One of the biggest questions the Storm needed to answer during training camp was who replaces Jewell Loyd, their six-time WNBA All-Star guard who forced a trade in January that ended a 10-year tenure, which netted league championships in 2018 and 2020.
Perhaps unwittingly, the Storm began preparing for the post-Loyd era late last season when Gabby Williams, the team’s dynamic wing, arrived for the final 12 regular-season games.
“It was a carryover from her Olympic performance and what she did for that team,” coach Noelle Quinn said, noting Williams led France to a silver medal in the 2024 Paris Games. “She was a leader. She scored. She did a lot of things for that team. … She came here with that same energy and that confidence.
“That first few games, (she) was just kind of getting acclimated, but then when she got comfortable, the three-point shooting was great, the playmaking and all those things were great. She takes her craft very serious. She just wants to be a great teammate. And we saw that come to fruition.”
Despite Williams averaging 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.2% from the field and 33.3% on three-pointers in the playoffs, the Storm were swept 2-0 in the first round.
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Still, last season’s relatively small sample size — a career-high 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals — has sparked speculation that the 28-year-old Williams, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA draft, is poised for an All-Star caliber season during her fourth year with the Storm.
“I think she’s settling into understanding that she is a scorer and she is a real asset on the court,” forward Nneka Ogwumike said. “Her tenure in the WNBA has been unconventional, but I think finally being a part of what she can call a family here in Seattle, I’m really grateful to be a part of that.
“She’s someone I’ve been trying to play with for a while. … Gabby has a killer instinct. When she’s out there, everything is incredibly instinctual. I’m just excited to see her here this early and for us to incorporate that jelling that we started at the end of last season.”
To start the 2025 season, the Storm will slide the 5-foot-11 Williams, who has been listed as a small forward during her seven-year WNBA career, into Loyd’s old spot alongside point guard Skylar Diggins in the backcourt.
“Gabby is one of the best players in the world and she has so much going on,” Diggins said. “For her to be here on the first day of camp, I thought that was huge. We talked about that investment piece — all in, all the time — and that was Gabby showing her commitment by being here on Day 1.”
The last two years, Williams prioritized playing in France for club and national teams, which resulted in her arriving in the second half of the WNBA season.
In 2023, she played just 10 games before suffering a season-ending stress fracture in her left foot and was limited to 14 contests in 2024.
This year, Williams felt the need to arrive early to training camp.
“Obviously, it just allows me to get to know everyone better and it allows me to be more vocal,” she said. “I’m one of the vets here, and one of the ones who, even if it’s been half season here and there, I’ve been here longer than most players. So, being here for camp allows me to step into a role more confidently, as far as being a leader and helping my teammates.”
Admittedly, a few requirements of her new role are an adjustment for Williams, who is now tasked with greater responsibilities on and off the court.
“I’m not a vocal leader. It’s out of my comfort zone, but it’s something that I have to work on,” Williams said. “It’s something that I have to do mindfully, because I know I can go a whole practice without talking. So, I try to make an effort to talk.
“My natural leadership style is to show my teammates. Just have them match my intensity and match my energy. But I’m trying to work on the vocal part. And me being here early will allow me to work on that.”
Williams and center Ezi Magbegor, who also played in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season, sat out the first week of Storm training camp to rest and began practicing this week with rookie center Dominique Malonga, who joined the team on Tuesday.
The trio sat out last Sunday’s 79-59 exhibition win against the Connecticut Sun, but are expected to participate in Saturday’s closed scrimmage against the Los Angeles Sparks at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.
It’s the last audition for training camp invitees Zia Cooke and Brianna Fraser along with rookies Mackenzie Holmes and Serena Sundell, who are conceivably battling for the final spot on the Storm roster.
Still, Williams believes the trip to L.A. is more than a dress rehearsal before the Storm’s May 17 season opener against the Phoenix Mercury.
“I would like to see us treat it like a real game in the way that we prepare, so that we can set a tone very early to our new people and to ourselves,” she said. “Treat it like, this is how we lock in for games. This is how we prepare.
“We’re not going treat it like, ‘Oh, it’s the preseason and let’s see how we fit in.’ No, it’s about setting the tone for what our games and preparation for games will look like early.”
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