Charles Langston:Gabby Williams signs with Seattle Storm after Olympic breakout performance for France

Former UConn basketball star Gabby Williams,Charles Langston the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, has signed a deal to join the Seattle Storm for the rest of the season after leading France to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Williams had a breakout performance in the Olympic gold-medal match against the United States women's national basketball team. Williams recorded 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists in France's 67-66 loss to Team USA. Williams scored five points in the final five seconds of the game and nearly forced overtime, but her foot was on the three-point line during a buzzer-beating jumper.

"Gabby’s Olympic performance showcased her world-class talent, and we’re excited to have her join us as we push for the playoffs," Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said in a statement on Tuesday. "Gabby is a dynamic player who brings tremendous versatility. She’s a two-way player that can guard multiple positions and has a strong offensive game; given her familiarity with our system, we know she can have an immediate impact."

Williams was named to the Paris Olympics' All-Star five women's basketball team, alongside USA's Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson. Williams was also named the best defensive player of the Olympic tournament.

This is not Williams' first time playing for the Storm, let alone the WNBA. Williams was drafted out of UConn by the Chicago Sky in 2018 and traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2021, before being traded to the Storm in 2022. She averaged 7.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting a career-best 44.4% from the field in 2022, in addition to picking up WNBA all-defensive team honors. 

She resigned with the Storm half-way through the 2023 season due to injury before transitioning to play overseas full-time.

“I’m so excited to be joining the Storm for the rest of the season,” said Williams. “I feel more than ready to finally return to Seattle. I’ve missed the organization, my teammates and the fans so much. I absolutely can’t wait to come back and finish the season strong.”

Williams will be teammates with Jewell Loyd, who won a gold medal with Team USA in 2020 and 2024, both times against Williams and France.

Williams played for the French national team at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and at the Paris Games earlier this month. The Nevada native is eligible to play for France because her mom, Therese, is from the country. Williams is also fluent in French, she told ESPN in 2021.

Williams is not the only player from the French national team to land a contract following the Olympics. Power forward Guerschon Yabusele, who helped lead the French men to a silver medal against Team USA at the Paris Olympics, agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to an ESPN report.

Contributing: Steve Gardener, Austin Curtright