NBA Insider Defends Sparks’ Kelsey Plum Over Caitlin Clark Comments

Prior to Saturday night's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, players from both Team Collier and Team Clark wore "Pay Us What You Owe Us" t-shirts during warmups — a representation of ongoing requests and feelings during leaguewide Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations.

Following the game, Los Angeles Sparks' superstar Kelsey Plum was brutally honest in calling out Team Clark — captained by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark — for skipping the meeting where players agreed to wear the shirts.

KP: "It was a very powerful moment. As players, we didn't know that that was going to happen. It was a genuine surprise. The t shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale: 0 members of Team Clark were very present for that" https://t.co/2fXgaAuqMR pic.twitter.com/awIfnqLjxv
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 20, 2025

"It was a very powerful moment. As players, we didn't know that that was going to happen. It was a genuine surprise," Plum said. "The t-shirt ... was determined this morning that we had a meeting for.

"Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that," she added, laughing. "I'm trying to make the situation lighter ... we wanted to do something that was collective."

Despite the overall statement made in Plum's message, the attempted joke against Team Clark caused a plethora of social media reactions.

ESPN senior writer and NBA insider Ramona Shelburne defended Plum in a recent X post on Monday, following the weekend's events.

WNBA players —including Kelsey Plum— had been discussing the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” t-shirts for over a week, according to multiple sources. They settled on the idea at a breakfast Saturday morning that very few players on Team Clark attended because of the early start. But…
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 21, 2025

"WNBA players —including Kelsey Plum— had been discussing the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” t-shirts for over a week, according to multiple sources," Shelburne said. "They settled on the idea at a breakfast Saturday morning that very few players on Team Clark attended because of the early start.

"But just to make sure, sources said Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier went by the Team Clark locker room before the game to make sure others were on board with the idea & plan. They were," she added.

"I thought it was fairly obvious Kelsey Plum tried to make a joke that didn’t land," Shelburne continued. "The meeting where players decided to wear the shirts was at 8:30 am on Saturday. Understandable that not many from Team Clark made it."

More Sparks news:

A'ja Wilson Speaks Out on Losing Kelsey Plum to Sparks

Sparks' Kelsey Plum Reacts to Georgia Amoore's ACL Injury

International Legend Reveals Reason For Rejoining LA

Sparks Waive Two Players Ahead of 2025 Season

Sparks’ Cameron Brink Revisits Feeling After Tearing ACL

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Sparks, visit Los Angeles Sparks on SI.

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