BIO:
Height: 6-3
Position: C/F
Years Pro: 8
College/Country: Duke/United States
Drafted: Connecticut Sun (No. 4 overall in 2015)
2023 SEASON OVERVIEW: After signing with the Sky on Feb. 3, Elizabeth Williams quickly became a rotation staple for the team. She and Courtney Williams were the only Sky players to appear and start in all 40 of their games, as well as both playoff outings.
2023 was terrific for Williams across the board, as she set numerous career milestones and highs in her first year in Chicago.
Williams had a dominant defensive season, joining the Sky’s own Alanna Smith as two of three players in the league to average over 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while playing in under 30.0 minutes. Her 1.3 steals were a career high and her 1.5 blocks were her highest since 2019, when she played with the Atlanta Dream.
Williams’ 392 points this year were more than her total points in each of her previous two seasons combined. She also moved the rock at a career rate, finishing with a career-high 2.5 assists per game. Her 98 assists this season were more than she recorded in her previous three seasons combined.
Overall, Williams averaged 9.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks in her first season in Chicago.
On Aug. 27 against the Seattle Storm, Williams recorded a career-high 23 points to go along with three steals and three assists. She again went for over 20 points on Sept. 10 in the regular season finale against the Connecticut Sun. She recorded multiple steals or blocks 29 times this season, setting a career high of five steals on Aug. 6 against Dallas and a season-high six blocks on July 28 versus Seattle. Williams had more than two blocks in seven games this year.
Williams tied her career high for assists in a game twice this season, recording six on July 2 at Indiana to go along with 17 points and nine boards and then again on Aug. 20 against the Sun. She also got it done on the boards, recording 10+ boards twice in the regular season, both of which were good for double-doubles, and then recorded back-to-back games of 10 rebounds in the playoffs.
In September, Williams capped the year by being named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team for the second time in her career, the first time since 2020. Then, in October, Williams was named the recipient of the 2023 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, presented each season to a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court, including ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.
2023 SEASON MILESTONES:
- May 19 — Surpassed Erika de Souza (370) for 15th on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list with 371
- May 26 — Passed Tina Thompson (372) for 14th on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list with 373
- June 9 — Tied Tamika Catchings for 13th on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list at 385
- June 9 — Reached 200 career steals
- June 15 — Passed Tamika Catchings (385) for 13th on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list with 386
- June 18 — Reached 250 career games played
- June 28 — Passed Tina Charles (389) for 12th on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list with 390
- July 9 — Reached 600 career offensive rebounds
- July 12 — Reached 400 career blocks, becoming the 12 player in WNBA regular season history with 400+ blocks
- July 12 — Recorded five blocks, her 17th regular season game with five or more blocks, tying Sylvia Fowles for fifth-most all time
- July 20 — Reached 1,500 career rebounds, becoming the ninth player in WNBA history with 2,000+ points, 1,500+ rebounds, 400+ blocks, 300+ assists and 200+ steals, getting there in 259 games, the fourth-fastest player to do so all time
- July 25 — Passed Michelle Snow (404) for 11th on the WNBA’s all-time blocks list with 405
- July 28 — Tied Candace Parker on the WNBA’s all-time offensive boards list with 621
- July 28 — Reached 900 career defensive rebounds
- August 4 — Passed Candace Parker (621) for 25th on the WNBA’s all-time offensive rebounds list with 622
- August 8 — Tied Plenette Pierson for 24th on the WNBA’s all-time offensive rebounds list with 627
- August 11 — Passed Plenette Pierson (627) for 24th on the WNBA’s all-time offensive rebounds list with 629
- August 13 — Passed Asjha Jones (632) for 23rd on the WNBA’s all-time offensive rebounds list with 633