14 Shots That Highlight Kelsey Plum’s Competitive Fire

Each of these moments shows Kelsey Plum not just scoring, but competing — her shots are forged from sweat, defiance, and something you can’t quite measure but never forget.

Alyana Aguja
June 30, 2025
5 min read

14 Shots That Highlight Kelsey Plum’s Competitive Fire — Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Kelsey Plum’s career is a study in controlled fury, where competitive fire burns through every dribble, every shot, and every glare. These 14 moments, pulled from college, Olympic, and WNBA play, showcase how she brings more than talent; she brings an edge that elevates everyone around her. Whether chasing titles or pride, Plum never lets up — and never lets you forget she was there.

1. 2022 WNBA Finals Game 4 vs. Connecticut Sun

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With the championship within reach, Plum sprinted the court in transition, pulled up at the arc, and buried a three with a defender in her face. It wasn’t just the shot — it was the glare afterward, a firestorm of defiance that said, “We’re not leaving this floor without a ring.” Vegas took the crown, but Plum stamped the moment with her grit.

2. 2021 Tokyo Olympics – USA vs. Japan (3x3 Final)

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On the gold medal stage, Plum drove hard to the rim against Japan’s swarming defense and finished through contact. No theatrics, just a nod to teammates and a return to the top of the key — business as usual for a player who trained like her life depended on it. That shot was the heartbeat of Team USA’s 3x3 campaign.

3. 2022 Semifinals Game 3 vs. Las Vegas Aces

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With the shot clock dying and Breanna Stewart closing in, Plum launched a sidestep triple that splashed clean and silenced Climate Pledge Arena. She turned and shouted at her bench — emotion overflowing, not for the highlight, but for survival. It was the kind of shot that keeps seasons alive.

4. 2017 NCAA Tournament

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In her final college game, Plum didn’t go quietly. She buried a deep three from NBA range late in the third quarter, trying to will the Huskies back into contention. Her eyes burned more than her stats — this was the kind of competitiveness you don’t coach.

5. 2023 WNBA All-Star Game – Plum vs. Sabrina Ionescu

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It wasn’t a playoff, but it felt personal. Plum caught fire, hitting multiple threes in succession and jawing in between shots, especially after hitting one with Ionescu right in her face. That moment reminded everyone: even in exhibitions, Plum plays to dominate.

6. 2016 Regular Season – Washington vs. Stanford

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The Huskies trailed by two with seconds left. Plum snatched the inbound, curled off a screen, and nailed a step-back jumper to force overtime, ice in her veins as thousands in Maples Pavilion went silent. She turned to her bench with a calm fury — this was what she lived for.

7. 2022 Regular Season – Aces vs. Chicago Sky (Commissioner’s Cup)

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In a finals-type atmosphere, Plum torched Chicago with a crossover three in the third quarter, grinning as she backpedaled into defensive position. She didn’t just shoot that one — she knew it. Vegas won the Cup, and Plum cemented herself as a killer in big moments.

8. 2015 Pac-12 Tournament – Washington vs. Oregon State

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Against the conference’s top defense, Plum danced into the lane and floated a tear-drop high over two defenders late in the fourth. She pounded her chest after — her team may have fallen short, but she made damn sure they saw her fight. Even then, the edge was unmistakable.

9. 2022 WNBA Playoffs First Round – Aces vs. Chicago Sky (Game 1)

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Plum found herself doubled but broke free, launching a contested three with two seconds on the clock to beat the halftime buzzer. It wasn’t just the bucket — it was her shout into the crowd, raw, guttural, and unfiltered. She knew momentum had just swung, and she’d swung it.

10. 2021 Regular Season – Aces vs. New York Liberty

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Off the bench, after missing a season due to injury, Plum dropped 32 and capped the night with a dagger three that put the game away. She let out a scream, fists clenched — a full year of rehab, doubt, and grind released in one shot. It was more than points; it was a return.

11. 2017 Senior Night – Washington vs. Utah

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Already the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, Plum dropped 57 with a heat-check triple late in the game that sent the crowd into chaos. She didn’t smile — just exhaled, locked in until the final horn. Legacy wasn’t the goal; excellence was.

12. 2023 Commissioner’s Cup – Aces vs. Liberty

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Facing a superteam narrative around New York, Plum responded with a stop-and-pop triple off a broken play that halted their momentum. It was a shot of leadership — when everyone hesitated, she acted. Her expression after: “We’re still the ones.”

13. 2018 FIBA World Cup – USA vs. Japan

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

With Japan making a run, Plum hit a rhythm three off a fast-break feed, then sprinted back on defense, shouting for a switch. She wasn’t a star on that roster, but she competed like one. That fire earned her more minutes and more respect.

14. 2025 Regular Season – Aces vs. Dallas Wings

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Down by five with under a minute left, Plum drilled a quick pull-up from the elbow after a full-court sprint, cutting the deficit and refusing to die quietly. She slapped the floor on defense after — one possession at a time, one war at a time. That’s Kelsey: full tilt, always.