The Seattle Storm on Tuesday designated Gabby Williams as their core participant, that means she is not going to turn into an unrestricted free agent.
Teams have till Jan. 20 — the day earlier than gamers and groups can start negotiating — to increase core designations to eligible gamers. Williams joins Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces), Satou Sabally (Dallas Wings) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) as gamers with that designation, which permits them to signal the one-year qualifying provide on the WNBA’s highest potential wage ($249,244) however prevents them from signing with one other staff as a free agent.
Williams’ state of affairs is notable as a result of she reportedly indicated to groups final summer time that committing to not utilizing the core designation on her would issue into her resolution on the place to signal after main France to a silver medal within the Olympics.
Sources advised ESPN that Williams and her representatives weren’t stunned by Seattle’s resolution to make use of the core designation on her and have been working intently with the Storm on figuring out her subsequent steps.
Because of Williams’ late arrival, she performed simply 12 video games for the Storm final season, versus the complete seasons that different core gamers completed for his or her groups. Her worldwide commitments have additionally prevented her from going by way of the standard unrestricted free company course of. She re-signed with Seattle in July 2023 as a restricted free agent after recovering from a concussion suffered enjoying professionally in France earlier than contemplating provides from a number of groups final 12 months.
Although the Storm’s season led to a sweep by the Aces within the opening spherical of the playoffs, Williams mentioned afterwards she thought re-signing with Seattle was the proper transfer.
The 12 video games that Williams performed for Seattle in 2024 represented one of the best stretch of her WNBA profession. She averaged a career-high 10.3 factors along with 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals per sport. An all-defensive second-team decide in 2022, the final full season Williams performed within the WNBA, she was additionally chosen to the Olympic All-Star Five after averaging 15.5 factors and a couple of.8 steals for host France.
Williams had 19 factors, 7 rebounds and three steals within the gold medal sport, however France fell 67-66 because the United States gained its eighth consecutive Olympic championship.
Under the present WNBA collective bargaining settlement, which expires after this season, gamers are topic to the core designation a most of two instances, or for a single contract lasting not less than two years. Teams can use the core designation on one free agent every offseason until that spot is taken by a participant nonetheless beneath a multiyear contract signed with the staff after receiving the designation.
This is the primary time Williams has been given the core designation.
Players who’ve acquired the core qualifying provide can nonetheless be traded. Sabally advised reporters final week she has played her last game in Dallas and is working with the Wings on discovering a brand new house.
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou contributed to this report.
