foot court with an 18-second shot clock and three seven-minute periods. There will also be an All-Star event and a one-on-one tournament.

TNT entered into a media rights deal with the league to broadcast 45 games, and players will receive a minimum of $100,000 for the season. Plum is the latest WNBA star to either retire or opt out. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was long rumored to be involved, but she will not play in the first season.

Plum, a three-time WNBA All-Star, averaged 17.8 points and 4.2 assists with the Aces last season. The 30-year-old was first selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the San Antonio Stars in 2017. She has helped lead the franchise to a pair of WNBA titles, though they were eliminated in the semifinals of the playoffs last season while trying to win , what would have been a historic third straight championship.

Unmatched officially starts on January 17th.