Kelsey Plum thought she was just cracking a joke, not stealing the show. She didn’t expect a quick joke over team Clark to overshadow one of the most symbolic moments in recent WNBA history. But that’s exactly what happened at this year’s All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, where basketball took a back seat to a powerful message from the players negotiating for better pay.
Why Did Kelsey Plum’s Team Clark Joke Spark a Firestorm at the 2025 All-Star Game?
Now, weeks after the chaos, Plum is laying it all out — what she really meant, why the laughter turned sideways, and why she wishes she’d thought twice before speaking. In a new interview, the Los Angeles Sparks guard spoke on Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird, breaking down the viral moment that put her front and center after the 2025 All-Star Game.
She explained that her comment about Team Clark “being hungover” was a shout-out to her own squad’s nickname, “Hangover,” not a shot at their effort. But coming during a weekend focused on togetherness, the joke missed the mark.
“I made a bad joke — I should’ve known it was a way more serious moment than a typical All-Star Game,” Plum admitted. “I was making a joke that they’re hungover even though our team nickname is Hangover. Obviously, we’re all on the same page, all unified. And I think I was more discouraged because it took away from the moment of what we were all trying to do.”
kelsey plum on her team clark comment at allstar:
“i made a bad joke—i should’ve known it was a way more serious moment than a typical allstar game—i was making a joke that they’re hungover even though [we were] team hangover. obviously we’re all on the same page, all unified.” pic.twitter.com/12jYZx35N2
— cc akgae (@clrkszn) August 15, 2025
That viral moment happened right after the game, when Plum suggested “zero members of Team Clark” showed up to the pregame meeting that led to the creation of those now-famous warmup shirts reading “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” Both Team Collier and Team Clark players wore the shirts, sending a message loud and clear about pay during tense CBA talks.
What Was Really Happening Behind the Scenes at All-Star Weekend?
This year’s All-Star Weekend was about much more than just dunk contests and three-point bombs. The day before tipoff, over 40 players met with WNBA officials, pushing hard for a better CBA in meetings that didn’t seem to move the needle. That frustration was obvious on the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19, with warm-up shirts quickly turning into the statement no one could ignore.
Plum, who serves as first vice president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, found herself in the thick of the tension. Her comment about Team Clark missing the morning meeting stung even more during a weekend charged with labor negotiations and emotions running high.
Adding to the drama, New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu — part of Team Clark — shot back with obvious sarcasm, saying it was “not really needed to be mentioned,” showing just how sensitive things had gotten.
WNBA players HATE Caitlin Clark
Kelsey Plum dissed her for NO reason 😭 pic.twitter.com/BqN2Kn1oQZ
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) July 20, 2025
On the scoreboard, Team Collier topped Team Clark 151–131. Still, headlines were all about Plum’s comment — and her second thoughts. For a weekend that was supposed to show unity, the takeaway was this: even the best intentions can get lost under harsh lights when the message — and the moment — deserve everyone’s focus.
