Elizabeth Williams (basketball)

Elizabeth Williams

Williams in 2019
No. 1–Galatasaray
Position	Center / power forward
League	Turkish Super League EuroLeague Women WNBA
Personal information
Born	(1993-06-23) June 23, 1993 (age 32) Colchester, England
Nationality	Nigerian/American
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school	Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
College	Duke (2011–2015)
WNBA draft	2015: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Drafted by	Connecticut Sun
Playing career	2015–present
Career history
2015	Connecticut Sun
2015–2016	İstanbul Üniversitesi
2016–2021	Atlanta Dream
2016–2017	Nadezhda Orenburg
2017–2018	Liaoning Flying Eagles
2018–2019	Botaş
2019–2020	Fenerbahçe
2020–2021	Botaş
2021–2022	Fenerbahçe
2022	Washington Mystics
2023–2024	Çukurova Basketbol
2023–present	Chicago Sky
2025–	Galatasaray
Career highlights
WNBA Most Improved Player (2016) WNBA All-Star (2017) WNBA All-Defensive First Team (2020) WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2023) Turkish Super League champion (2022) Turkish Presidential Cup (2019) Turkish Cup (2020) WBCA Defensive Player of the Year (2015) All-American – USBWA, WBCA Coaches'(2015) Second-team All-American – AP (2015) 3x Third-team All-American – AP (2012–2014) 4x First-team All-ACC (2012–2015) 4x ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2012–2015) 4x ACC All-Defensive Team (2012–2015) USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2012) ACC Rookie of the Year (2012) Morgan Wootten Player of the Year (2011) McDonald's All-American Game MVP (2011)
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Women's basketball Representing   United States FIBA AmeriCup 2019 Puerto Rico Team FIBA Under-19 World Cup 2011 Chile Team FIBA Under-17 World Cup 2010 France Team FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship 2009 Mexico Team

Elizabeth Olatayo Williams (born June 23, 1993) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was the longest standing member of the Atlanta Dream until she signed with the Mystics. ^[1] After immigrating from Colchester, Essex, England, she played her college career at Duke University. Then, she was drafted by the Connecticut Sun 4th overall in the 2015 WNBA draft, and was traded to Atlanta after only one year with the Sun.

USA Basketball career

2009 U16 Mexico City

Williams was selected to be a member of the first ever U16 team for USA Basketball. The team competed in the First FIBA Americas U16 Championship For Women held in Mexico City, Mexico in August 2009. She led the team leader in rebounds, with 5.2 per game, and averaged 13.4 points per game, second highest on the team. She tied Breanna Stewart for the most number of blocks per game, recording 7 per game. She helped the team to a 5–0 record and the gold medal at the competition. The win secured an automatic bid to the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship. Williams was named the Most Valuable Player in the Championship. ^[2]

2010 U17 France

Williams continued with the team as it became the U17 team. The team competed in the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women, held in Rodez & Toulouse, France during July 2010. Williams helped the team win the gold medal and an 8–0 record. She was the leading scorer, averaging 13.5 points per game and hit 61.8% of her shots, highest on the team and second highest among all participants. She led the team in rebounds, averaging 7.6 per game. She recorded 16 blocks, second highest on the team. Williams started strong, recording a double-double in the opening game against France, and again, with 20 points and 14 rebounds in the second game against Russia. ^[3]

U19 World Championships Chile

In 2011, Williams was selected to be on the USA basketball U19 team at the U19 World Championship, held in Puerto Montt, Chile.The USA won their first five games, but then came up short, losing to Canada 64–52. They were still qualified for the medal round, and played France in the quarterfinal. The USA was down by as much as 13 points early in the game, but took a lead with just over a minute to go in the game and ended up with the win 70–64. The USA took an early lead in the semi-final against Brazil, and went on to win to qualify for the gold medal game. The final game was against Spain. Williams was one of three USA players with 15 points in the game, along with Stefanie Dolson and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis who helped the USA win the gold medal 69–46. Williams averaged 8.9 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game to help the US to an 8–1 record and the gold medal in the Championship game. ^[4]

College career

Williams played at Duke for four seasons. During her last year she averaged 14.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Her assist average was the highest of any center in the country in the Atlantic Coast Conference women's basketball league. She ended her career with 426 total blocks, the ninth highest in NCAA history. ^[5]

WNBA career

Connecticut Sun (2015)

Williams was drafted fourth overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2015 WNBA draft. Her rookie season was her only season with the Sun, where she averaged 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.

Atlanta Dream (2016–2021)

She was traded to the Atlanta Dream for the 2016 WNBA season. For 2016, after experiencing increased per game averages of 11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks, she won the WNBA Most Improved Player Award.

Activism

Williams led a basketball driven campaign to force Atlanta team owner Senator Kelly Loeffler to renege on her comments about the Black Lives Matter movement. Williams was also a part of a campaign consisting of Atlanta Dream players to elect Loeffler's opponent, Raphael Warnock, the eventual winner of the 2020-21 special election for US senator of Georgia. ^[6]

Washington Mystics (2022)

In an article for The Players' Tribune published on February 4, 2022, Williams detailed the circumstances and her rationales behind her decision to sign with the Washington Mystics for her eighth WNBA season. ^[7]

Chicago Sky (2023–present)

On February 3, 2023, Williams signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Sky. ^[8]

On June 6, 2024, Williams suffered a torn meniscus, which sidelined her for the remainder of the 2024 season. ^[9] On September 29, 2024, Williams signed a one-year extension with the team. ^[10]

Europe career

Galatasaray (2025–present)

On June 19, 2025, she signed with Galatasaray of the Turkish Women's Basketball Super League (TKBL). ^[11]

Honors

• 2015—WBCA All-America team
• 2015—WBCA National Defensive Player of the Year ^[12]
• 2010—MVP USA Basketball FIBA Americas U16 Championship ^[2]

Personal life

She was born in England to Nigerian parents. Williams' younger brother, Mark, played college basketball at Duke and was selected 15th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2022 NBA draft. ^{[13] [14]}

Statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
TO	Turnovers per game	FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
Bold	Career best	°	League leader

WNBA

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics ^[15]

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2015	Connecticut	21	0	11.7	.528	—	.560	3.2	0.4	0.3	0.9	0.5	3.3
2016	Atlanta	34°	34°	34.7°	.442	.000	.692	8.1	1.2	0.8	2.3	1.2	11.9
2017	Atlanta	34	34°	31.4	.485	.000	.659	7.2	1.4	1.1	2.0	1.4	10.4
2018	Atlanta	33	32	26.8	.548	—	.563	5.8	1.4	0.8	1.8	1.2	9.1
2019	Atlanta	32	32	28.4	.455	—	.732	6.5	1.2	0.8	1.7	1.3	9.3
2020	Atlanta	22°	22°	29.2	.489	—	.742	5.7	1.4	0.8	1.4	1.1	10.1
2021	Atlanta	32°	32°	23.8	.516	—	.509	4.9	1.2	1.1	1.3	0.8	5.8
2022	Washington	30	0	14.9	.482	—	.581	3.8	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.6	5.4
2023	Chicago	40°	40°	29.7	.514	—	.630	5.8	2.5	1.3	1.5	1.4	9.8
2024	Chicago	9	9	27.7	.487	—	.667	7.0	1.6	1.7	1.7	1.7	10.0
Career	10 years, 4 teams	287	235	26.4	.489	.000	.648	5.9	1.3	0.9	1.5	1.1	8.6
	All-Star	1	0	14.2	.500	.000	.500	7.0	0.0	2.0	1.0	0.0	8.0

Playoffs

WNBA playoff statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2016	Atlanta	2	2	38.5	.381	—	.778	12.5	1.5	0.5	2.5	0.5	11.5
2018	Atlanta	5	5	31.4	.511	—	.545	8.8	1.0	0.6	1.2	1.0	10.8
2022	Washington	2	0	5.5	1.000	—	.250	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	2.5
2023	Chicago	2	2	33.0	.286	—	.000	10.0	3.0	0.5	2.0	1.5	4.0
Career	4 years, 3 teams	11	9	28.3	.452	—	.560	8.3	1.3	0.5	1.5	0.8	8.2

College

NCAA statistics ^[16]

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2011-12	Duke	33	33	30.5	.486	.500	.607	7.8	1.6	1.5	3.5	3.1	14.0
2012–13	Duke	36	32	29.5	.508	.000	.695	7.3	1.3	1.1	3.0	2.2	15.2
2013–14	Duke	35	34	30.5	.526	—	.563	7.6	2.2	1.3	3.1	2.3	13.8
2014–15	Duke	32	31	32.0	.488	—	.599	9.0	2.5	1.5	3.0	2.9	14.5
Career		136	130	30.6	.502	.333	.619	7.9	1.9	1.4	3.1	2.6	14.4

References

1. "Atlanta Dream's Elizabeth Williams on finding her voice ahead of Georgia's Senate runoff". On Her Turf. 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
2. "First FIBA Americas U16 Championship For Women -2009". Archived from the original on July 27, 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
3. "2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
4. "USA U19 Women Sprint To 69-46 Victory Over Spain, Earn 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship". Puerto Montt, Chile: USA Basketball. July 31, 2011. Archived from the original on July 27, 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
5. "Duke's Elizabeth Williams goes 4th in WNBA draft". newsobserver. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
6. Minutaglio, As told to Rose (2021-01-04). "Why We Dedicated the 2020 WNBA Season to #SayHerName". ELLE. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
7. Williams, Elizabeth (4 February 2022). "When Opportunity Knocks, What Do You Choose?". The Players' Tribune . Retrieved 3 March 2022.
8. "Chicago Sky Sign Elizabeth Williams". sky.wnba.com. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
9. Hirsh, Alissa (2024-06-09). "What Elizabeth Williams' torn meniscus means for the Sky". The Next. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
10. "Chicago Sky Sign Elizabeth Williams to Contract Extension". sky.wnba.com. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
11. "Elizabeth Williams Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring'de!". Galatasaray S.K. June 19, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
12. "Williams Selected WBCA Defensive Player of the Year". goduke.com. 6 April 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
13. Borzello, Jeff (November 1, 2019). "Top-5 center Mark Williams announces commitment to Duke". ESPN . Retrieved June 22, 2020.
14. "Hornets Select Mark Williams With 15th Pick In 2022 NBA Draft". www.nba.com. 2022-06-23. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
15. "Elizabeth Williams WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference . Sports Reference . Retrieved 15 August 2022.
16. "Women's Basketball Player stats". NCAA. Retrieved 23 Sep 2015.

External links

• Media related to Elizabeth Williams at Wikimedia Commons