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Officiating has become the latest point of debate in the WNBA, causing Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum to be the latest to give her opinion. While respectful of the referees, Plum offered her suggestions on how the rulekeeping could be better at the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend.
Plum, who has been critical of officiating in the past, said she feels that referees are not consistent enough in the WNBA. The eight-year veteran said she has “no problem” with physical play, but wants officials to make the same calls on both ends of the floor for all 40 minutes.
“I have no problem with the physicality; I think people are getting frustrated at the consistency,” Plum said, via Yahoo Sports. “It's like a ticky-tack here, and then someone gets absolutely assaulted over here. Where is the line? When do we call it, and why do we call it? A lot of teams play me, specifically, very physically, which I get. But a foul is a foul. A foul in the first quarter is a foul in the fourth quarter. So if you're not gonna call it in the first, that's fine, but don't call it in the fourth.”
"I think people are getting frustrated at the consistency. … Like where’s the line and when do we call it and why do we call it?"
Kelsey Plum sounds off on how the refs can be better in the W 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/SK2ZEzarRv
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 18, 2025
Plum voiced the same opinion on ESPN's ‘NBA Today' shortly after. She admitted that she does not “envy” a referee's job, but wants them to elevate their performance as the WNBA continues to evolve.
As one of the most aggressive guards in the league, Plum gets fouled as much as any player in the WNBA. Regardless of her officiating gripes, Plum is averaging 20.1 points per game, the second-most of her career.
Kelsey Plum representing Sparks at 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
In her first year with the Sparks, Plum received her fourth consecutive All-Star nod in 2025. As the team's leading scorer and facilitator, the 30-year-old will face former Las Vegas Aces teammates A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young in the game. Plum was drafted by captain Napheesa Collier in the first-ever WNBA All-Star Draft, while Wilson and Young were selected by Caitlin Clark.
Plum will be the Lynx's lone All-Star participant once the game tips off Saturday night. Many fans felt Sparks forwards Dearica Hamby and Azura Stevens deserved the recognition, but both were left off the final rosters.
