SEATTLE — One of the greatest University of Washington women’s basketball players of all time is back at the Olympics, on the hunt for her first gold medal on the 5-on-5 team.
Kelsey Plum made history in Tokyo by winning the first-ever gold medal in the women’s 3x3 basketball tournament. In Paris, the guard was named to the full-court team, which hasn’t lost an Olympic game since 1992.
“To be able to make this team is the highest honor, and so I just wear that with a lot of pride,” Plum said.
Other athletes with ties to western Washington are also competing in the women's basketball tournament. Seattle Storm's Jewell Loyd will play alongside Plum. The Storm's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb are playing for Australia. Hailey Van Lith of Cashmere, Wash. was named to the U.S. 3x3 team.
Plum has worked hard for this moment. When she played for the Huskies, she said she would take at least 500 shots a day on her own.
It paid off. Plum became the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader with over 3,500 points – only to be dethroned by phenom Caitlin Clark this year. The San Antonio Stars drafted Plum as the first overall pick of the 2017 draft. She went on to win two WNBA titles and has been named an All Star three times.
It culminated in being named to the U.S. women’s 3x3 basketball team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was the first time the game that originated as street basketball was played at the Olympics.
"Even though it was COVID and people couldn't come, it still was one of the most surreal feelings,” Plum said. “Just putting that gold medal around your neck."
She has earned the chance to play on the world’s biggest sports stage.
“I don't want to mean that in an arrogant sense, but, yeah, I mean, I'm meant to be here," Plum said.