ESPN News Services
Jan 18, 2025, 07:33 PM ET
SEATTLE -- It was always a matter of when, not if, Washington would retire Kelsey Plum's number. Eight years after she graduated, it happened.
At halftime of its game against Purdue on Saturday, Washington sent its first women's jersey to the rafters, retiring the No. 10 that Plum wore for four years as she rewrote the school and NCAA record books.
"It just brings back so many memories," Plum said. "I really feel so blessed to share this moment with my family. Life happens so fast. It feels like two weeks ago, I was a senior here."
Plum came to Seattle in 2013 and made an immediate impact, setting the program's single-season scoring record as a freshman.
"Coach [Mike Neighbors] didn't give me the green light; he gave me the freeway when I got here," Plum said. "It was just like, 'We're going to have you just fail until you're better than everyone,' and that's what happened. As a player, when your coach has that ultimate confidence in you, you go out there and there's no fear."
She broke her single-season mark in each of the next three years and eclipsed Jackie Stiles' career record with a 57-point performance Feb. 25, 2017, that still stands as the UW single-game record.
A Poway, California, native, Plum finished her career with 3,527 points after racking up 1,109 in 2017, both of which stood as NCAA records until Caitlin Clark broke them last season.
Plum was picked first in the 2017 WNBA draft and has won two WNBA championships with the Las Vegas Aces, along with two Olympic gold medals. Last week, the Aces put a core designation on the impending free agent, bolstering rumors that she might be traded before the upcoming season.
During timeouts in the Huskies' 87-58 win over the Boilermakers, Washington played messages from her Las Vegas teammates, former Huskies teammates and her family congratulating her on the recognition.
"I've never really been in it for that, I've just been in it for the pursuit of seeing how far I can take it," Plum said. "I look back now and it is a really cool moment to look back and say, 'Dang, that is a lot of points.' I'd never really thought about it. I just appreciate that time of reflection."
Plum said reconnecting with old faces has made her return to Seattle special.
"A couple of my college teammates I haven't seen in a long time had babies, so I got to meet the kids. That was really exciting. Also, there's so many people support staff-wise that I've seen maybe once or twice, but I haven't had a chance to talk to them -- it's kind of always been in passing. I saw Dr. [Henry] Pelto here and that was awesome. Getting to see ushers and different people around in the concourse, police officers, that to me what makes this community special. Those people have been here for years, and they're going to be here for years because they love it. Just coming back and showing love, that's been fun.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
