Taking her Basketball Genes from her Mother, Meet the Rising Star in Minnesota Lynx’s Courtney Williams

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The Minnesota Lynx is becoming a powerhouse in the women’s professional basketball world, with players like Courtney Williams contributing significantly to their success. However, Williams’ journey to the Lynx has not always been smooth. At 30 years old, this point guard has strengthened the team’s core with every game. Let’s take a closer look at how she found her way to the Lynx.

Born in Folkston, Georgia, on May 11, 1994, Courtney Williams grew up in a family of four. Her father, Donald Williams, and her mother, Michele Williams, have been supportive pillars in her life. Courtney also has a sister, Doniece. Standing at 5 feet 8 inches, Courtney inherited her basketball genes from her mother, who played in the same high school. Michele, whose maiden name was Granger, held a single-game scoring record at Charlton County High School for 22 years until Courtney broke it with a 42-point performance during her junior season. Courtney went on to join the University of South Florida, continuing her career as an NCAA player.

Life of Courtney Williams in numbers before the WNBA

While she did not start any of her games during her freshman season, Williams became an essential player off the bench, averaging only 15 minutes on the floor. In her sophomore season, her time on the floor doubled, which also saw a growth in her overall numbers. Her 16.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game helped her earn a spot on the All-AAC First Team. She was also an Honorable Mention for the All-American Team.

She started all of the games from her junior year for the Bulls and led the conference in average points with 20 ppg. In her final year at South Florida, she accumulated 763 points, the eighth-best in Division I. Consequently, the university retired her No. 10 jersey and added Courtney Williams to their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.

In her senior year, she also became part of Team USA to play in the 2015 World University Games. Held in South Korea, she earned a gold medal for her double-double in an 82–63 win over Canada. Courtney Williams grabbed 15 points and 10 rebounds in that game. With her talents being recognized, she became the eighth overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft.

The Williams on the rise in the professional league

Courtney Williams had always admired the Phoenix Mercury GOAT Diana Taurasi. In fact, she told the reporters once that, “I look up to and who I compare my mentality to.” Surprisingly, she was picked up by the same team. However, just after six games, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun. There, she stayed for four years, starting all the games in 2019. She was also honored as Player of the Week and helped the team reach the WNBA Finals. After averaging 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists for the Sun, she was traded again.

The three-team trade got her in Atlanta. There, Courtney Williams gave her career-high averages in back-to-back seasons. She also took the WNBA All-Star honor for 2021 for her best-yet 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. She also capped off her time in the Dream with 4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Then, evidence of her being involved in a physical altercation resulted in a 2-game suspension for the point guard.

She eventually returned to her home team in Uncasville, Connecticut for the next year. Consequently, she told ESPN about her decision in a few simple words. Williams said, “It was really easy. It was a simple thing, to be honest.” Subsequently, she became the 12th all-time in scoring with 1,779 points and 9th all-time in rebounding with 735 boards in the Sun history. Williams also grabbed the 10th all-time spot in assists with 429 for Connecticut. After one year, the Chicago Sky signed her to again let her go the next year.

Courtney Williams as a swift Lynx

Now standing at 5 feet 8 inches, Courtney Williams is making her mark with the Lynx, a team that’s catching everyone’s attention. The seasoned player has been starting in all the games for Minnesota. In the 15 games played so far, she has averaged 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds. Additionally, Courtney is demonstrating her playmaking abilities by distributing 5.6 assists per game. Furthermore, she is showcasing her defensive skills with a career-high 1.4 steals per game.

Her standings are also coming out quite brilliantly. This season, she stands at the 7th spot for total assists so far with 88 in the bag. Her 83 rebounds have her at the 20th rank in the league right now. While not shining as great in the scoring category, she is still at the 38th spot right now with 166 points in 15 games. Apart from her numbers, she is also great at keeping the fans hyped up. As a result, the team gets an additional push of motivation, keeping them in rhythm

Nevertheless, the Lynx are leading the Western Conference with a 13-3 win-loss record and are in strong contention for a deep playoff run. Not to mention, Courtney Williams and Co. will be going against the New York Liberty for a chance to snatch the Commissioner’s Cup soon. This means more chances for her to improve her ranking.

The 2024 WNBA season is only in its sixth week right now. Nevertheless, it seems to be going great for the Florida native. It will be interesting to see how the hooper takes the best chance at her opportunities and turns the tides for herself. Only time will tell if Courtney Williams will be a Commissioner’s Cup champion finally. But no matter what, she is surely in for a successful run.

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