Storm sign French star and Olympic standout Gabby Williams in big WNBA move

The Seattle Storm just signed one of the most highly-coveted free agents in women’s basketball — French star Gabby Williams — to a rest-of-season contract with the team.

Williams was a member of the Storm in 2022 and 2023, after spending her first three WNBA seasons with the Sky, but she hasn’t played in the WNBA this season. She was a standout at the Paris Olympics, named to the All-Star Five, and helped lead France to a silver medal finish. Named to the WNBA All-Defensive team in 2022, Williams is largely considered one of the best defensive guards in basketball, and was reportedly being recruited by a number of teams. Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan reported the Storm, Liberty, and Mercury were her leading contenders.

“We’re thrilled to have Gabby back with the Storm,” said head coach Noelle Quinn, per a Storm press release. “Gabby is a dynamic player who brings tremendous versatility. She’s a two-way player that can guard multiple positions and has a strong offensive game; given her familiarity with our system, we know she can have an immediate impact. Gabby’s Olympic performance showcased her world-class talent, and we’re excited to have her join us as we push for the playoffs.”

Williams expressed her excitement for reuniting with the organization, per the press release.

“I’m so excited to be joining the Storm for the rest of the season,” said Williams. “I feel more than ready to finally return to Seattle. I’ve missed the organization, my teammates and the fans so much. I absolutely can’t wait to come back and finish the season strong.”

Throughout her five year career in the WNBA, Williams has averaged 7.1 points, 2.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds. Playing for France in the Paris Olympics, Williams averaged 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.8 steals in six games, capped by a 19-point outing in the Gold Medal game.

The Storm have the fifth-best record in the WNBA at 17-10, but have racked up two consecutive losses to below .500 teams since the Olympic break. On Friday, they fell to the Dream 83-81, and on Sunday, they suffered a 92-75 loss at the hands of the fever.

Given that Williams is already familiar with the Storm system, she should provide an instant boost on both ends of the floor as Seattle looks to make a playoff push.

So far this season, the Storm have been lead by Jewell Loyd (20.4 points per game), Nneka Ogwumike (17.2 points), Skylar Diggins-Smith (13.8 points), and Ezi Magebegor (12.6 points). They’ve had the fourth-best defense and been the fourth highest-scoring offense in the league.