Aces look to adjust defense as former star Kelsey Plum returns

Becky Hammon looked more resolute than ever after coaching the Aces through a practice that went 45 minutes longer than scheduled.

It was mostly a defense-focused practice that also aimed to help the team organize its offensive efforts, the coach said.

For the struggling Aces, who most recently gave up a whopping 102 points in a loss to the Seattle Storm on Sunday, another test looms: Kelsey Plum’s return.

The new Los Angeles Sparks star, who won two WNBA titles in seven seasons with the Aces, will face her former team as an opponent for the first time at 7 p.m. Friday at Michelob Ultra Arena.

Thanks to an offseason that saw the team lose all four of its unrestricted free agents, welcoming a former key player as a rival won’t be a rare occurrence for Aces home games this year.

But Plum stood out in her exit, drawing the team’s sole “core designation” and returning Jewell Loyd in a blockbuster three-team trade. The way the Aces compete against her will make her just as unique.

“Plum requires special defense,” Hammon said. “She’s just too elite of a player to just let her just do whatever she wants.”

Through six games for the Sparks, Plum is the second-leading scorer in the WNBA at 25.2 points per game, trailing only Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier’s 26.8. Aces star and reigning MVP A’ja Wilson is the league’s fourth-leading scorer at 20.8.

“A lot of (our former) players, we’ll just play them like any other opponent,” Hammon said. “(Plum), because of how good she is, we’re gonna have to do things a little bit differently with her. But it’s not personal. I would do a special thing for (New York’s Sabrina Ionescu). I would try to do a special thing for Caitlin (Clark). It just is what it is.”

Plum vision

One of Hammon’s go-to sayings had always been, “Plum gets us 3s. Chelsea (Gray) gets us layups.”

“How they dissect things and their strengths were very complementary. You need both,” Hammon said. “Going against her, of course we want to win. But she’s gonna be great for them. She was great for us for a long time.”

The Sparks said Plum wouldn’t address reporters in Las Vegas until game day, but she spoke about her Aces tenure earlier this month.

“I’m forever grateful for my time in Vegas. There’s no animosity or ill will. It was time for me to grow,” Plum told reporters. “That’s why I took a leap of faith. It’s just time for a new chapter in my life — personally and professionally.”

Plum added that “everything starts and ends with a vision,” which is why she was drawn in by new Sparks coach Lynne Roberts.

Funnily enough, Hammon can still remember her start with Plum in 2021 being a little rocky. After being drafted by the Aces (then the San Antonio Stars) with the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, Plum was the league’s Sixth Player of the Year under former Aces coach Bill Laimbeer in 2021.

“Before I got here, she was coming in off the bench. And so, our first phone call didn’t go that great,” Hammon said.

As she does now, Hammon emphasized that she couldn’t make playing time promises without being able to make a full evaluation of her own.

“But what I did tell her was I’d be open-minded,” Hammon recalled. “And I promise you, the first day of training camp, I was like, ‘OK, you’re starting.’ It was just that obvious.”

Blunt as ever, Wilson said the Aces “played like s—-” against the Storm and said Plum won’t provide any extra motivation.

“I mean, I look forward to every game. But I’m excited to have (Plum) back in ‘The House.’ I know we’re going to show her a lot of love,” Wilson said. “She won us two championships here, so obviously we’re going to give everything that we can, the energy, the positive vibes, towards her. But it’s going to be another game.”

Wilson said Plum helped the whole team want to consistently improve, while Gray noted that she knows Plum will “bring the competitive fire.”

Working on Hexagon

The Aces, however, haven’t shown consistently that they can match that energy.

Hammon is working to help the Aces make seemingly small but difficult adjustments as they incorporate principals of new assistant coach Ty Ellis’ Hexagon defense.

“We’re simplifying things,” Hammon said. “I think they’re thinking too much.”

The geometric shape of the team’s preferred footwork is taped within the perimeter of the court. It’s meant to serve as a reminder of where the Aces should aim to position themselves in line with the ball with the priority of keeping opponents out of the paint.

Ellis, who acknowledged that the team ranks last in the league with 41.5 points in the paint allowed per game, noted that he’s seen a learning curve take place with other teams who attempt to implement Hexagon defensive tactics.

Hexagon defense was utilized by USA Basketball, and the NBA’s Indiana Pacers are using it as they advance toward the NBA Finals.

“It will get better. I promise,” Ellis said.

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.