“Such a historic basketball player”: Fans show elation as Kelsey Plum gets honored by Washington Huskies
Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum is set to become the first Washington Huskies women’s basketball player to have her jersey retired. Her iconic No. 10 jersey will be raised in a special ceremony on January 18, 2025. It will happen during a Big Ten home game against Purdue.
She will be part of Washington’s Forever 10 program celebrating her legacy. Plum is Washington’s all-time leading scorer.
Washington Athletics' Instagram page posted a collage picture of her with the caption, "Forever 10 Proud to announce Washington is retiring Kelsey Plum’s jersey number."
Her fans didn't shy away from voicing their support.
One of her fans said, "Congratulations to Kelsey Plum. She is such a historic basketball player. Enjoyed watching her play with the Aces. & congratulate her on her upcoming accomplishments"
"Please tell me there will be tee shirts or replica jerseys for sale."
Some of her fans cheered her on, saying, "Great Job new athletic Director ✊🏾.. you get it"
"About time!!!!! Hell yeah"
"ABOUT TIME! She was TUFF in college"
"PLUM DAWG!! so proud of her she deserves this so much"
Kelsey Plum had a remarkable run with the Washington Huskies
Reflecting on the honor, Kelsey Plum opened up about her time with the Huskies, saying:
“I’m forever proud to be a Husky, and UW is a special place that fundamentally shaped me both as a basketball player and as a person.
"It means the world to me to receive this honor and to celebrate it with my family, friends and alumni. It will be a great feeling to look up at the rafters and see my jersey alongside those that I’ve admired for so long.”
Born in La Jolla, California, Plum joined the Washington program as a freshman in 2014. In her four years at Washington, she amassed an impressive 3,527 points across 139 games. Her points total placed her just 270 shy of Pete Maravich’s former all-time NCAA scoring record across both men’s and women’s college basketball.
In the 2016-17 season, Plum averaged 31.7 points per game on 52.9% shooting. She won numerous awards, including the Wooden Award, Naismith College Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year, along with her second consecutive All-America nod.
Her college career and senior season led her to be selected as the first overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft by the San Antonio Stars, who later relocated and became the Las Vegas Aces.
Since joining the WNBA, Plum has made her mark, winning two championships with the Aces and securing three All-Star selections. Most recently, she played a role in Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics.