Sparks Star Facing Criticism After Incident with Fever's Lexie Hull
Saturday's game between the Indiana Fever and the Los Angeles Sparks was a hard-fought affair. The Fever found themselves on the wrong end of what turned out to be a disappointing 89-87 loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Advertisement
It was a concerted effort from the Sparks, who saw four out of their five starters score at least 15 points. Three-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum was a driving force for L.A., finishing with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting, three rebounds, three assists and four triples.
Thanks in part to Plum's strong play, the Sparks improved to 6-13 and sit in the No. 10 spot in the league.
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum. Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Plum, however, is facing some backlash from fans after an incident involving Fever guard Lexie Hull.
At one point in the fourth quarter, Plum and Hull got tied up, which eventually led to Plum stepping over Hull after the latter fell to the floor.
Advertisement
More than a few fans believe that Plum pushing Hull down and stepping over her was uncalled for, and they were quick to make their feelings known on social media.
"Plum is the 3rd MOST UNLIKEABLE player in the W," a comment on X read.
"Corny lol she is less likeable every day," another said.
"Kelsey Plum is a dirty player. So desperate for attention. That was a foul," accused a user.
"Nobody can convince me that Kelsey plum is actually good at basketball," a reaction read.
"Plum had ALL the space to go around her," pointed out a viewer.
"That was dirty any way u cut it man," another claimed.
There was no foul called on the play, and the game officials allowed the game to continue. Fans on social media, however, have the benefit of instant replay, and they aren't taking to Plum's actions very well.
Advertisement
Related: Lexie Hull Steals the Show With Her Outfit for Fever-Sparks
Related: WNBA Blown Away by Indiana Fever Play Against Sparks
Related: Aliyah Boston's Big Game in Caitlin Clark's Absence Didn't Go Unnoticed
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Judge and Raleigh trade homers late in Yankees' 10-3 rout of Mariners
Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) hits a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees' Austin Wells (28) hits a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) hits a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) hits a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) hits a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees' Austin Wells (28) hits a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) hits a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) hits a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer, Austin Wells went deep for the third consecutive game and the New York Yankees pounded the Seattle Mariners 10-3 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series between American League playoff contenders. Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh traded late home runs after the outcome was all but decided, with Raleigh's 36th of the season keeping the Seattle catcher two ahead of Judge for the major league lead. Advertisement Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt each had three hits for the Yankees, who won their second straight following a six-game slide. Rookie right-hander Will Warren (6-4) pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings, rebounding from an ugly start in Toronto last week. Oswald Peraza's run-scoring infield single off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert (2-3) with two outs in the fifth ended Seattle's team-record streak of 33 scoreless innings. Gilbert also got off to a great start before fading in the sixth. Judge and Bellinger opened the inning with consecutive singles before Stanton connected for his 431st career homer to make it 4-0. Three batters later, Wells pulled the first pitch from reliever Casey Legumina to right field for his career-best 14th homer, a two-run shot. Advertisement Goldschmidt added a two-run single to make it 10-0 in a four-run seventh that included Judge's solo homer and an RBI double by Jazz Chisholm Jr. Key moment Stanton's homer was his second this season after missing the first 70 games with pain in both elbows. He returned June 16. Key stats With a two-run shot in the eighth, Raleigh eclipsed Hall of Fame slugger Ken Griffey Jr. (1998) for the most homers by a Mariners player before the All-Star break. Barry Bonds holds the big league record with 39 for San Francisco in 2001. Up next Mariners rookie Logan Evans (3-2, 2.96 ERA) starts Wednesday night against right-hander Cam Schlittler, who will be called up by the Yankees to make his major league debut in place of injured Clarke Schmidt. The 24-year-old Schlittler was 6-6 with a 2.82 ERA at Double-A and Triple-A combined this season. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alec Bohm, Kyle Schwarber homers power Phillies past Cincinnati Reds
PHILADELPHIA − If one of the Philadelphia Phillies' frontline stars doesn't get you, another one probably will. That depth of star power can spoil plenty of good pitching, too. On a day when Bryce Harper went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts against the Cincinnati Reds, Alec Bohm and Kyle Schwarber provided plenty of offense for the Phillies. Bohm took the decisive swing − a two-run homer in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie − in Saturday's 5-1 Phillies win over the Reds at Citizens Bank Park before a crowd of 42,045. Advertisement Schwarber, who was on-base for Bohm's homer, piled on with a two-run shot of his own in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. Reds Phillies comeback victories Comeback wins aren't routine but the Reds are getting good at them. Here's how Reds Diamondbacks GABP pitching mound Reds' Nick Krall responds to accusations of irregular mound at Great American Ball Park Bohm's homer came off Reds starter Nick Lodolo, and spoiled one of the finer starts of the Cincinnati pitcher's 2025 campaign. The 400-foot blast to left-center field cleared the highest stretches of wall in one of the deepest corners of the yard. Advertisement Lodolo bent at the waist and stayed down for several seconds after Bohm's go-ahead blast. Through 5 1/3 innings, he'd only allowed three hits, struck out two-time MVP Harper three times and was in control. "One of the few pitches I didn't execute," Lodolo said. "So, made me pay for it. Just trying to get the ball up. Obviously, didn't get it up." Lodolo allowed three runs versus the Phillies, and all via the long ball. Edmundo Sosa also homered in the fifth inning to knot the game at one and cancel out Will Benson's go-ahead homer (his 7th) in the top of the fifth. Nick Lodolo gave the Reds a solid outing in his 18th start of the season Saturday, July 5, allowing only three runs on four hits while striking out eight. Schwarber, the Middletown native, punctuated the Phillies' victory with a towering, two-run, opposite-field shot (his 27th) to left field in the eighth. That made it 5-1, and the homer came off fellow Greater Cincinnati native, Brent Suter. Advertisement "Some of that's that lineup," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "They're pretty good, man. That kid (Schwarber) has a way of being in everything." Prior to Bohm's blast, a pitching duel had broken out in South Philadelphia between Lodolo, who took the loss (5-6), and Phillies starter Ranger Suarez, who entered the game 6-2 with a 2.08 ERA but didn't factor in the decision for his five innings of work. Lodolo went six innings in the Reds loss as they dropped to 46-43. The NL East-leading Phillies improved to 52-37. "I thought (Lodolo's) changeup was probably the best we've seen all year," Francona said. "All their runs were on home runs, and all (Lodolo's) hits were on fastballs that just weren't located, probably, as well as they should have been." Phillies second base Edmundo Sosa (33) makes a leaping catch for an out on a pop-up off the bat of the Reds' Austin Hays in the first inning Saturday, July 5. Suarez allowed seven base runners but just the one run. He was then relieved by Jordan Romano (1-3), who earned the win, followed by Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering and 2024 All-Star Matt Strahm. Advertisement The Reds had their chances, but went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position after having gone 6-for-12 in Friday's 9-6 victory. The teams will decide their three-game series Sunday at Citizens Bank Park (1:35 p.m.) with probable pitchers Chase Burns (0-1, 13.50 ERA) and Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (8-3, 2.27 ERA) scheduled to throw. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Alec Bohm, Kyle Schwarber homers power Phillies past Cincinnati Reds
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Angel Reese Play Prompts ‘Strong' Message From the WNBA
Angel Reese Play Prompts 'Strong' Message From the WNBA originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky faced the Washington Mystics in a rare Tuesday morning affair with tip-off at 11:30 a.m. ET. After losing 80-75 on Sunday to the Minnesota Lynx, Angel Reese's squad looked to get back on track. Advertisement Midway through the second quarter, Reese had the ball at the top of the key guarded by Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen. The former LSU Tiger drove to the cup on her and, after taking the contact from Iriafen, finished a tough lay-up on her off hand. The play drew a slight cheer from the away crowd, and quickly after, the WNBA posted the highlight with a "strong" message. "STRONG TAKE FOR ANGEL REESE," the WNBA captioned the post. Reese has been on fire lately, entering the game with five consecutive double-doubles, including four with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. The 2024 No. 7 overall pick needed just one half to keep the streak alive. She went into halftime as the Mystics led 40-35, having played 18 minutes, shooting 3-of-5 with 10 points, 10 rebounds and one assist. Advertisement Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Reese's play so far this season hasn't gone unnoticed. On July 1, she was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 19.7 points, 17.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game from June 23-29. The 6-foot-3 forward was also named a WNBA All-Star on Sunday. She's set to make her second appearance in as many seasons, with the game scheduled for July 19 in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Fever. Related: Angel Reese Name-Drops Two NBA MVPs in Bold Comparison to Her Game Related: Angel Reese Claps Back at Haters After Earning Second All-Star Selection This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.