Stars' Plum goes back to Seattle to face Storm (Jun 17, 2017)
Kelsey Plum could never have expected the start of her pro career to go like this.
Plum, the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars, returns to Seattle for a homecoming of sorts Sunday.
The former University of Washington standout, who never scored fewer than 20 points as a senior in breaking NCAA season and career scoring records, is averaging 3.6 points and shooting 25.7 percent from the field for the Stars (0-10).
The 5-foot-8 guard suffered a sprained right ankle in a preseason practice and missed the first three games of the season. She has appeared in the past seven games and made four starts but is averaging just 14.1 minutes and hasn't played more than 28 in a game.
"It's been difficult to try and get back, and not even to get back but play at the level I'm capable at," Plum said. "It's a tough shift regardless for rookies so it's been an experience for me that is going to help me in the long run. For now, it's not easy."
Plum's season high is eight points. She was held scoreless in her past two games and, despite starting, played less than five minutes in an 80-75 loss Thursday at Los Angeles.
"It's definitely frustrating at times because I'm not moving the way I usually do. That change of speed is how I create things for me and my teammates so it's frustrating," Plum said. "Percentage-wise? Let's just say not 100. At the end of the day, I'm playing and it's not an excuse for how I'm playing."
Guard Kayla McBride leads four Stars in double-figure scoring at 15.8 points per game. San Antonio is committing a league-high 16.9 turnovers, leading to a league-low scoring average of 73.7 points.
Guard Jewell Loyd tops the Storm at 19.8 points per game, with forward Breanna Stewart averaging 16.8 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds.
But Seattle (5-5) has lost three in a row, including a 91-86 overtime defeat at home to Atlanta on Tuesday.
"There is the WNBA for you," Storm point guard Sue Bird, who is averaging a league-best 7.5 assists, told The Seattle Times. "If you show up and you don't play your best, you won't beat anybody. I don't care what their record is."
