After passing the concussion protocols, Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams is eligible for Game 3 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces. Williams won’t be limited in terms of minutes, but it’s unclear how much time she’ll get given that this will be her first game in two weeks.
On August 21, Williams was hurt in Game 2 of the Storm’s first-round series against the Washington Mystics. Williams collided with the offensive glass to start the third quarter of that game and was accidentally elbowed by Mystics forward Shakira Austin. Williams ran down the floor holding her head, even though it seemed rather innocent at the time and checked out a minute later. She stayed in the concussion protocol after leaving the game and hasn’t played since.
“Just to know that we have another big, athletic guard to defend multiple positions [will help],” Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said. “The other aspect that Gabby brings is her ability to initiate, to get downhill, to facilitate. Though we’ve been talking about our defense, I think that’s going to help our offense as well.”
Williams frequently goes unnoticed on a Storm team that boasts four former No. 1 overall picks, but since her acquisition in an offseason trade, she has been crucial to their success. She has a chance to be named All-Defensive, and her skills on that side of the ball were expected to be crucial in this series against the league’s most explosive offense. Quinn pointed out, however, that the Storm requires more than just Williams’ defense. Williams, a fantastic athlete, and secondary playmaker, can take advantage of the attention that other teams must give players like Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd.
