Remember how, after the Las Vegas Aces won the 2022 WNBA title, the franchise’s social media strategist Kris Lumague posted pictures of Kelsey Plum smoking a cigar? “champ sh-t 🏆,” they’d captioned the post. And it was, in fact, champ stuff, the way Plum stared directly into the camera, sporting her champion jersey and showing off the cigar she was smoking. Who knew that would be a foreshadowing of what was to come two years later?

Wishing for the three-peat celebration after winning the championship in 2022 and 2023, Plum Dog had hoped: “Hopefully, we’ll have a reason to light up once again, this time with my own signature line.” This was back in May this year when Kingmakers had announced their unique collaboration. Although the three-peat quest never materialized, Plum’s been doing a lot of winning off the court, the latest addition to her repertoire being launching her own signature cigar line! And she did in a place she’s called home since 2018.

Kelsey Plum may have been drafted to the San Antonio Stars as the first-overall pick in 2017, but since the franchise relocated to Las Vegas and was renamed the Aces in 2018, Sin City has been her base. She’s made it her own, and everyone in Nevada has embraced her with open arms. So, why not give Las Vegas natives something more than just basketball to enjoy? Maybe that was the Aces guard’s thought process when she chose the Eight Lounge at Resorts World to launch her cigars.

The 30-year-old’s social media was buzzing with excitement on Thursday night as she shared moments of pure joy standing in front of the Resorts World building, the most expensive resort property ever developed in Las Vegas, valued at an astonishing $4.3 billion. A special something from Eight Lounge featured a special pairing of Plum’s cigar with its signature Peanut Butter Chocolate Martini. The cocktail is priced at $80 and is an artistic blend of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, crème de cacao, and heavy cream.

“My cigar, now sold in lounges. If you would have told me that a couple years ago, when I smoked my first cigar in this same lounge, I would have laughed. Your life can look a lot different in a short time….in the best way. Won’t HE do it.” Turns out that the cigar she was smoking after the 2022 WNBA Finals was one of her firsts.

“🎶 They say the truth shall come to the light, everybody grab ya shades cause ya girl that bright 🎶,” Plum wrote and added a playful touch by including lyrics from Young Jeezy’s Go Crazy. The scene also made for a wholesome moment between Plum and her friends.

Her Instagram stories featured a celebration with friends, including Kayla Nicole, marking the launch of her own cigar line in partnership with Kingmakers. The launch involved her “KP” lettering on the cigar that is wrapped with a Connecticut shade-grown paper and filled with premium Nicaraguan tobaccos from Estelí, available in flavors of vanilla and buttery toasted nuts, finishing with a daring peppercorn note. Being displayed front and center on the Resorts World building, these were available for purchase in the lounge’s humidor and on the menu, regularly priced at $65.

One of them posted a video of the WNBA star standing in front of the building, with the “KP” logo on full display. They pointed at Kelsey Plum, saying, “You’re her,” and then pointed at the logo on the building, adding another, “You’re her.” They did this a couple of times, making Plum smile uncontrollably, captioning the video, “If she has no supporters, I’M DE-D!!!” The Aces guard reposted it on her story and wrote, “My friends are everything🥹”

Some of them even headed to Plum’s post to congratulate her. Kayla Nicole wrote, “Congrats to the biggest! So deserving hunny,” while former player Ticha Penicheiro penned, “Dope!!! 🔥🔥” Even fellow WNBA player Dijonai Carrington showed her support: “Yeah, Kelsss! Congrats!! 🤍” As for Kingsmakers, her partners shared, “These cigars not only highlight Plum’s remarkable achievements on and off the court but also exemplify the refined experience Kingsmakers is celebrated for.

“We are thrilled to partner with Kelsey Plum, whose excellence, leadership, and basketball resonate deeply with our core values. This unique collection delivers a bespoke blend that promises to intrigue and delight seasoned enthusiasts and those new to the world of cigars.” Coming back to the 30-year-old’s celebration at Resorts World, the property features a massive 117,000-square-foot casino and a 59-story tower with 3,506 rooms across three Hilton-branded hotels.

Plum’s event focused on the 1,678-room Las Vegas Hilton, marking another impressive step in her growing business portfolio. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is the personal journey Plum navigated earlier this year, which saw her getting divorced from her husband.

Kelsey Plum has overcome personal challenges this year

Kelsey Plum’s recent divorce from former NFL tight end Darren Waller has been a challenging chapter in her life. The couple, who got married on March 4, 2023, faced an unexpectedly brief marriage, filing for divorce just 14 months later on April 23, 2024.

Throughout their relationship, Plum kept details about her wedding private, including the date and venue. However, during a March 2023 press conference, then-Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels accidentally revealed the details, much to the surprise of fans who had been following the couple’s story. Just a few days later, Plum and Waller’s wedding became official, confirming what had once been only a whisper.

Despite the very public nature of her divorce from Darren Waller, Kelsey Plum largely kept her thoughts to herself throughout the process. Recently, however, she opened up about the emotional toll it took on her. “Going through a very public divorce is something I was not expecting. It felt like the rug got taken out from under me. I think people may look at me like, ‘Oh, she’s super tough.’ But this one really broke me,” said Plum.

Nevertheless, with the unwavering support of her loved ones and Aces teammates, Plum has managed to overcome that difficult hurdle. Now, she’s fully embracing life and making significant moves off the court.