Angel Reese is a name that has made waves across the WNBA. Not just with her off-court presence, which has earned her the nickname ‘Bayou Barbie’, but because she’s redefined what it means to be a modern basketball icon. With comparisons being made to the likes of Caitlyn Clark and Kamilla Cardoso, she’s just as much of a menace to her opponents inside the court as she is an icon off it. So, when Angel Reese wants you to join her team, you’d think everyone would say yes, right? This ex-Chicago Sky player, however, is in a league of her own.

The cover star for the 2025 Vogue winter issue did not hold back in trying to recruit Gabby Williams, a player she thought a struggling Chicago Sky lineup desperately needed. After watching the USA team almost taken down by her single-handedly, Reese wanted her by her side. She had the kind of all-around game that Reese admired, and she went for it. Right after the Olympic game with France, which ended 67-66 favoring the US side, Angel Reese took to X, stating: “ok, now that the game is over, would you like to be a part of the Chicago Sky again???”

Williams, however, had not forgotten how the Chicago Sky coach ‘did her dirty’ as she replied to Reese, “orrrrrr we could just play together for a different organization”.  Williams, it seems, wasn’t completely against the idea of playing with the Bayou Barbie. After all, who wouldn’t want Angel Reese by their side? But would Reese give up the Chicago side to create this dynamic duo? Or is Gabby Williams ready to head back to her debut WNBA team? They would dominate the court with their plays and versatility. 

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Gabby Williams talks about the conversation with Angel Reese on X and how she is not the same person anymore. “Yeah, that was what I was like. Oh, sweetie. When she texted me that I had to be like, Honey, you if you knew… I’m a big fan of hers and loved watching her at LSU, but yeah, I want to beat them. I want to beat everybody, and it feels good when I beat them.”  Yeah, Gabby has no intentions of joining the Chicago side. Now, she wants to beat them, and not just them, but everybody. And those are not just hollow words, as in her latest game vs the Connecticut Sun, Williams led the charge against the side with 18 points to herself.

Williams’ history with the Chicago Sky goes back to her 2021 season. Gabby’s career did not just span the WNBA but the entire world. Chicago and Williams, however, seemed to have left some important things off the table. She still holds resentment towards the Chicago side over that debacle, and her response to Angel Reese just solidified that claim: “they did me dirty girl 😫 but I am still you’re biggest fan.”  Williams has nothing but respect and love for the game, Reese and her game, but some wounds, it seems, never heal.

The Chicago Sky had Williams on the suspension list as she had missed training sessions because of her international duties. Williams was representing the French side in the EuroBasket Women and the Olympics, for which Chicago had her suspended for the entire 2021 season. The head coach at the time, James Wade, stated that she did not make the team a “priority.” According to Williams, however, Chicago already knew about her prior engagements and was informed about her duties to her international side. 

Is Angel Reese Right About Gabby Williams?

Gabby Williams isn’t a player who can just be defined by her impressive point totals, she is a player who has been called a Swiss army knife on multiple occasions. Her versatility on the field is unmatched as she has multiple accolades under her belt both in Europe and in the WNBA.

She has been a WNBA All-Star and also won the FIBA Europe Super Cup. To talk about her adaptive nature on the field, Williams has also won the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2022. When asked about her role as a player, Williams knew exactly what she did on the field, “I don’t like to put myself in a box or describe a certain thing I do or what kind of player I am; I just try to help the team in any way I can. I get the Swiss Army Knife analogy a lot, and that’s the type of thing I try to be.”

Williams had a tough time with her debut team, even aside from the entire suspension. “My few years in Chicago were difficult for me… having to play point guard and then my position switching every other day. It was really hard for me to find a rhythm, but I did it because the team needed me to, and I think I grew and learned a lot from it.” The Sky didn’t just put a halt to her career, but also made her games difficult as she had to juggle between positions. And the situation worsened when she tried to balance her international games with the WNBA.

But Williams has found her rhythm back as she is a star at the Seattle side, racking in points and leading her team to victory. Recently, when coach Noelle Quinn was named in the WNBA’s top 10 coaching wins, Williams gave her a shoutout.  She’s thriving on the Seattle side as she was re-signed by the Storm, and Williams chose to stay in the WNBA instead of leaving for the EuroBasket.

Angel Reese knew what she was doing. She wanted a player who was as complete as Gabby Williams, someone who wasn’t just good at racking points, but a player who could anchor a team. Reese and Williams have nothing but love for each other, but if we ever get to see the explosive duo on the field together, the fans are sure to have a blast!