French Army knife: Williams' versatility vital to Storm's playoff success

Gabby Williams' breakout 2025 campaign was highlighted by her maiden All-Star appearance in July.

But being chosen for the midseason exhibition showcase was never atop her list of goals heading into the year.

Williams had been the consummate pro throughout her first seven WNBA seasons. She was always willing to fulfill whatever role the Seattle Storm needed, leading head coach Noelle Quinn to call her the "French Army knife."

Seattle traded Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces in the offseason, thus creating a need for more scoring as well as a secondary playmaker. Quinn urged Williams to fill that void to ease the offensive burden on Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins.

Williams accepted the challenge and was later rewarded with a trip to Indianapolis for All-Star Weekend.

"It was a huge compliment when (Quinn) said, 'You got here and you did it the right way. You got here by being a good teammate. By doing what the team always needs you to do. By just always being a star in my role, no matter what it is,'" Williams said of her chat with Quinn after being named an All-Star.

"I'm glad that I just stuck through that because a lot of times it was meaning that I had to sacrifice a lot of myself for the team. But that's what I love to do. I wouldn't ask to be anything different than that. But the fact that now I've arrived to an All-Star level just being a star in my role, it does mean a lot."

Williams' teammates knew she was capable of reaching such heights.

Diggins said Williams put in the day-to-day work and has never lacked confidence in her abilities. The six-time All-WNBA selection thinks the biggest obstacle standing in Williams' way was simply her availability.

The UConn standout hadn't started and finished a WNBA campaign since 2022, when she earned WNBA All-Defensive second-team honors and tied for fifth in Most Improved Player voting.

Williams' international commitments have caused her to miss large portions of WNBA seasons, including the entire 2021 campaign when she suited up for France at EuroBasket and the Olympics.

Williams spent 2022-24 playing for ASVEL in France's top domestic women's basketball league, which begins during the WNBA offseason but runs through the start of the campaign. The WNBA's controversial prioritization rule requires players to be in attendance at the start of training camp or risk having their contracts suspended for the season.

Williams made only 22 appearances for Seattle over the previous two seasons combined, but this year she's been present from Day 1, and it's benefited both herself and the Storm.

"Her growth has been linear, but it's exponential," Diggins said at All-Star Weekend. "And to see what she can do - I think we got to see glimpses of it at times - but now it's for stretches in where we rely on her, where maybe that hasn't been her position in the past, being first, second, or third option.

"Now we rely on her for that, for our team to be successful. Just (her) being comfortable in those big moments, getting those big opportunities, and really delivering for our team."

Williams credits her starring role with the French women's national team for helping her take the next step this season.

The versatile 5-foot-11 forward led Les Bleues in scoring (15.5 points per game), assists (4.8), and steals (2.8) at last year's Paris Olympics. She was named the Best Defensive Player of the tournament and selected to the All-Star Five with the likes of A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

Williams' buzzer-beater in the gold-medal showdown against the United States nearly forced overtime. However, her left foot was just inside the 3-point arc, giving the Americans a narrow one-point victory.

"It's forced me to be put into very high-pressurized moments," Williams said of her international duty. "There is no more pressure than playing for your country. Most of these games are win or (go home), so it's allowed me to learn how to stay calm in these big moments, learn how to be productive in these big moments, take on responsibilities maybe when others aren't ready for it. I think that's allowed my game to grow a lot."

Williams is averaging career highs in points (11.6) and assists (4.2). The 29-year-old is tied for fifth among her peers in total fast-break points (121). Her 50 triples this year are more than double her previous best.

Williams can go coast to coast in transition, attack downhill, and finish through contact at the rim. She's shooting the 3-ball with more confidence. She creates for others through outlet passes, off the drive-and-kick, and as a pick-and-roll ball-handler.

The Storm are scoring 9.9 more points per 100 possessions when Williams is on the floor.

"Gabby's in a space where this is kind of new being in the W for this long at the start of the season and playing this many games," Quinn told theScore. "There's some ups and downs that come with that, but her commitment to being the best that she can be, it's been very important for her growth and for our team.

"I'm going to continue to lean on an extra level of scoring from her, but also what she does on the defensive end ignites what she does offensively. So, (she) can't go away from her bread and butter."

It's no coincidence that Seattle ranks No. 1 in points off turnovers (17.6) and fast-break points (12.9), as Williams' lockdown defense regularly generates transition opportunities.

The Defensive Player of the Year candidate led the league in deflections (124) and was tied for 12th in points off turnovers (128). She was one steal shy of tying the WNBA's single-season record set by Teresa Weatherspoon in 1998. Her six swipes in clutch situations trail only Alyssa Thomas' mark of eight.

Williams always seems to be in the right place at the right time. She has a knack for jumping passing lanes and taking the ball the opposite way for an easy two points. Williams also boasts the athleticism and strength to guard one through four, allowing the Storm to switch on defense.

Ogwumike, a former MVP and accomplished defender herself, finds that even she is learning from the insight Williams provides.

"She's contributing to the schemes," Ogwumike told theScore. "She gives her input on what she thinks would be a good idea when it comes to our defenses on the court. That's a sign of maturity to me. Not just going out there and playing the game but also coaching the game in a different way."

Seattle begins its first-round playoff series Sunday against the second-seeded Las Vegas Aces. The Storm will likely need a strong two-way effort from Williams to have any chance at pulling off the upset and making a deep run.

The job is far from finished, but it hasn't stopped Williams from relishing every step of the journey.

"I never wanted to start the season saying, 'Oh, I'm gonna be an All-Star.' Because an All-Star doesn't necessarily win you championships," Williams said. "My goal has just always been, 'Who can I be for this team? Who am I every single day? Who am I when I come to work?' I love who I am every day when I come to work, especially this season."