Gabby Williams (15). John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Gabby Williams urged to return to WNBA after stellar Olympics

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Aug 12, 2024 11:30 AM ET

France was less than an inch away from enforcing overtime in the Paris Olympics gold-medal game against Team USA on Sunday. With a second left and the hosts trailing 67-64, France's Gabby Williams drained a shot that would have tied the game if she hadn't stepped over the three-point line.

The heartbreak notwithstanding, Williams had a stellar Olympics campaign that saw her win a silver medal, the Best Defensive Player Award and a spot in the tournament's All-Star Five.

Williams' impressive showing in Paris has caught the attention of many players and coaches in the WNBA, with growing calls for her to return to the world's best women's basketball league. Following Sunday's gold-medal game, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese tried to recruit Williams back to the club she once played for.

ok now that the game is over, would you like to be apart of the chicago sky again???@gabbywilliams15 (thought it wouldn’t hurt to try lmaoo)
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) August 11, 2024

Several other WNBA stars and personalities praised Williams for her terrific two-week run in Paris.

Thank you for playing basketball, Gabby Williams. You’re incredible #Paris2024 x #Basketball pic.twitter.com/jvEgiWHv5Z
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 11, 2024

Williams spent three seasons with the Sky between 2018 and 2020 before playing a season-and-a-half for the Seattle Storm. During her time in the WNBA, Williams never truly found her footing, except for being a defensive specialist and a hustle player. However, she found greater success in the EuroLeague, winning the 2022 Final Four MVP Award for leading Sopron Basket to the title.

In 2018, Williams entered the WNBA to a lot of hype — as the No. 4 overall pick — after she won two NCAA titles as a member of the UConn Huskies. It's fair to suggest she didn't live up to expectations before departing the league in 2023.

A dual citizen of the USA and France, Williams experienced a whirlwind of emotions on Sunday as she stood across from her former WNBA teammates and foes.

"I'm super happy and proud of what we did throughout the competition," Williams said, via BasketNews. "We must not lower our heads. What we accomplished was enormous. Everyone will be talking about this match for years. There is, of course, disappointment, but I think that after a few hours, we'll celebrate this medal. Because it's incredible what we did."

Perhaps the latest Olympic campaign could be the shot in the arm that Williams needs to make a triumphant return to the WNBA.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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