Gabby Williams, USA News (San Francisco): She single-handedly tilted a final in her favor. Gabby Williams dominated the screen on Saturday, October 31, 2026, during the seventh and decisive game of the WNBA finals. Scoring 30 points, including 28 in the second half—a record for an American championship final—the French player carried the Golden State Valkyries to their maiden title against Atlanta with a 68-63 victory.
She shares this title with two other French players on the roster, Janelle Salaün and Aminata Gueye. This masterful performance was applauded by the 18,000 spectators in San Francisco, who chanted her first name in the final minutes of the match. “She is the best player in the world right now, and by far,” enthused her coach, Natalie Nakase. Elected Finals MVP, a first for a French player, Gabby Williams has written her name deeper into basketball history. “I wasn’t going to lose on Halloween,” joked the 30-year-old player.
Before Basketball, a Track and Field Hopeful
Born on September 9, 1996, in the United States to an American father and a French mother, Gabrielle Williams grew up in Sparks, Nevada, as noted by the French women’s basketball team on its website. Before shining on the hardwood courts, the young girl distinguished herself in track and field. At just 15 years old, she participated in the American Olympic trials for the high jump ahead of the 2012 London Games, finishing in fifth place. Knee injuries subsequently led her to prioritize basketball.
Passing through the prestigious University of Connecticut, where she won two collegiate titles in 2015 and 2016, she was selected fourth overall in the 2018 WNBA draft by Chicago. Her career also took her to Europe, where she notably secured two EuroLeague championships in 2022 and 2026. Renowned for her defensive qualities, Gabby Williams has gradually established herself as a major offensive weapon. Her championship win with the Valkyries, whom she joined in April, crowns this progression.
Captain of the Blues
A French international since 2021, she claimed bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games, followed by silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics after a finals loss by a single point against the United States (66-67). Having become the captain of the French national team, she added another silver medal to her resume during the 2026 World Cup. It is a journey under the tricolor jersey to which she remains deeply attached. “I wouldn’t be here without the France team,” she confided in a press conference after her coronation. “It was one of my first thoughts after the title: I hope the French people are proud.”
