{"id":264369,"date":"2025-11-01T06:05:29","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T06:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/264369\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T06:05:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T06:05:29","slug":"for-seattle-storms-gabby-williams-investing-in-herself-has-paid-dividends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/264369\/","title":{"rendered":"For Seattle Storm’s Gabby Williams, investing in herself has paid dividends"},"content":{"rendered":"

When looking at Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams<\/a>\u2019 pro basketball career to date, the 2021 WNBA season marks an inflection point \u2013 despite Williams not having logged a single minute played.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Williams, then a member of the Chicago Sky, was set to fulfill a personal and familial dream by competing for the French national team in EuroBasket and the Tokyo Olympics, both of which would be her first participation<\/a> in such events. Williams\u2019 international commitments, though, would require her to miss nearly three months of the WNBA season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was asked not to go,\u201d Williams said of her interaction with the Sky\u2019s front office.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Williams, an understanding<\/a> had been reached between both parties: Williams would start the year overseas, and James Wade, then the general manager and head coach of Chicago, would seek to trade her.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A week before the 2021 season began, however, the Sky shocked Williams by suspending her contract<\/a>. She learned of her suspension via social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After the suspension, Williams met with Sky owner Michael Alter<\/a> in person. According to Williams, Alter couldn\u2019t fathom why she would want to play in the Olympics and \u201cnot be in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him, \u2018You have to understand, I don\u2019t make money here,\u2019 \u201d said Williams, who was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks shortly after the suspension. \u201cNot even about money \u2013 I wasn\u2019t getting a lot of minutes. I didn\u2019t feel very important to the team \u2013 they didn\u2019t make me feel important \u2013 and I was like, \u2018You\u2019re asking me to sacrifice this for that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm drives to the basket during a game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 17, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Meg Oliphant \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

The cascade of events was difficult for Williams but ultimately served as a wake-up call for her to take control of her career.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt that point, I was still very young and was still seeing it as like \u2026 I do everything for my team, my franchise. I\u2019m just that kind of person,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThen just realizing that, oh, maybe I should be careful with that because maybe people aren\u2019t investing in me the way I\u2019m investing in them. So let me start investing in myself more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams, now a member of the Storm, has since transformed her presence in the league, emerging as one of the game\u2019s most dynamic forces \u2013 a \u201cFrench Army knife\u201d<\/a> on the court and a beacon for player agency off of it, always seemingly in control of her next move.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is just making the decisions that are best for her career,\u201d said Sparks forward and close friend Azur\u00e1 Stevens<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s cool to see her kind of lead in that way. \u2026 She\u2019s taken her career into her own hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Williams was a child growing up in Sparks, Nevada, a few miles outside of Reno, she would often walk to her grandmother\u2019s house after school. Williams\u2019 grandmother, Angela Bishop, lived just down the street from her.<\/p>\n

Bishop, who is from Paris, started teaching Williams French at the age of 6.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy siblings, they are familiar with the language, but I\u2019m the only one who speaks it because I spent so much time with my grandmother,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI basically lived with her.\u201c<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 grandmother would always talk to her about one day taking her to France to meet her extended family. Neither at the time could have imagined that Williams would one day lead France\u2019s basketball team to a silver medal<\/a> during last summer\u2019s Paris Olympic Games. Williams\u2019 high-level play during the Paris Games was consumed by a world audience. She finished the Olympics as France\u2019s leader in points, assists and steals<\/a>, capped by a team-leading, 19-point<\/a> performance in the gold-medal game, in which France fell to the United States by a point. <\/p>\n

\"\"Gabby Williams of the French national team plays during the gold-medal game against Team USA at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 11, 2024, at Bercy Arena in Paris.<\/p>\n

Jean Catuffe \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

She would be named the best defensive player<\/a> of the tournament and earn a spot on the Paris 2024 All-Star Five<\/a>. Williams was later awarded the 2024 Alain Gilles Trophy<\/a>, given to the French basketball player of the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely been different in France, like the level of kind of becoming almost like a household name,\u201d said Williams, who also was voted by fans as the 2024 European Player of the Year<\/a>. \u201cBut at the end of the day, it doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams had 20 family members in the stands for the gold-medal game. It would have been closer to 50 if there hadn\u2019t been a cap on allotted tickets for players. The choice she had made in 2021 to commit to the national team, despite the hurdles along the way, had resulted in an experience for Williams that was priceless.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust being able to, like, go run and hug my niece after a game or seeing my family after those moments and they just kept repeating, \u2018This is the best trip in the whole world,\u2019\u201d Williams said. \u201cSeeing them so happy to be there was like, \u2018Wow, this was all worth it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 transition to being a pro was defined by a rotating learning curve.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a standout for UConn<\/a>, Williams often played in the frontcourt, a 180 from her days playing point guard in high school. Early on as a pro in Chicago, Williams was often asked to interchange positions, leaving her to feel like she was unable to find proficiency in either. At the time, her duties manifested as a frustrating task, but they have since become a point of growth for Williams, a player who can handle the ball but also defend the paint, direct offense and rebound the basketball. That all culminated into the role Williams now occupies in Seattle.<\/p>\n

\"\"UConn player Gabby Williams (center) attempts to shoot over an Oklahoma opponent during the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Holiday Showcase on Dec. 19, 2017, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. <\/p>\n

Tim Clayton \/ Corbis via Getty Images<\/p>\n

On-court play wasn\u2019t the only adjustment required of Williams as a pro. One of the most poignant lessons Williams learned early in her career was that, despite living a dream of being in the sport\u2019s top league, ultimately, the WNBA is a business.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" Gabby Williams waits for the Chicago Sky to resume a game against the Connecticut Sun on Sept. 15, 2020, at Feld Entertainment Center in Palmetto, Florida.<\/p>\n

Ned Dishman \/ NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

There were multiple eye-popping moments for Williams on her path to grasping that reality. There are the more common occurrences, like when Williams was in her rookie training camp and had to process multiple players being waived and losing their shots at playing in the league.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then there are more unique moments. Williams recalled a team meeting in 2018 in which Chicago Sky CEO Adam Fox<\/a> presented a PowerPoint presentation to players, presumably, Williams said, to explain why the organization had not invested more money into the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were, showing us, like, \u2018We don\u2019t pay you guys because you don\u2019t make us money.\u2019 Kind of, like, validating [themselves] and brainwashing us,\u201d Williams said. \u201cLike, \u2018We don\u2019t invest in you guys because of this. \u2026 There\u2019s eight out of 12 teams that make revenue. We\u2019re not one of those teams.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like, \u2018What is going on?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Sky did not return a request for comment.<\/p>\n

Skills trainers, player development coaches sharpen WNBA stars\u2019 game in the offseasonRead now<\/a><\/p>\n

Williams doesn\u2019t necessarily view the WNBA as the end-all, be-all. Being half-European, she said, allows her to hold that point of view. Does she want to compete against the very best? Of course. Does she want to prove she can excel in the best league in the world? Undoubtedly. For Williams, though, that can\u2019t come at the cost of sacrificing well-being, both emotional and monetary.<\/p>\n

\u201cI maybe got a lot of criticism for [choosing to go overseas] or people were saying that, like, I was fighting the WNBA and I\u2019m like, I\u2019m making a business decision the same way the W is,\u201d Williams said. \u201cLike, they want me to stay for less money or for less benefits or less investment. Like, no one else would do that in any other profession. So why should I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams (right) shoots over New York Liberty forward Kennedy Burke (left) during the Storm-Liberty game on June 22, 2025, in Seattle.<\/p>\n

Lindsey Wasson \/ Associated Press<\/p>\n

In recent years, Williams has become one of the faces of the discourse surrounding WNBA prioritization<\/a>, which requires players to arrive by the start of training camp or risk having their contracts suspended. While some overseas leagues end prior to the start of the WNBA season, others, such as the LBWL in France, currently do not. The rule has forced many veteran players, who do not meet the league\u2019s prioritization exemption, to make tough choices about playing in the WNBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Williams arguably has been the rule\u2019s most vocal dissident. In 2023<\/a>, she elected to play in the LBWL but suffered a concussion during the playoffs for her French club, Lyon ASVEL. Because Williams suspended her Lyon contract prior to the WNBA\u2019s deadline, she was allowed to later sign with a WNBA team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI still think the prioritization thing is ridiculous. I\u2019m sorry, I\u2019ll say it. Like, literally, I\u2019m only here because I got concussed,\u201d Williams said<\/a> after appearing in her first game of the 2023 season with Seattle.<\/p>\n

Williams missed the opening months of the WNBA season in 2024, choosing to prioritize her preparation with the French national team for the 2024 Olympics. Since she ended her international season prior to the start of WNBA training camp, Williams was eligible to sign with a team after the Olympics and was in demand by every team that had an available roster spot. She re-signed with the Storm.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, Williams voiced her displeasure<\/a> with prioritization and how she felt the league had fallen short in forcing players to leave overseas commitments without being additionally compensated for doing so.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I talk about prioritization, I understand that you need to have players here. It is hard to come late, I admit. But the W thinks that they don\u2019t have to pay us more in order for us to be here,\u201d Williams said during Seattle\u2019s exit interviews in September.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is a hope that even if the rules around prioritization remain unchanged in the WNBA\u2019s upcoming collective bargaining agreement, the expected substantial increase in player salaries as a result of a new CBA could incentivize international players for whom pay is the primary issue.<\/p>\n

Williams said that she has been approached by a number of players who have thanked her for speaking out and \u201ccalling out the irony.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m literally just answering questions, honestly. \u2026 They\u2019re not paying enough in the W,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThe punishment is not matching the salary, if that makes sense. \u2026 Don\u2019t ask me to come on time if my salary is better [in Europe].\u201d <\/p>\n

WNBA salaries in 2025 range from about $66,000 annually to about $250,000 for a player on a super-maximum contract. Overseas, top players can earn close to, and more than, seven figures.<\/p>\n

By choosing to play in Seattle in 2024, Williams opened herself up to receiving a core designation from the Storm in the offseason, and she did<\/a>. It resulted in Williams signing a one-year deal that made her the highest-paid player on Seattle\u2019s roster in 2025.<\/p>\n

In Seattle, Williams is known for doing a little bit of everything. She is the Storm\u2019s on-court connector, her involvement and activity melding Seattle\u2019s kinetic energy on the floor \u2013 so much so that Williams rarely leaves the court. This season, Williams is averaging a team-high 34.2 minutes per game, which ranks fifth<\/a> in the WNBA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Storm\u2019s production shifts when Williams leaves the floor. According to ESPN Stats and Information, in the 479 minutes that Williams has played this season, the Storm are +102. In the 81 minutes that Williams has not played this season, the Storm are -36. When Williams is on the court for Seattle, its defensive rating is 95.6, placing it just shy of the two top team defensive ratings in the league, the New York Liberty (94.4) and the Minnesota Lynx (94.5). When Williams is off the court, the Storm\u2019s defensive rating is 105.8.<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 impact and growth can be summarized in the Storm\u2019s last three games. On June 17<\/a>, in a win over Los Angeles, Williams totaled a career-high<\/a> eight steals, which set a Storm single-game record<\/a>. In a win against the Las Vegas Aces on June 20<\/a>, Williams recorded her first double-double<\/a> of her career, totaling 18 points and a career-high<\/a> 12 rebounds. On Sunday, in a win over New York<\/a>, Williams notched her second straight double-double<\/a>, this time with 12 points, a career-high 10 assists and four steals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Whether it\u2019s in Europe or stateside, Gabby Williams has prioritized being in spaces where she feels safe and happy \u2013 both of which she has found playing for the Seattle Storm. \u201cWhen I\u2019m here, I feel relaxed \u2013 like I can breathe,\u201d Williams told Andscape. <\/p>\n

Alika Jenner \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing her blossom on both sides of the basketball,\u201d Storm point guard Skylar Diggins<\/a> told Andscape on May 30. \u201cShe\u2019s dynamic, a three-level scorer, and our best perimeter defender.\u201d <\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 biggest statistical jump this season has come from the 3-point line, where she is shooting 41.2%<\/a> on 4.9 attempts per game. In all of Williams\u2019 past six seasons<\/a> in the WNBA, she had not shot better than 32.3% or taken more than 3.2 attempts per game. Williams made 22<\/a> threes in the first nine games of this season, which is more than any season she has played in the WNBA.<\/p>\n

Williams ranks sixth<\/a> in the WNBA in 3-point percentage among players with at least 50 total attempts this season. <\/p>\n

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\u201cWe all know that Gabby can get downhill and what she can do in transition, getting to the paint and all those things, but to consistently do what she\u2019s doing from the outside, it does present a matchup issue for teams,\u201d Storm head coach Noelle Quinn<\/a> said during a pregame news conference on June 1. \u201cThey\u2019re gonna start playing Gabby way differently when she\u2019s really locked into that efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams\u2019 all-around performance this season has made her a strong candidate<\/a> for next month\u2019s WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. It would be her first All-Star Game selection.<\/p>\n

Williams continues to navigate decisions on her playing career as they arise. She recently elected to not participate in EuroBasket<\/a> this summer with France, choosing instead to remain with the Storm.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Williams is on track to complete her first full WNBA season since 2022. When the season ends, she\u2019ll return overseas to play for Fenerbah\u00e7e in Turkey<\/a>. The KBSL, the league in which Fenerbah\u00e7e competes, ends its season prior to the start of WNBA training camp. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s just kind of inspiring for, like, people to know that you\u2019re in control of your career,\u201d Storm forward Ezi Magbegor<\/a> said of Williams. \u201cAnd just, you can kind of control where you see best for your game. Gabby has done that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Williams looks to the future of her career, she said she\u2019s content with the growth she\u2019s seen in the WNBA and wants to be a part of continuing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is a really important moment for us,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI\u2019d love to start focusing on being [in the WNBA].\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

May\u2019s Tunnel \u2018Fits we can\u2019t stop thinking aboutRead now<\/a><\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s in Europe or stateside, Williams has prioritized being in spaces where she feels safe and happy \u2013 both of which she said she\u2019s found playing for the Storm.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I\u2019m here, I feel relaxed \u2013 like I can breathe,\u201d Williams said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Reflecting on her career to date, Williams said she wouldn\u2019t change anything about her journey that has gotten her to this moment. In Seattle, she feels like she\u2019s where she should be. Though the journey may have taken a bit longer and been a bit bumpier than expected, she\u2019s living in the present \u2013 without regret. <\/p>\n

Williams said: \u201cEverything just kind of feels perfectly aligned right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sean Hurd is a senior writer for Andscape who primarily covers women\u2019s basketball. His athletic peak came at the age of 10 when he was named camper of the week at a Josh Childress basketball camp.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When looking at Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams\u2019 pro basketball career to date, the 2021 WNBA season marks…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":264370,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[99,434],"class_list":{"0":"post-264369","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-sports","9":"tag-wnba"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=264369"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264369\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/264370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=264369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=264369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=264369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}