At 30 years old and with nine WNBA seasons under her belt, Courtney Williams is a proven veteran. She has been to the WNBA Finals twice, once in 2022 with the Connecticut Sun and once in 2024 with the Minnesota Lynx, and was named an All-Star in 2021. Williams’ career is far from over, but she is already an accomplished player. And yet, she is not quite done developing. There is always something new to learn, especially if your role changes.
Williams had to adapt her game significantly in recent years. For most of her career, she had been a scorer more than anything—certainly more than a playmaker. Then, in 2023, Williams transitioned to the point guard position for the Chicago Sky, averaging a career-high 6.3 assists over 40 games. The same was expected of her when she joined the Minnesota Lynx and a starting lineup featuring Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton, Napheesa Collier, and Alanna Smith.
A lot of the Lynx’s offense runs through Napheesa Collier, who put together an outstanding season, but they still needed Williams to handle the ball and make plays for her teammates. She delivered, averaging 5.5 assists per game during the regular season and 5.9 in the playoffs.
Williams has adjusted well to her new position, but, as she mentioned on the Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast, she is far from content with her development and eager to continue improving.
Courtney Williams knows exactly what she needs to work on
No one on the Lynx is satisfied with the way the 2024 season ended, including Courtney Williams. Being just one game away from winning a title always hurts, but even more so if you feel like your team was robbed by the officials’ choices. Now, that the shock has worn off, the Lynx are ready to get revenge. Minnesota’s starting five will return for the 2025 season, and the Lynx will undoubtedly be back in the mix as a contender. Williams knows exactly what she wants to work on to be the best version of herself for her team.
When she appeared on the Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast with Howard Megdal, Williams explained that she is trying to shape her game after Chelsea Gray’s example, aiming to find the right balance between setting up her teammates and making plays for herself.
“I want to be able to get everybody involved but still be able to understand when I need to call my own number too, and that’s what I’m kind of still learning, and that’s why I’m excited to master that balance of, okay, this is how I get my teammates involved, but this is also how I call my own number,” Williams said on the podcast.
The Lynx were already hard to beat in 2024, posting a top-five rating on both ends of the floor. None of that will change in 2025, barring some serious injuries to key players. If Williams can continue to improve as a point guard and further elevate the Lynx’s offense, they will be even more difficult to deal with and might just return to the finals in 2025.