In February, the Las Vegas Aces traded guard Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks. A move that marked the end of an era as Plum helped lead the Aces to back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. 

She did so in the company of Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and, of course, A'ja Wilson. On Tuesday, Wilson spoke about Plum's return to Las Vegas on Friday as the Aces host the Sparks, per Nick Walters of KNTV.

Wilson said that she was excited about Plum coming back and pointed to how instrumental Plum had been in her career. 

“She switched over from San Antonio to Vegas and welcomed me in,” Wilson said. 

Plum was drafted in 2017 by the San Antonio Stars before they became the Aces. In addition to the championships, Plum made multiple All-Star appearances and was the constant playmaker. 

Along the way, she became a fan favorite and the glue that held everyone together. Additionally, it was Wilson who helped bring out the best in Plum while with the Aces. 

A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum were the staff Aces.

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A case can be made that the Aces don't win those championships without Wilson and Plum. Both are natural leaders who look to get the best out of themselves and each other. 

During the 2022 WNBA Finals, Wilson went up to Plum and told her to “get her s— together” because she wasn't playing up to par in Game 1. Plum used that as ammunition to elevate her game as she finished with 20 points and seven assists in Game 2. The Aces went on to defeat the Connecticut Sun to win the title. 

Two years later, it was Plum who reciprocated the love to Wilson following a late-season Aces win over the Sun. Plum finished with a game-high 27 points, and Wilson finished with 20. 

Afterward, Plum described Wilson's impact as both a player and a person. 

“She's just a light,” she said. “Just the type of human being she is… We need to cherish what's happening in the moment. I mean, unanimous MVP, but unanimous MVP as a human being. So I think for us we got to celebrate legends as they play.”

No matter where they end, they will always have each other.