The Seattle Storm on Tuesday re-signed veteran forward Gabby Williams, who helped lead France to a silver medal in this month's Olympics, for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Originally acquired by the Storm in a 2022 trade with the Los Angeles Sparks, Williams started all 36 games that season, averaging 7.5 points and 5.0 rebounds and earning All-Defensive second-team honors as Seattle reached the WNBA semifinals before losing to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces.
A year ago, Williams re-signed with the Storm midseason after recovering from a concussion suffered while playing for French club ASVEL. In 10 games before a season-ending stress fracture in her left foot, Williams averaged 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds.
With France hosting this year's Olympics, Williams opted to sit out the first portion of the WNBA schedule to prepare with the national team. She led France with 15.5 points and 5.8 assists per game, including a team-high 19 points as France came within a point of ending Team USA's 60-game unbeaten streak in Olympic play. Williams made a shot at the buzzer with France down three that could have forced overtime, but her foot was on the 3-point line.
Having secured the third medal won by France in women's basketball, Williams was free to return to the WNBA for the stretch run despite the league's prioritization rule, which she's been outspoken in criticizing. Seattle had an open roster spot after the expiration of the latest seven-day contract for guard Kiana Williams.
Gabby Williams rejoins a Storm team that has loaded up in her absence, adding veteran All-Stars Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike. At 17-10, Seattle is a half-game behind the two-time defending champion Aces for fourth in the WNBA standings, which would translate into home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Storm's starting lineup, which features USA gold medalist Jewell Loyd and bronze medalist Ezi Magbegor of Australia alongside Diggins-Smith, Ogwumike and second-year forward Jordan Horston, boasts the league's third-best total plus-minus this season, outscoring opponents by 74 points in 304 minutes according to WNBA Advanced Stats.
Depth has been a challenge for Seattle, which ranks ninth with 15.0 points per game by reserves. Williams will likely either supply scoring punch off the bench herself or push Horston, who is averaging 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, back to a reserve role after she's started the Storm's last 12 games.
Williams will join the team next week in Seattle. After completing a three-game road trip on Tuesday night, Seattle has a five-day break before returning to action at home on Monday.