Spooky G settling back in with Seattle: Williams continues to reintegrate herself with the Storm
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – After a few road games where it was apparent that she was getting back into her own rhythm and trying to take advantage of any time with the team that she could, forward Gabby Williams is settling back into being part of this Seattle Storm group. The talented two-way forward officially made the move to come back to the team that she was part of last season, even though the Storm aren’t contending like they were last year with the likes of Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird in addition to Jewell Loyd, who has taken over as the leader of this team. Now with time to get practice in and returning to the Emerald City, Williams can get fully settled in as a member of the Storm for her second stint.
Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams tries to go up for a shot against Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum during the teams’ July 20th, 2023 matchup (Photo by Anthony May)
Getting integrated into Seattle’s systems again
An incredibly smart defensive player, Williams picked up quickly on Seattle’s defensive schemes last season and because of her ability to do so, she’s been able to join the lineup quicker than if she hadn’t. While Gabby’s offensive side of her game is still an area that she’s working on in terms of consistently hitting her shots, the defensive side of the ball is where Williams thrives, and that lockdown capability is a big plus for the Storm in a few different areas. Seattle has sat around the bottom of the WNBA all season in major defensive categories, so plugging in a player that can guard nearly every position on the floor while causing general havoc to opposing havoc is a more than welcome sight for head coach Noelle Quinn. Take Williams’ ability to crash the boards, and it’s like Williams is the type of player that Seattle could’ve used from day one.
“I think it was just more so being home. My first practices were on the road. When you practice on the road, it’s not your practice players. Everyone’s kind of still resting. You can’t really work on everything you want to, so I had two really good days of practice here, like real days. And I think that helped me more than anything.”
“Her defensive effort, defensive energy, ability to have another initiator on the floor. Her athleticism, ability to guard multiple positions, it gives us another elite athlete on the floor and comfort in my opinion, she knows our system, knows what we want, plays at a high level and very hard. Energy level is always high. So, especially for our group, special to have on the floor with us.”
On top of the integration into the Storm’s defensive system and what the team is running when their opponents have the ball, being able to fit in and build chemistry with teammates is always a major aspect when a player joins a team, especially midseason. This Seattle roster is far different than what Williams was part of last year, but if the early returns and quotes are truthful, Gabby isn’t having any issues with fitting in. While young and struggling to put the wins together, the Storm locker-room has remained light and positive, encouraging each other and understanding that they’re building upon the progress that they’re making. Williams has heard about this environment that Seattle has made, and it seemed more than appealing.
“I didn’t know how things were internally, like how things are going. Once I started talking to everyone, they’re telling me like, regardless of the record, we have a great group. It’s been a great atmosphere and also made me excited to be part of that as well.”
Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams tries to go up for a shot against the Las Vegas Aces during the teams’ July 20th, 2023 matchup (Photo by Anthony May)
A place that feels like home
This past offseason, numerous questions surrounded the Storm and what would happen with their roster. The obvious was where superstar forward Breanna Stewart would land, and Seattle was going to have to figure out the makeup of their team from there. It didn’t seem likely that Williams was going to want to return to this team as it’s in a rebuilding year, but it appears that was never the case. Despite the team failing to send out the legendary Sue Bird with a fifth title last season, Williams thoroughly enjoyed her experience here in the Pacific Northwest. When she suffered a concussion with her team overseas in France, a chance to come back to play in a Storm jersey opened after things seemed shut.
“I’m excited. It’s one of the biggest reasons that I actually decided to come back, that’s just to kind of be in this atmosphere again. My mind, I’ll be honest, was completely like not in the WNBA from like February. I was like okay, it’s just not gonna work out this year. And then even after my concussion when I was thinking about coming back, I was like, I think I need to take more time. But a big part of me coming back was just one being a part of his culture, being a part of this team, being back with the staff, kind of having a change of like scenery from France and everything and playing in climate pledge again. ”
With the WNBA’s prioritization rules, the days ticked closer and closer to a deadline for Williams to decide whether Seattle could successfully convince her to come back or if they’d have to move on. Head coach Noelle Quinn had to answer questions about Gabby on media day, and there was even speculation in the early portion of the season that we may see Williams find her way back to Seattle then. For a while, those rumors cooled off and it appeared that the Storm were going to continue throughout this season with the group that they had kept after preseason cuts. Thankfully, speculation was just speculation, as Williams joined the team around the All-Star break and expressed how much she loves the city of Seattle and their women’s basketball franchise.
“I watched every game. I didn’t have anything to do, it wasn’t hard to fit it into my busy schedule. I was able to watch every game.”
Las Vegas Aces guard Alysha Clark and forward Gabby Williams both go for the ball during the teams’ July 20th, 2023 matchup (Photo by Anthony May)
A different role
With last year's roster and the way that it was build, Williams’ defense was obviously welcome, but she featured as more of a third or fourth scoring option for the Storm, trying to bring a scoring punch when teams were focused on Breanna Stewart and or Jewell Loyd and Seattle was searching for a certified third scorer. Her defense and distribution of the basketball were what stood out instead, as her offensive game grew throughout that course of the season with positive flashes of potential throughout. This year, with a young team and Williams considered a veteran, things are a little different but largely the same for her role and what the team expects from her.
“I think this year I have to step into more of that vet and leadership role, which obviously, new guy here last year, and me being one of the few who returned to knowing how things work, you’re just trying to pass that knowledge on to the newbies.”
While somewhat of a quieter voice it appears, Williams seems ready and willing to be one of the team’s vocal leaders amongst a young team that’s still looking to correct mistakes that hold them back from winning games. With the youth of the team and lack of true bonding/chemistry plus the Storm’s record on the season, Williams easily could’ve turned Seattle down and looked somewhere else to get herself back into the WNBA. But that wasn’t going into play, and she expressed at length how much she loves the city of Seattle and thoroughly enjoyed her time here. While the main story here is about how Gabby fits in and her love for this city despite the minimal time lived here, hearing that the Storm environment is thriving and welcoming. Despite being a veteran, having the level of comfort that comes with working alongside people you know, and trust can be big. We’re hoping that works.
“I’m trying just to support her in any way I can. Trying to take like the load off of her back as much as I can. And that motivates me to be more of a leader because it shouldn’t fall completely on Jewell, she’s trying to do everything in the world. And it’s out of her comfort zone, it’s a new role for her as well. I’m just trying to be here and support her in any way that I can.”