When Team USA outclassed France in the Olympic final, everyone across America must have celebrated their team’s historical milestone of achieving the eighth gold medal. However, what didn’t go unnoticed was French star Gabby William’s brilliant efforts until the last, whichever turned the WNBA rookie Angel Reese into asking Williams to join her at the Chicago Sky. Now, Reese has opened up a little more about her desire, as she also shared her secret admiration for Williams.
Angel Reese was sharing her thoughts in an interview video shared by Julia Poe, a Sky Beat writer. “I have been a fan of Gabby since she was at UConn and I have always tried to take some things from her game. She plays hard and I love that about her,” said Reese. She also mentioned that it was just fun and more like a joke when she asked Williams play along with her in Chicago because Williams has already been a part of the franchise in the past.
However, Reese also showed sympathy towards Williams: “It was tough to obviously see her losing.” Williams scored 19 points against Team USA in the Olympic final and was the top scorer for her country. Unfortunately, Williams is currently not a part of any WNBA franchise, but Reese is excited about her future career, as she said, “Any WNBA team that gets her is lucky for sure.”
What’s your reaction
While Gabby William’s return to the WNBA remains uncertain, she did hint at something with her reply to Reese’s request to join her at Sky. “orr we could just play together for a different organization,” replied Williams. She made her WNBA debut back in 2018 for Sky and last played for the Seattle Storm in 2023. However, let’s discuss the reason that forced her to cut off the 2024 season.
Gabi William’s absence in the 2024 season
Gabby Williams faced a setback last year when she suffered a concussion while playing for ASVEL during the French League playoffs. At that time, unsigned players could still participate in the WNBA after fulfilling their off-season commitments. Williams opted to play for the WNBA despite her injury, but that flexibility changed for the following year.
In 2024, new rules mandated that unsigned free agents must complete their off-season obligations before training camp starts. This rule adjustment, combined with an earlier WNBA training camp due to the Olympic break, left Williams with a tough choice. She decided to honor her existing commitments to ASVEL and represent France at the Olympics.
However, she remains optimistic about her future, expressing her intention to return to the WNBA in 2025. She has been featured in 135 WNBA games and managed to score 956 points across five seasons. Despite the uncertainty of her return to the WNBA, Gabby Williams’ impressive Olympic performance and Angel Reese’s enthusiasm hint at an exciting future.