While the Las Vegas Aces celebrated their 6th WNBA consecutive semifinal appearance and 11th straight home win in the playoffs, one key Seattle Storm star’s performance went under the radar. Gabby Williams, who returned to the Storm midway with only 12 games left in the regular season, scored a playoff career-high 20 points in Game 2 of the first-round matchup against A’ja Wilson & Co. It was an impressive performance from the 5’11 Power Forward, and eventually, she got her due.

Williams’ supreme athleticism was on full display back in Paris as she gave Team USA a hard time grabbing their eighth consecutive gold. But seems like she brought the same to the WNBA. She had an incredible performance yesterday, including a ridiculous reverse layup where the ball went high over the board before swishing in. However, her 8-of-16 shooting, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists couldn’t help the Storm cross the line as the Aces won 83-76. But once the Gabby Williams hype train began on social media, it was hard to stop.

Analyst Rachel Galligan was one of the first people to begin the proceedings on X with: “Gabby Williams is about to be one of the hottest free agents.” Williams was suspended after 2023 because of WNBA’s prioritization rule. Additionally, she was prepping for the Paris Olympics with the French team, courtesy of her mother’s French nationality. She even nearly forced overtime in the Olympic Finals against the USA with a one-handed shot if it wasn’t for a part of her foot on the 3-point line.

While that silver medal game is now in the distant past, Williams proved her worthiness of a richer WNBA contract yet again. After Rachel Galligan’s appreciation tweet for her, thousands more joined to make the day about the Storm’s one-woman army.

Fans hail championship-worthy Gabby Williams despite Seattle Storm’s embarrassing first-round exit

In her 12 regular season games, Gabby Williams averaged 10.3 points, shooting an impressive 48% from the field. The “Gabby Williams experience,” as WNBA legend and Storm co-owner Sue Bird labeled it, was in full effect. “This feels like home,” she said upon her return to Seattle.

Even though the Storm were knocked out on the Aces’ home turf, Williams played like she was still at home. Replying to Galligan’s tweet, one fan emphasized how the Storm PF will be thoroughly crowded with offers in the postseason.

Another X user echoed them, using Williams’ second-half plays to highlight how a “bidding war” will ensue in 2025. She was already a hot pick when she did not let Team USA breathe in the Gold Medal Game. Remember how from Angel Reese to Kalani Brown and even Dearica Hamby flooded her tweet to return to the US soil and play for their teams?

This bidding war statement naturally brings up the question – which teams would be vying for her presence? How about the team that triumphed today? The Aces could surely use a better star PF to ease A’ja Wilson’s life. While it might not be what Becky Hammon is thinking, maybe they can try their hands while they are at it?

The aforementioned reverse layup, and another strong layup finish through contact in the 4th quarter, grabbed eyeballs. Not to forget, Williams was also a 2022 all-defensive pick. One fan couldn’t control their excitement and claimed that Williams badly deserved a WNBA championship.

Surprisingly, one fan rallied for Gabby Williams to be taken as 1-of-30 players for the Unrivaled Women’s Basketball League. The 3v3 league promises a minimum $150,000 salary, which also solves the Nevada native’s low payout problem with the WNBA.

If it wasn’t for the WNBA’s prioritization rule, imagine the impact Williams would’ve had on the Storm’s roster. Though re-signing with them for 2025 is still an option, would she be a better fit for the Aces or the Fever? Or does she have someone else in mind already? Only time will tell.