Williams Was Named WNBA All-Defensive First Team And Led The League With 2.3 Steals Per Game

The Golden State Valkyries announced today that they have signed forward Gabby Williams to a multi-year contract. Williams joins the Valkyries after spending the last four seasons with the Seattle Storm.

"For a player of Gabby's caliber to choose us in just our second year... means everything," said Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin. "She is world-class. One of the best defenders in the world, an WNBA All-Star, and someone who makes everyone around her better. Honestly, what excites me most is who she is as a person. Gabby has deep roots in the Bay Area, and she is coming home. The community is going to love her, and I think she is going to love it here."

Williams averaged career highs in points (11.6), assists (4.2), steals (2.3) and free throw percentage (85.3) for Seattle in 2025. Her 2.3 steals per game led the entire league, and her 99 total steals topped the WNBA. The lockdown defender earned WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors, finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and capped her season with her first career All-Star selection.

In 2024 she was awarded the prestigious Alain Gilles Trophy, which is given to the best male or female French basketball player, and was named FIBA Europe SuperCup MVP after guiding Fenerbahçe to the FIBA Europe SuperCup title. Williams played for Fenerbahçe the past three seasons, leading them to consecutive Turkish Super League titles (2025-26) and the Turkish Cup crown this year. Williams’ impressive international resume also includes an Olympic silver medal with France, two Turkish Presidential Cup championships, a EuroLeague championship, a EuroLeague Final Four MVP, and a pair of EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year awards.

A two-time All-American and AAC Defensive Player of the Year with Connecticut, Williams won back-to-back NCAA Championships with the Huskies before being drafted fourth overall by Chicago in the 2018 WNBA Draft. She brings additional familiarity to the Valkyries locker room, having suited up alongside Justė Jocytė at LDLC ASVEL Feminin Lyon in 2023, where the pair helped lead the club to a EuroCup title.

Golden State tips off the regular season on Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m. against Seattle. The Valkyries hosts Phoenix in the team’s home opener on Sunday, May 10 at 5:30 p.m., presented by Chase Freedom. Single-game tickets are available at valkyries.com/schedule.