Return Interview with Gabby Williams

Williams met with the Seattle Media on Friday.

Earlier this week, the Seattle Storm announced that the team had re-signed Gabby Williams to a rest-of-the-season contract. She joined the team in Seattle after their three-game road trip concluded.

On Friday afternoon, the Storm held a press conference for Gabby Williams and the Seattle Media. You can watch it here.

Or if you prefer, you can read the written transcript below.

Q: Could you talk about why you decided to come back to the WNBA this season and also how you're feeling physically?

GW: Well, it's been a conversation for a whole year now. The deciding factor was as long as I felt healthy mentally and physically, I would finish the season with Seattle. So to answer your second question, physically, I feel healthy. I feel good. I took about a week mentally after the Olympics. And yeah, I've been in conversations with Noelle, Talisa, and Lisa all summer; just keeping them updated on how I feel. And we all decided that we would talk about it after the Olympics.

Q: The team is in a different spot in the standing from last year. Just how different is it from this season to last season? And does it feel any different or does it feel the same somehow?

GW: It feels the same because this feels like home and it's a system I'm familiar with, a staff I'm familiar with, players I'm familiar with, but it does feel very different. I mean, today was fun. I had fun at practice today, just playing with such intelligent players and great people. Not that, I mean, my teammates were great too in France, but I just, I don't know. I just love the culture we have here.

Q: I'm just curious when you were shown on the big screen earlier in the season you seemed kind of surprised at the reaction you got from the crowd. Do you know how much the fans here love you?

GW: I don’t know, it was loud. It just surprised me. I wasn't expecting that at all. It really touched me, though. I love the fans here, and I'm glad that they're happy that I'm here, and I think we have a great relationship.

Q: There was some reporting about other teams that were interested in bringing you in. Did you have any conversations, or was it kind of Seattle or bust as far as a return to the WNBA?

GW: Yeah, I'm always open to having conversations, but I was also very open with the teams that I spoke with that I kind of already had like a foot in the door with Seattle and that is a place where I'm comfortable. But it's always good to explore options. But yeah, I wasn't really going anywhere.

Q: What do you think you can bring over the next month here to help the Storm climb in the standings?

GW: Noey just said she's going to use me to kind of plug holes that we have. If we need help at the backup point guard one day. If it's me playing at the three one day. Just like she said be that kind of Swiss Army knife she's calling it the French Army knife now. She's like just be that adaptable player for us and that's kind of what I like to do and it's what I've always done here. So just the same role I think I've had.

Q: You've had the option to go, even last year, to a different team. What are some of the things that really pull you to Seattle?

GW: I love our staff. I love my teammates here. First of all, I like how we play and I feel like everyone here has a lot of confidence in me and that helps me a lot. And I think it gives me opportunities to grow here to get better as a player. And, yeah, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. So that's why I keep coming back.

Q: What are your overall thoughts on the new practice facility now that you've been able to practice in it?

GW: Yeah, this is amazing. I almost want to just sleep here. This is crazy. And I think it just speaks to the ownership that we have here. They're thinking ahead, they're thinking of things that we haven't even thought of that we might need. Coming from a different franchise where we're playing in like almost a YMCA, sharing a locker room with people who just finished their Pilates class. I just love to see ownership that really cares about their players and their well-being and did this for us.

Q: With the French National team, you guys had a hell of a run in the Olympics. Just how much pride did you have in what you were able to accomplish?

GW: Yeah, it was... We've been building up to it for three years, so I'm happy that, you know, it wasn't exactly the result we wanted. The dream was to get the gold, but I think what we did make a lot of people proud, and I think... I didn't even realize until a few days after the game what kind of impact it had on the country and the people, so...that was an amazing experience. It was amazing to have my family there. All of my family from Paris and the States were there. So just to share that moment with my loved ones was amazing.

Q: I was just wondering how you've been coming from the Olympics to coming back to the WNBA and how that transfer has been?

GW: The first couple of days have been pretty seamless. Yesterday, I just lifted and got an individual in. Today practice went well. Still getting the feel for things, but again, it's a system that I know already. It's players that I know pretty well. And then you add the players that we've added are pretty easy to play with. So yeah, the transition seems fine for now.

Q: It was reported that in order for you to return to the WNBA, you didn't want to be cored by the team that signed you. I'm just kind of wondering how did your relationship with Seattle and the front office play into that decision-making?

GW: I mean, we're very transparent with each other. Right now, we're just going to focus on finishing the season. But I know that no matter what happens, they'll respect what I want. I'll respect what they want. And what I like about this ownership and staff is that we can be 100% transparent with each other. And I trust that.

Q: Just how is your role on the team this year going? How has it changed from the past two years?

GW: I'm coming even later this time, which I didn't think was possible. I'm going to keep pushing it, but no, I'm not. So I'm really like, like I said, just trying to plug in holes. As Noel said, if one day they need me to just kind of be a defensive stopper, I'll do it. If they need me to handle the ball a bit more. So just doing the things that I do normally, I guess, and just using that to kind of plug in where I fit in.

Q: With 12 games left, is it enough for you to get into the groove of things, to figure them out, for them to figure you out?

GW: Well, we already know each other. We already know each other. I don't think there's much figuring out to do. I mean, hopefully. I guess, to answer your question. Isn't that what we all want? But like I said, I already know everyone here. The staff knows me, and then the players that we have added, it's very easy to play with them. So I don't see a problem with that.

Q: Could you elaborate a little bit, you said you like playing with this team, the players, and all that. What do you like? What is it that you like about it?

GW: I love the way that we read and react. I like playing with a kind of high intelligence game, being able to maybe break the play sometimes because there's a read somewhere. And I feel like that's all, that's like what Seattle is known for, is just that kind of offensive fluidity. And on defense, we're just going to keep getting better. We're going to keep getting more athletic. And so I love to play with that kind of pace too.

Q: Without getting too personal, you get to Seattle. What was that like to find a place? And then practice, what was that kind of like, your onboarding?

GW: No, they took care of me here. Ownership took care of me. Shout out to Drew. our manager or director of operations. I was set from the second I touched down here and that's also why I keep coming back to Seattle because they definitely take good care of their players.

Q: You mentioned it was a couple of days after the Olympics before you kind of realized what kind of impact it had in France. What were the experiences that helped you kind of realize that? And what did it mean?

GW: Just like, obviously getting recognized a bit more on the street. But I was expecting people to be upset with me because it was me who like stepped on the line, but every single person that came up to me said ‘Thank you for that game’. You know, you made us, I don't know how to say it in English, like vibrate. But yeah, the fans have just been so supportive in France and it just means a lot that we were able to touch so many people. Everyone saw how hard we worked I think and that's what really touches me.

Q: You mentioned really liking the coaching staff here and we heard when Skylar and Nneka signed here that they really wanted to play for Coach Quinn. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about what you like about her or her systems or just why you want to play for her?

GW: Like I said, I love the idea of kind of a read-and-react offense where we just kind of flow into things. Noey has a lot of confidence in me. And I think my progression as a player is thanks a lot to this staff. It took me a while to like kind of get used to having that much freedom, like knowing that I'm allowed to take that shot. I'm allowed to have that drive. I'm allowed to do what I do. And yeah, I think I'm just going to keep getting better as long as I'm with the staff.

Q: What is it that you would like to tell your league leaders as maybe they enter any type of negotiation with the owners? (re: Prioritization)

GW: Well, we know it's a select amount of owners. We know we can guess who those owners are. I could say their names, but I'll be classy. And I think it's, I've said this before, it shouldn't be a blanket rule. I don't understand. I understand the want to have players here, but I think prioritization has to go hand in hand with our money that we're making as well. But yeah, I don't think it should be a blanket rule. I think if a team can handle it, they can handle it. If not, don't sign European players or players who play in Europe. And yeah, America is not the entire world. I know there are some people in a certain place that need to hear that. But yes, America is not the whole world.

Q: A lot of the conversation has been around how you and Jordan Horston are going to operate together. How do you see you two collaborating on the court?

GW: Last year, me coming in, I know they wanted me to kind of just mentor her a little bit as a rookie. We obviously have similar games, so I think I could relate to a lot of what she was going through and that's kind of like the same role I have. I'm Jordan Horson's number one fan and I see so much potential in her. I also see a lot of the same kind of mental blocks that I had. So I try to like just mentor her so that she can progress a lot faster than I did. So currently right now, I think it's going to be how we run. If we get on the court together, I'm going to push because I know that she can get out. I know that she's always in. She moves without the ball very well. And I think our games can kind of complement each other that way. Just playing with pace, playing with movement. And then, of course, on defense, we can be really dynamic.

Q: Going back to the prioritization question, you're playing now with Nneka Ogwumike, Madam President, and there is potentially a new CBA negotiation coming up. Being so close to her now on the same team, how do you feel that you can influence in the negotiations surrounding prioritization?

GW: Well, I don't think it's just me. I think a lot of players have spoken against prioritization So I have trust that our union will try to negotiate that because I've even been talking with players like Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Satou Sabally… I mean, everyone has spoken against this rule. So I don't think I need to say anymore. I think we got it.

Q: And the NWSL Players Association just signed the new CBA themselves and they removed the draft rules. Part of it is because thinking about the internationality of sports, do you think would work with the WNBA or is it a different scenario?

GW: I think it's a different scenario because of our leagues are different like the timing is different so I think also with how we have the NCAA, the timing is fine for basketball.

Q: On the final play in the gold medal game. I thought Marine made a phenomenal, phenomenal pass. Did you guys practice that play?

GW: The last play? With three seconds left? Did we practice that? No, no, we had talked about it after, you know, like what we would have done differently. But I was kind of hot. Like I had hit my last few shots. I knew Marine was going to find me. I just was running too fast, I think. No, she made the perfect pass. I just couldn't slow myself down fast enough. I think I had Napheesa and Kaleah Copper behind me, so I was running as fast as I could. We did not practice that.

Q: Seattle has been playing some really good defense, and you're regarded as a top two-way player in this league. What have you seen from their defense that you've really liked, and what do you hope to contribute to it?

GW: Well, we're very athletic, so we get... We get a lot of tips. What I saw just today and what we even talked about was just kind of like finishing out plays. So just like that extra effort to when we get the tip, now we get the steal and the layup. I think that's what I can kind of help with. But we're going to be so athletic. We're so long. We're going to get a lot of tips. We're going to get a lot of defensive stops. We're going to get a lot of blocks. It's just about like cleaning up around that. And I think that's where I can help.

Q: Off the court, I was wondering if there's anything that you've missed about Seattle, whether it be a favorite food spot or an attraction that you used to go to since the time that you've been here?

GW: Just being around so much nature. Yeah, I love Seattle. I love the culture here. Just, the food that I eat all the time. Shout out to Sizzle and Crunch. That was the first thing I ordered. I couldn't wait… when I landed. Yeah like the little bars Pikes Place all that stuff. Yeah, I love Seattle.

Notes:
Photo and Video Credits to Seattle Storm/WNBA Photography
Thanks for all the great support! Please tell other Storm fans about my coverage. This interview was conducted with multiple media members including myself and others from the Seattle Times, ESPN, The Next, Circling Seattle Sports, Cascadia Sports NW, and more.

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