ATLANTA– Gabby Williams leads by example. Whether it's her draining momentum-changing triples, picking an opponent's pocket like a cat burglar, or encouraging her teammates in their lowest moments, Williams has become the player, the star, the leader, the Golden State Valkyries model themselves after when the night is darkest.
But sometimes leaders need to set the tone. Passionately.
In the wake of the Valkyries' 97-71 loss to the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, the lasting image of Golden State's crushing defeat was not the turnovers or plethora of missed shots. It was an animated Williams, visibly emotional and fired up, giving a speech to her teammates in the huddle as Atlanta fans celebrated around them. A moment not out of character for Williams, who's been a vocal leader throughout her first season with Golden State, but one that underscored the urgency of the situation the Valkyries find themselves in and the passion Williams feels regarding how they've played as of late.
“I’ve been a little bit too loose as a leader,” Williams said at the team's practice Friday, reflecting on that moment two days removed from the adrenaline of that scene.
“That's kind of where Coach Nat (Nakase) has been pushing me. So I had to get out of my comfort zone. I think I’ve been a little bit too much of ‘It’s alright. We’ll figure it out. We’re good, we're good, we're good.’ So I just wanted to show my team something different because we need something different. These are two games that just haven't been us. So I had to get out of my comfort zone and try to remotivate the troops, I guess. That's what that speech was about. Then we went back in the locker room and talked more about it. It's never easy to do. But I definitely wanted to show my teammates a different kind of fight.”
As Williams said, the Valkyries haven't been the Valkyries since Game 1. If anything, the Dream have done to the Valkyries what they usually do to teams. From forcing Golden State into some vibe-killing turnovers and inefficient contested shots to Reese bludgeoning her way through the teeth of the defense and Atlanta collectively out-physical-ing them and out-hustling them nearly every step of the way.
Hence the reason for Williams' passionate speech: Golden State needs a spark. And judging from how her teammates felt about Williams' somewhat out-of-character animated display, they're more than okay with their leader trying something different to fire them up.
“This is the Finals. Is it not emotional?” center Kiah Stokes said on Thursday. “I mean, we’ve worked all season to get to this point. I think it’s OK to show some emotions. Not everyone is emotionless like me.”
“I think she's bringing energy,” Veronica Burton said. “I mean, at the end of the day, it's the finals, so she's being a competitor. She's being a leader. She's holding people accountable, holding herself accountable, and that's just the reality of being in the WNBA finals right now. Emotions are high, and we want to be here. We want to win.”
Gabby Williams' growth as a leader as the Valkyries look for a spark
Article Continues BelowTo win, the Valkyries are going to have to dig deeper than they ever have. They're no strangers to adversity. Down 16 in a winner-takes-all Game 3 with the Dallas Wings. Overtime with A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, with the ticket to the WNBA Finals waiting to be punched. Even in this series, crunch time in Game 1 was as tight and tense a match as you'll ever see. Time and time again, Golden State's risen to the moment.
Now, with their backs against the wall heading into a pivotal Game 4 that could either send them into a spiral or reignite the contention of this series, the Valkyries are faced with their greatest trial yet. The embers are there sitting in the fire pit, and the lighter fluid's packed neatly on the table. They open the lid and pour it on. Perhaps Williams' passionate leadership is the gasoline the Valkyries need to catch fire and get back to being themselves. Only Game 4 will answer us that.
“It's easy to lead when everything is going well for you. It's really easy when shots are falling, or you know you're winning to stand up and lead. But that obviously hasn't been (the case) in this series,” Williams said when asked what she's proud of in terms of her leadership this season.
“So I'm proud of myself for this is where Nat has pushed me because at the beginning of the season, I was like, ‘Well, I didn't have a good game, so I don't feel like I can talk.' And she's like, ‘That's not what a leader is. A leader has to talk, even when things don't go well. Even when you don't feel your best, the team still relies on you.' So I think this series has really pushed me in that, in making sure I don't disappear vocally, even when I'm not feeling the most confident or at my best self.”