OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Valkyries defied expectations in year one, finishing above .500 and qualifying for the playoffs. The big question going into the offseason was whether their success in year one would convince some of the WNBA’s marquee free agents that Golden State was a good landing place. While the Valkyries missed on most of the big free agents this offseason, they did land one, Gabby Williams. Williams is not only a perfect fit on the court for what Golden State wants to do, but is everything Coach Natalie Nakase and the franchise have shown they look for as a person.
“She’s one of the best two-way players in the world,” Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase said in Williams’ introductory press conference. “I don’t think everyone has seen it, and so from just watching her, obviously, in the Olympics as well…in terms of the human being part, she’s humble. She cares deeply about winning, and that was the priority of what she said in the meeting.”
Williams joins Golden State after having a career-best season last year in Seattle. The 5’11 wing averaged 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. She put up career highs in every statistic and led the league in steals. Her success earned her an All-Star game selection and a spot on the All-Defense first team. She also finished third in voting for WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Williams is known as an elite defender, a trait that defined the Valkyries’ identity and was their biggest strength last season. Golden State led the league in opponent points per game and opponent field goal percentage. They also had their own member of the WNBA All-Defense team, with Veronica Burton being named to the second team.
With Williams, the Valkyries expect to be able to ratchet up the defensive intensity even more this year. Burton feels that she will be able to pick up opponents higher up the court and put even more pressure on them, knowing she has Williams behind her to help. They are also two of the best on-ball defenders, making it difficult for opposing teams to initiate their offense from anywhere on the floor. Burton and Williams finished in the top 13 in defensive win shares last season. The idea of playing alongside other players who prioritize defense excites Williams going into this season.
“I think it’s more so knowing that I’m going to be playing with players who also prioritize defense,” Williams told The IX Sports in an interview. “I think it’s common that I get thrown on a team because no one else really wants to play defense, and so I’m always being the one that has to bring the energy. But now, knowing that I have people who I’m surrounded by who also love to play defense, will just make my life a lot easier.”
Not only will Williams help the Valkyries with her on-ball defense, but her ability to wreak havoc off the ball will be an even greater asset. Golden State was in the bottom three in the league last year in opponent turnovers per game and steals per game. By contrast, Seattle led the league in both those categories. Nakase has talked about wanting to create offense from their defense. Adding Williams will help them do that, as Seattle led the league in points off turnovers, while Golden State was second-to-last in that category. Williams defensive prowess will only continue to add to what was a strength for the Valkyries.
While Williams has always been an elite defender, her offensive game didn’t come along as quickly during the early part of her career. However, her last two seasons in Seattle, Williams’ offense really blossomed. In 44 games last season, Williams had career highs in scoring and assists. She also had career highs in three-pointers and free throws made. Nakase feels Williams’ offensive game is underrated and can se the strides she’s made in her offensive game over the last few years.
“Just actually taking onus more of ball handling, wanting to be in pick and rolls,” Nakase said of Williams offensive growth. “And then obviously she’s spacing out. She’s nailing that three-point shot with ease. And so for me, that’s the growth mindset that we love on this team. She always wants to improve… with her type of experience and her abilities, it’s a rare find, and it’s a perfect fit.”
Williams has shown an ability to be an elite offensive player, especially during her time with the French national team. During the 2024 Olympics, Williams averaged 15.5 points and 4.8 assists for France, including 19 points in the gold medal game against the US. Last season in Seattle, Williams showed more of that part of her game, and it should complement the Valkyries’ offensive approach.
Williams’ athleticism makes her tough to guard when she gets downhill. She is quick off the bounce and comes off screens well. She also improved her ability in the pick-and-roll and was a nice distributor out of ball screens last season. Her three-point shot has also improved over the course of her career and is something she will be asked to do a lot in Nakase’s system, where everyone is encouraged to let it fly. William’s offensive game is multifaceted, and it will fit well with the other skill sets Golden State has.
“I think the spacing and the kind of offense that Coach Nat runs will really work in my favor,” Williams said. “I think I’ll be able to just add to what they’ve done last year, and I think it’ll give me some more opportunities to have maybe some better spacing, be surrounded by shooters, which will be right for me. Everyone is an excellent passer here, and I love being on teams that move the ball really well.”
Williams will not only add to what Golden State wants to do on the floor, but she is a great fit for their locker room. When she was deciding where to sign this offseason, Williams called Burton, and her main question was about the locker room and culture in Golden State. Burton thought it was cool that, above all else, Williams wanted to know about the Valkyries’ team culture. She said it was an easy question to answer and told Williams that coming to practice was a joy and didn’t feel like work at all.
Williams also said she wanted to go somewhere where she felt she could win and a place where there was a strong off-court culture. She felt, during her free-agent meetings, that her style of play and personality clicked well with the Golden State staff. It was important for her to find a team where everyone was unselfish, played together and for one another. The Valkyries checked all those boxes for her.
A bonus for Williams coming to the Valkyries is that she gets to play with two of her fellow French national team compatriots, Janelle Salaun and Iliana Rupert. Rupert and Williams played together overseas in Turkey this offseason, and she said Rupert was the first person she told that she would be signing with Golden State. Williams said having some familiar faces in Golden State has helped her transition to the Valkyries after leaving Seattle, a place she was very comfortable.
The cherry on top for Williams is that, even though she is from Reno, Nevada, she has many ties to the Bay Area. She played AAU for two different club teams in the Bay Area. She spent a lot of time with family who lived in Alameda and has felt very nostalgic over her first week back in the Bay. Her brothers live in Oakland, and her sister played basketball at Cal.
“It just felt like a perfect full circle moment,” Williams said in her introductory press conference. “Because growing up here, playing basketball here, I spent all my AAU years here. I’m from Reno, which is just right over the mountain. Grew up in Alameda, played for the Bay Area Bulldogs, played for the Mission Rec Center Rebels. And just knowing like what women’s basketball means to the Bay Area and what it has meant here for decades. I know up close and personal exactly just what it means to be a female athlete here.”
Williams is exactly the kind of player the Valkyries were looking to add in year number two. She fits the team’s defensive identity and aligns with the culture Nakase and the organization are trying to build. Through her first week of training camp, Williams has been very patient and trying to soak in everything. She wants to understand everything the Valkyries do instead of diving right in. It is something Nakase is impressed by. Adding Williams is the kind of move the Valkyries hope will elevate them to the next level in their second season.
