Swiss Army Knife. That’s the moniker Gabby Williams has earned with her versatility. Probably the only player on the French national team who averages decent numbers in all five major statistical categories in the game of basketball. After starting her career at Edward C. Reed High School, Sparks (Nevada), Gabby Williams is now soaring through new heights. Drafted as the 4th overall WNBA pick in 2018, the UConn Husky alumnae has put out a career average of 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists through 135 games she played in her brief run in the league.

On the other hand, she has represented France on the international stage for years and has become the face of the French women’s national basketball team, leading them to multiple podium finishes. So, let’s take a deeper look at the 2022 EuroLeague champion’s national team career as she continues to embed herself as one of the rising names in international basketball.

Gabby Williams’ National commitments hurt her WNBA chances

Gabby Williams’ career with the French national team took off in 2021 when she competed at the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket. In the tournament, she played for Les Bleues and led them to a silver medal. She played 6 games through which she averaged 8.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists, with an efficiency rate of 10.2.

Then came her first Olympic campaign, but with a price. At the time, she was playing for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and as the case is for many teams, the WNBA’s regular season usually takes place in summer. And so, the league has to take a month-long break to accommodate the Olympic schedule.

Now, what happened with Williams was that her commitments with the French national team came in the way of her making it to the pre-season training camp for the Chicago Sky that season. Moreover, she thought that she had reached an understanding with the league. However, that didn’t happen as the league disagreed with the claim.

What followed was that Williams was handed a suspension from the team and was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. The suspension hence brought itself an ineligibility for Williams and she couldn’t participate in the WNBA regular season. On the other hand, she led the French national team to a bronze medal by defeating Serbia in Tokyo. She averaged 10.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 6 games with an efficiency rate of 16.5. And she hasn’t looked back since.

Williams’ career took off after the Tokyo Games

A year later, Williams participated in the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia. She played 3 games and averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, with an efficiency rate of 12. She then led the team to the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, where she averaged 15.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 6 games. However, France finished in a disappointing 7th position.

In 2023, Williams competed in the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket Qualifiers. In the tournament, she averaged 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and assists apiece through 4 games with a 14.8 efficiency rate.

Earlier this year, she flew to China and competed in the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. In three games of the tournament, Williams had 16.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, with an efficient rate of 19.3.

Further, she is currently representing her country at the 2024 Summer Olympics being held in Paris. So far, she has played through 5 games and has averaged 14.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, with an efficiency rate of 18.6. But there is still one more game left for Williams to compete in, i.e. the gold medal matchup, where she will lock horns with the 8x reigning champs, Team USA.

However, this is just the beginning for Gabby Williams. So, stay tuned as the 27-year-old designs her path filled with fun victories and some great experiences ahead.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger