When Chelsea Gray stepped up to the podium for a media availability session before the WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge, she didn't think she was going to be doing it alone. Sure enough, her Las Vegas Aces teammate and backcourt partner Kelsey Plum sauntered in late after Gray had already begun taking questions. Gray gave her a friendly quip about her whereabouts before the duo continued with their press conference. The friendly banter was just one example of the chemistry Plum and Gray have developed in the Aces backcourt and a key reason why they were able to pull off a win in the WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge despite not preparing for it.

“The only strategy going into it after they explained the course, I was like hey I think I should go first cause I'm running in for the layup,” Plum said following the WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge win as she playfully hinted at her teammate's slower speed.

Chelsea Gray then made sure that the assembled media knew that Kelsey Plum is certainly more gifted in the speed department.

“I'm a little bit slower than KP if you don't know, and so it made sense,” Gray said.

While Plum certainly showed off her speed as she sprinted down court each time for the layup portion of the Skills Challenge obstacle course, it was Gray who came in clutch in the first round making her shots on the first attempt to power the Aces into the second round. Gray has definitely become one of the WNBA's premier players in crunch time although she isn't quite sure why that's been the case.

“I don't know, it's just maybe a mentality. When I'm in that position, just kind of locking in and just trying to get a W. We were able to do that with the challenge today,” Gray said.

The duo is arguably the best backcourt in the WNBA. Both players bring something unique to the table and both players are capable of getting hot offensively at any given moment. The WNBA changed the format of the Skills Challenge this year in that teams would be comprised of actual teammates. In addition to Gray and Plum from the Aces, the event featured Atlanta Dream teammates Allisha Gray and Cheyenne Parker, Dallas Wings teammates Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally and New York Liberty teamamtes Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot.

As if it weren't a surprise, both Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray were highly in favor of the revamped format.

“Yeah I liked it, I got to roll with my dawg,” Gray said indicating Plum.

Following the Aces championship last season, the popularity of the team has only grown. Plum in particular has become a key face around the city as a representative for not just the team, but for women's basketball in general. As the game continues to grow and media coverage increases, it's a role that Plum does not take lightly. Ever since the team moved to Las Vegas, Plum has made it a point to integrate herself within the community.

“I feel like when you're blessed with not just a platform, but resources and opportunity, it's an obligation to be able to give back whether that's your time, your resources, money or finding someone that can help, Plum said. “For me, I feel like I've had so many people in my life impact me. . .for me to be able to just pay that forward, I think it matters.”