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Kelsey Plum signs 2-year extension with Aces 1 week after winning All-Star MVP

By Liz Roscher

Las Vegas Aces v New York Liberty NEW YORK, NY - JULY 14: Kelsey Plum #10 of the Las Vegas Aces dribbles the ball against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on July 14, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty 108-74. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

By Liz Roscher

The Las Vegas Aces announced on Sunday that they've signed Kelsey Plum to a two-year contract extension.

"Kelsey Plum is a generational talent, and one of the hardest working athletes I have ever known," GM Natalie Williams said in a statement. "Her preparation and work ethic are second to none. Kelsey has the ability to impact the game in so many facets, and with the great mentorship of Coach Becky Hammon, she is proving herself to be one the best guards in the WNBA. We are thrilled to re-sign her, and strengthen our incredibly talented core group."

Plum, who was recently named the 2022 All-Star MVP at her very first All-Star Game, is having a breakout season for the Aces. She averaging 20.2 points and 5.5 assists, both personal bests, in more minutes per game than she's ever played. She's second in the league in scoring, eighth in assists, and leads in three-pointers.

Plum's performance this year is building on a successful 2021, in which she put up career-best stats (that have since been beaten by her 2022 performance). She played the entire season as a reserve and averaged 14.4 points per game, setting a league record, and was named the 2021 Sixth Player of the Year.

"I'm thrilled to remain with the Aces, and continue playing with my teammates and for our coaching staff," Plum said. "I look forward to persisting in our journey to delivering a championship to Las Vegas."

Working toward a championship

For the Aces, that's what everything comes down to: winning the first championship in team history. And the stars seem to be aligning. The transition from Bill Laimbeer to Becky Hammon as head coach has been pretty seamless. Hammon is thriving in her first year with the Aces, despite a brief rough patch before the All-Star break. At 17-7, the Aces have the second-best record in the league, and the signing of Plum means they've now locked up their core players (A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, and Plum) through next season.

The Aces are playing the owners of the WNBA's best record, the Connecticut Sun, on Sunday. Plum, who has made a league-best 78 three-pointers this season, could break the franchise record during that game. If she keeps up this pace, she could become just the second player in WNBA history to make at least 100 three-pointers in a season.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Sports at https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-kelsey-plum-signs-2-year-extension-with-aces-1-week-after-winning-all-star-mvp-182045802.html

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