Gabby Williams’ Postgame WNBA Ref Comment Steals the Show at World Cup

Gabby Williams became the talking point after what she said about FIBA officials.

Gabby Williams’ Postgame WNBA Ref Comment Steals the Show at World Cup

Gabby Williams (Image credits - Yahoo Sports)

Gabby Williams and the French national team have kicked off their FIBA World Cup journey in style. In their first game of the tournament, they blew away Hungary 99-53 in a one-sided contest.

In their second group-stage game, they faced South Korea. After surprisingly trailing in the first quarter, France bounced back strongly and registered a dominant 95-69 victory on Saturday. They have recorded two wins in two games so far and lead Group B with four points.

With a little over seven minutes to go in the third quarter, Williams produced one of the highlight moments of the match. She made a steal and then drove to the basket on the counter. She made the layup and made a gesture by pointing both hands towards the court. In basketball terms, the gesture means “too small.”

After the win, Williams was asked about the “too small” celebration. She said:  

Shoutout to the ref. He didn’t give me a tech.

Gabby Williams in her post game interview

The “too small” gesture is a common expression in basketball. However, the officials in the NBA and WNBA often hand out technical fouls for the gesture. Hence, Gabby Williams was delighted she did not receive one on Saturday. Her response became one of the talking points after their win.

The FIBA Women’s World Cup has begun in full flow. Team USA have won the last four editions of the World Cup and will be looking to make it five in a row. They have made a strong start to their World Cup campaign as well, and many view France as one of their biggest challengers.

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Gabby Williams was not the only one scoring for France on Saturday

Gabby Williams was the only starter to score double-digit points against South Korea. After scoring 17 points against Hungary, Williams recorded 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block on Saturday. It was an all-round performance from the Golden State Valkyries star.

Gabby Williams
Gabby Williams (Image credits – Essentially Sports)

But she did receive some much-needed help in terms of scoring from the bench. The game had no shortage of fireworks. France were the heavy favorites heading into the game, but South Korea surprised everyone by taking a 31-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Marine Johannes racked up a team-high 17 points in 20 minutes. Carla Leite and Dominique Malonga were the two other scorers to record double-digit points off the bench as they scored 11 and 14 points respectively. Their bench outscored South Korea’s bench by 59-43.

France are through to the Quarterfinals once again. They will be looking to go unbeaten in Group B as they take on Nigeria on Monday. The African team has already been eliminated from the tournament.

Gabby Williams on being the captain of the French team

Williams is one of the best defenders in the game and has often showcased strong leadership qualities over the years. She played a vital role when France won the silver medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. They were agonizingly close to winning the gold medal as they lost 67-66 to the USA in the final.

Before the World Cup, she was given the captaincy role for the first time in her international career. When asked about her new role as a captain, she said:

I’m pleased that the coach trusts me with this. I told him it’s not something I take lightly. I’m not going to change my way of being, and he doesn’t want me to change either, that’s why he gave me this role. I also want to be exemplary in what I do on the court, be the one who works the hardest, who speaks up the most. Lead by example, so if I do it, the others have no excuses.

Gabby Williams to France Basketball

Williams became the first active WNBA player to captain France at an Olympic Games or FIBA World Cup since 2014. She made 55 appearances for France before the World Cup got underway.

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