Aces Star Speaks on Confrontation With Liberty's Newest Fan

Kelsey Plum's verbal sparring with new New York Liberty fan Spike Lee went viral after Sunday.

Sep 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) dribbles the ball against the New York Liberty during game one of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN-Kelsey Plum did the right thing on Sunday afternoon but that wasn't enough to escape the wrath of the New York Liberty ... or one of their newest sideline staples.

Plum led the Las Vegas Aces with 24 points in Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals but that wasn't enough to counter Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart's shared showcase for the hosts, who took an 87-77 decision on Sunday en route to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Decorated film director Spike Lee was among the 14,000-plus who took in Sunday's game and took issues with Plum's efforts at a Sin City comeback, as ESPN cameras caught the pair shouting in each other's direction during a break for free throws in the third quarter.

While New York emerged with the win, Plum believed she at least earned a draw against Lee, who is well-known for his support of metropolitan sports teams, especially the New York Knicks.

Sep 24, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Filmmaker and actor Spike Lee during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

"I can't say exactly what was said, but I told him that he should talk louder," Plum said in the aftermath (h/t Sara Jane Gamelli of BallIsLife). "But it was all well and fun and really cool that he's here ... I know he's big sports fan, so it says a lot that he's in the building and that he respects the game. So, yeah, just having fun."

New Yorkers of a certain age will no doubt compare Lee's latest verbal sparring to his heated bouts from Madison Square Garden's courtside seating with former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller, which proved memorable enough to earn an entry in ESPN Films' famed "30 for 30" catalog. With the Knicks still idle (at least when it comes to actual games), Lee has taken his talents to Brooklyn, where he has donned a Sabrina Ionescu jersey for the Liberty's ongoing postseason trek.

Lee will probably have to be at the top of his game if he's planning on distracting Plum: flanked by unanimous WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson, Plum has scored 53 points on over 62 percent from the floor in the last two games and previously burned New York for averages of 21.3 points and 1.8 steals in the four-game victory in last season's WNBA Finals.

Sep 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum (10) passes the ball against New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) and New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (44) during game one of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Ionescu had previously credited an in-game handshake with Lee with "injecting New York" into her during a comeback victory over the Atlanta Dream in the opening round. The two exchanged a few points amidst Ionescu's 21-point outing, which included a trio of triples. Ionescu, noting that Lee was voicing his opinions to refs and players alike, labeled the "25th Hour" director's enthusiasm as "really fun."

"It's exciting to see the support that we're getting from all New York fans," said Ionescu, who said that Lee was among the first to call her upon her drafting in New York in 2020. "We're trying to bring a championship here, and it takes a village, and it's been nice to see how much kind of like our support has grown over the last few years and over this season."

Time will tell if Lee is back in action for Game 2 of the Vegas series, which is set to be staged on Atlantic Avenue on Tuesday night (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

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