With her dominant 19-point performance during the Olympics Finale, the French star Gabby Williams has found herself a cozy place in the hearts of USA fans. Hence, many are demanding that she ply her trade in the WNBA this year. Even WNBA rookie Angel Reese came forward to ask Williams to sign with the Chicago Sky. However, Williams, who decided to choose France over the WNBA and not adhere to the league prioritization rule, will become a fully unrestricted free agent if she doesn’t play in the WNBA this year.

Basketball analyst Rachel Galligan shared her take on Williams’s case and reminded her fans that not playing in the WNBA this year might come off as beneficial, contrary to the usual rumors in the market. “If Williams were to opt out of signing with a WNBA team for the remainder of the 2024 season & remain in France, she will enter next free agency as a fully unrestricted free agent,” Galligan shared via her X account on Tuesday.

Williams, who decided to have a preference for the French national team, can make it back now since the Olympics have concluded. Plus, she also finished her season with Fenerbahce before the WNBA’s deadline of May 1, 2024. Hence, now that the Olympics are over, she can be back, but not as a fully unrestricted free agent. This is because Williams during the 2022 and 2023 seasons played for the Seattle Storm and hence she can’t have wiggle room in this season unless she skips one.

As per reports, if Williams does not play in the WNBA this year, she will become a fully unrestricted free agent and then sign with any team of her choice that offers her a contract. Therefore, it would come off as a boon for Williams, who has proved her mettle by scoring 19 points in the Olympic Final. But does that mean she has refused offers from Reese and her fans? Her fans and Reese wanted Williams to play in the league this year. Though she expressed her wish not to play this season, with the new details coming to light, it looks like she is certainly going to postpone her comeback.

What did Angel Reese do to show her interest in forming a team with Gabby Williams?

Reese took to Twitter (now X) after the game against France and asked Williams if she would like to join the Chicago Sky. “ok now that the game is over, would you like to be apart of the chicago sky again??? (thought it wouldn’t hurt to try lmaoo),” Wilson stated. Williams, who didn’t seem much interested in the Sky because of her past, expounded, “orrrrrr we could just play together for a différent organization 👀🤷🏽‍♀️😂.”

Williams represented the Sky from 2018 to 2021 before being suspended by the former coach for taking more interest in the French national team. Thus, Williams doesn’t want to join Sky due to her differences with the management.

Perhaps this tweet will give Reese a clearer answer as to why Williams doesn’t want to be in the W as of now. And hopefully, Williams will make a return to the WNBA in 2025 and be an integral part of her team.

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