Former UConn star Williams placed on suspended list by Sky
Gabby Williams will miss the WNBA season.
The former UConn star was placed on the full-season suspension list by the Chicago Sky on Thursday. Williams, who returned to the U.S. this week after finishing her season in Hungary, is on the French national team’s preliminary roster and there is speculation she will play this summer in the EuroBasket 2021 tournament ahead of the Olympics.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago coach James Wade said the French Federation told him before the WNBA Draft that it was interested in keeping Williams on its national team. Williams grew up in Reno, Nev., but her mother is of French descent and she holds dual citizenship.
The Sun-Times reported the Sky considered trading Williams on draft day.
“(Playing for the French national team) is something Gabby has wanted to do, and we’re supportive of her,” Wade said on draft night, via
the Sun-Times.
Williams, 24, was this season’s EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year for Sopron. She averaged 13.9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, earning first-team All-EuroLeague.
The fourth pick in the 2018 WNBA draft, Williams has averaged 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in three seasons with Chicago. She started 30 of 34 games as a rookie, but started just six games over the past two seasons as she played more point guard as a reserve.
At UConn, the 5-foot-11 Williams emerged as a post player after arriving as an athletic guard. She was part of two NCAA title teams and earned All-American status in 2017. She was also national Defensive Player of the Year in 2017.
She averaged 10.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in her UConn career, finishing with 1,582 points, 1,007 rebounds, 481 assists and 305 steals. The Huskies were 148-3 during her four years in Storrs.