Kelsey Plum is a star professional basketball player known for her impressive career both in college and in the WNBA. Playing for the University of Washington Huskies, Plum once held the NCAA Division I record for most career points scored by a female player, amassing 3,527 points. She was the first overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft, selected by the San Antonio Stars, which later became the Las Vegas Aces. Known for her scoring ability, court vision, and leadership, Plum has been a pivotal player for the Aces, contributing to their success in the league. Plum’s career highlights include being a two-time WNBA champion; a three-time WNBA all-star, and one-time All-Star Game MVP; being named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year in 2021; winning a gold medal with the U.S.A. Basketball team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and a second gold medal for Team U.S.A. at the Paris Olympics this year. Her dedication and skill have solidified her reputation as one of the top players in women’s basketball.
As a dynamic guard, she has provided consistent scoring, playmaking, and leadership throughout her career. Plum’s ability to score from anywhere on the court, combined with her exceptional court vision, has made her a key offensive weapon for the Aces. Her relentless work ethic and competitive spirit set the tone for the team, inspiring her teammates to elevate their performance. Plum’s all-around game and leadership have solidified her status as a cornerstone of her team and have led her to become one of the WNBA’s premier players. Plum has been a vital contributor to the Aces’ back-to-back WNBA championships—victories that she marked by enjoying cigars during championship celebrations.
The image of Plum with a cigar celebrating that first championship has become a powerful emblem of her leadership and the Aces’ spirit, capturing the essence of their historic achievement. It’s an image that, ironically enough, also marked the very first time Plum lit up a cigar.
During the Aces’ first championship run during the 2022 season, Plum told her teammates that she would smoke a cigar if they won the title. After beating the Connecticut Sun in four games to clinch that first championship, Plum made good on her promise and sparked up that first cigar in her life—a moment that she will always remember.
“There’s something really special about capping an accomplishment with a moment of celebration, and I think that’s what I love about cigars,” Plum explains. “It’s really special because it started a connection with my teammates, who are like family to me, and as something centered around a moment in time that was so fun and special for us.”
It was such a special moment that when the Aces repeated as WNBA champions in 2023, beating the New York Liberty in four games, Plum repeated the championship celebration with another cigar.
“I’ve been fortunate that cigars have become a special tradition for me,” says Plum. “They are an indulgence, and we’ve had big moments to celebrate with a smoke each of the last two summers.”
And now, Plum’s association with cigars has become even bigger. On May 10, 2024, coinciding with the start of the 2024 WNBA season, Plum introduced her very own premium cigar—the Kelsey Plum Signature Toro—which may very well mark the first time a professional female athlete has commissioned her own cigar line.
The Kelsey Plum Signature Toro is the groundbreaking result of a collaboration between Plum and Kingmakers Cigars, a consortium of passionate cigar lovers who established the company in 2022 to expand luxury cigar enjoyment within the sports and entertainment realms. Witnessing Plum celebrating her team’s championship successes with a cigar, the Kingmakers team reached out to her, exploring whether she would be interested in entering the cigar business.
“Kelsey’s celebration and respect for our culture resonated deeply with us, leading to the vision for this cigar,” a spokesman for Kingmakers says. “Kelsey’s remarkable achievements, influence, and dedication to her craft convinced us that she would be the perfect partner for us to add a unique perspective and expand our reach, especially among female smokers and aficionados. This collaboration honors all their achievements.”
It was a proposal that excited Plum.
“Kingmakers approached me with this opportunity for collaboration, understanding what cigars mean to me,” Plum recalls. “It was just a no-brainer for me. Kingmakers made it easy, which was important to me because whoever I partner with, I want to be true teammates with and share a vision together. As an athlete, I’m competitive and I strive for the best, and I think we’ve created a product that is amazing.”
While relatively new to the premium cigar world, Kingmakers has gained a reputation that is fast growing for crafting exceptionally elegant and sophisticated cigars that are perfect companions for moments of blissful reflection or special celebration. Specializing in making small “Grand Cru” style production runs, Kingmakers Cigars’ products are made with exacting attention to detail, utilizing a 27-step quality control process to ensure that every cigar it produces delivers an unparalleled smoking experience.
For the Kelsey Plum Signature Toro, Kingmakers worked diligently to help Plum define her palate. Partnered with some of the very best tobacco growers in Ecuador, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, and with a small factory in the heart of Estelí, Nicaragua, Kingmakers meticulously worked with Plum to create a cigar that she absolutely loves.
“While I’m still growing in my experience and knowledge in cigars, I do know what I like,” Plum says. “Kingmakers have assembled just that. My cigar has all the flavors and notes that I like, and I think it looks beautiful. It is packaged in a way that brings that special feeling that you know when you are pulling one out you are in a moment that you will remember and cherish.”
Amid another potential championship run and playing for the U.S. Women’s Basketball Olympic team in Paris, Plum plans to attend cigar events once the season is completed and meet champions at all levels who enjoy her cigar.
“My cigars are for anyone seeking that championship feeling,” Plum explains. “That is what cigars have come to mean to me. There is no feeling like that, and I think it’s important to look back and celebrate the journey that got you there, whether you’re an athlete or not. In that sense, this cigar is for everybody out there on the grind, chasing their goals.”
As for being a groundbreaking female athlete with her very first cigar…Plum promises others will follow.
“Having my own line of cigars is really special, and it’s crazy for me to think that I’m the first, but I know many more are on the way,” Plum says. “There are so many women out there doing incredible and inspiring things that are more than worthy of cigar moments.”
And don’t just expect to see other famous female athletes or celebrities commission their own cigars, because Plum has plans with Kingmakers for future additions.
“Stay tuned!” Plum enthusiastically concludes. “We have more big things coming that we’re excited about, and this is a world and industry I plan to be in and around for a long time because it is really special.”
– Photography courtesy of Kingmakers Cigars. Story by Stephen A. Ross.
This story first appeared in PCA The Magazine, Volume 3, 2024. To receive a copy of this magazine, you must be a current PCA member. Join or renew today at premiumcigars.org/membership.