On the final day of the regular season—not that there was any doubt—Courtney Williams let everyone know that she is ready for the playoffs.
In a 102-91 overtime victory against the Connecticut Sun, Williams dropped a triple-double (in regulation!), with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 13 assists. She also crossed 3,000 career points, an epic milestone.
Against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 30, Williams had recorded the first triple-double of her career, with 12 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds in only 26 minutes of play.
Williams is quick to credit her teammates for her high-efficiency performances.
“You don’t get triple-doubles without your teammates, right?” said Williams on Sunday. “People have to knock down shots; you’ve got to be put in the right position—that’s just a testament to this team and how we fight.”
As one of the best all-around guards in the league, Williams is having a career year in Chicago. She’s the WNBA’s most impressive rebounder from the guard spot, averaging 6.0 rebounds per game (RPG) this season. She also finished fourth in assists per game (APG) with 6.3, behind only Courtney Vandersloot, Alyssa Thomas, and Chelsea Gray.
Of course, Kahleah Copper is the engine that moves the Sky. But, Williams might be Chicago’s heart and soul.
Despite their Game One loss, if the Sky are going to put any scare into the Las Vegas Aces during this first round, Williams’ stellar guard play will need to continue on both ends of the floor. She’s matching up against both Gray and star guard Kelsey Plum.
“At the end of the day, it’s the playoffs, right?” Williams said. “It doesn’t matter who it is. It’s a different game. The playoffs are a whole other ball game.
“We got to go to the drawing board; we got to figure out what was successful for us when we played [the Aces before], figure out what wasn’t. Then, [we]go from there.”
On the offensive end, Williams adds additional shooting power alongside Marina Mabrey. This regular season, Williams had a career year from beyond the three-point line, hitting 44.3 percent on 2.7 three-point attempts (3PA) per game. Her three-point shooting rate is top-10 in the league.
The only season where Williams hit threes at a higher clip was 2019, when she shot 45.7 percent on only 1.0 3PA per game. With increased volume, the shots are falling at an incredible rate.
As a facilitator, too, Williams opens the door for the Sky’s offense. She doesn’t only make the right play with the ball in her hands, she is mindful with each possession. This season, Williams has a 2.56 assist to turnover ratio, another top-10 number.
A mainstay in Chicago’s core rotation this season, Williams played and started in all 40 games during the regular season, averaging over 30 minutes per game (MPG); in their Game One defeat, Williams (along with Copper) saw a team-high 32 minutes on the floor.
As a veteran leader in the locker room, Wiliams helps put her teammates in the best position to succeed, pushing them toward the shared goal: winning.
“Courtney’s always talking to me and telling me what to do,” said guard Dana Evans. “She helps me be more vocal and be myself.”
High efficiency three-point shooters, top-10 passers, and top rebounders from the guard position would help any team.
Well, Williams does all three.
She also doesn’t shy away from the moment. With plenty of playoff experience throughout her eight seasons in the league, including as a part of the Sun team that made a run to the 2022 Finals, Williams is a key veteran presence for the Sky.
In her career, Williams is averaging 13.6 points per game (PPG), 5.1 RPG, and 3.2 APG in the playoffs, while shooting 39.3 percent from three. After a career season this year, we can expect her to have a huge impact for the Sky as they fight to stay in these playoffs.
“We have to play with a level of urgency—it’s do or die for us,” Williams said. “We have to step up and rise to the occasion, because if we don’t, we leave it in other people’s hands.
“And that’s not what we want to do.”
Stats as of 9/14. Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of WNBA.com.
