Dearica Hamby Shatters Unrivaled Records — Chelsea Gray & Kelsey Plum Set the Tone

Unrivaled Season 2 is already in full chaos mode—in the best way. In this episode of The Women’s Hoop Show, Jordan Robinson is joined by Emma Baccellieri (Sports Illustrated staff writer and Court Queens co-author) to break down the early season vibes and the record-breaking performances that hit in the very first week. We start with the headline: Chelsea Gray is setting the standard. The pace, the vision, the audacity of the passes—she’s playing like this format was built in a lab for her. And while Chelsea is turning every possession into a highlight, the record book is already taking damage: Kelsey Plum detonates for 38, then Dearica Hamby tops it with a 40-piece, officially taking the single-game scoring record. It’s not just big numbers—it’s the way they’re doing it: switch-flipping, takeover basketball, and total comfort in the 3-on-3 game. We also hit other early marks (including Brittney Sykes and Sug Sutton tying the steals record) and what these performances tell us about which teams are actually built to thrive in this league right now. Plus: Emma shares behind-the-scenes insight from reporting on Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier as Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Innovators of the Year, and we close with the latest on the WNBA CBA—deadline passed, no deal, free agency in limbo, and what “status quo” really means moving forward. Court Queens (the illustrated history of women’s basketball) is available for pre-order now and drops March 17.