Accompanying the WNBA’s meteoric rise in the last couple of years are several celebrities who have become avid fans of the league. The likes of Kim Kardashian, Pat McAfee, Jason Sudeikis, Barack Obama, Lil Wayne, Spike Lee and more have been in attendance at recent games.
One of the members of the WNBA Public Figure Fan Club is actress Aubrey Plaza, known for her roles on beloved NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation” and current Disney show “Agatha All Along.”
Plaza appeared at a Sparks-Lynx matchup in June 2023, and just over a year later, she attended the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game—albeit not without tearing her ACL during the weekend in Phoenix.
Most recently, the 40-year-old Delaware native was seen at Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals, yet another contest featuring Minnesota, this time facing off against the Liberty in a best-of-five series for the title. Often recognized for her dry humor, the comedian has had her fair share of viral moments at WNBA matchups, and Thursday night was no exception.
Here’s everything to know about the actress’ WNBA fandom, including how the star became courtside entertainment at the Finals.
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Aubrey Plaza WNBA fandom, explained
In her first iconic WNBA appearance, Plaza didn’t hold back. During the game in Los Angeles, the Crypto.com Arena Jumbotron honed in on the star in her courtside seat, who promptly flipped the bird to the camera for the entire crowd to see.
Aubrey Plaza giving the middle finger on the jumbotron at the Sparks vs Lynx game is truly legendary stuff pic.twitter.com/PdIpwPznhS
— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) June 21, 2023
Though the score did not go the Sparks’ way, the actress—who was once a basketball player herself—gave an in-game interview and showered the WNBA with praise.
“I started coming [to Sparks games] last year,” she told league reporter Nikki Kay. “My sister had season tickets and so I started coming with her. It’s awesome. I just love watching the players. It’s inspiring, they’re so good. I just love watching them.”
A year later, Plaza was courtside once again, this time at the WNBA All-Star Game—notably the most popular version of the weekend in its 21st edition, thanks to the likes of rookie phenoms Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese among the league’s best, plus the addition of Team USA.
Seated next to WNBA great Sue Bird and her USWNT legend partner Megan Rapinoe, Plaza’s right knee was noticeably in a brace. She was also toting crutches, both items she did not have with her during the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge the night before. It was revealed soon after that she had torn her ACL playing a game of knockout in the Mercury’s new practice facility before the All-Star Game.
Aubrey Plaza has crutches because she tore her ACL in a game of knockout this weekend 😅 pic.twitter.com/yNaj99kjOe
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 21, 2024
The comedian’s most recent addition to her growing list of moments at WNBA matchups happened Thursday night, when she was spotted burying her head in a novel while what became an overtime matchup occurred in front of her. Of course, this was just another one of Plaza’s bits, during which she interacted with the Liberty’s famous mascot, Ellie the Elephant.
@cmaddie365 Rio is actually based off of HER 💀💀💀 vid credit NY Liberty #fypage #featureme #fyp #viral #wnba #aubreyplaza #agathaharkness #agathaallalong #riovidal #aubreyplazaedit #newyorkliberty #marvel #disney #witchesoftiktok #disneychannel #aprilludgate ♬ original sound – agathaharkness
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Aubrey Plaza filmography, from ‘Parks and Recreation’ to ‘Agatha All Along’
The star’s breakout role was April Ludgate on “Parks and Rec” from 2009 to 2015. Plaza was beloved on the show for her witty insults and snappy attitude, the perfect counterbalance to the endless optimism of main character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler).
As far as films go, her best performances are often considered Julie Powers in “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” (2010), Beth in “Life After Beth” (2014), Riley in “The Happiest Season” (2020) and most recently Wow Platinum in “Megalopolis” (2024), among others.
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She made her return to television in season two of “The White Lotus” (2022) as Harper, reviving the acting style that made her famous in the first place. With a successful career already in the books, including a Golden Globe nominee in 2023 for the comedy series as well as a Peabody Award and SAG Award, Plaza has yet to receive an Oscar nomination.
Now, she is featured in Disney’s “Agatha All Along” as Rio Vidal, a mysterious member of the Marvel Universe viewers are being introduced to. The show, based on Agatha, the villain from “Wandavision” (2021), is available to stream on Disney+ with new episodes airing every Wednesday until Halloween.