Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams quits WNBA in wake of controversial Caitlin Clark comments

Former Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams has left the WNBA following controversial comments she made about Caitlin Clark and the salaries in women’s basketball.

Williams has now moved overseas to play in Europe after Seattle was eliminated by the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA playoffs.

The 28-year-old power forward, a first-round draft pick by the Chicago Sky in 2018, has joined Fenerbahce in Turkey.

It comes just days after Williams hit out at WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert over comments she made about the earning potential for players in the league.

Engelbert previously claimed that WNBA players can make up to $700,000 a year, only for Williams to recently insist: ‘That’s actually not true at all. There’s not one player who makes that.’

Former Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams has left the WNBA to join Fenerbahce in Turkey

It comes just days after the power forward weighed in on Caitlin Clark’s earnings power

She added: ‘We were promised team marketing agreements and league marketing agreements, but they’ve fallen quite short.

‘So it’s still not enough for us international players to want to stay here. And that’s a choice of the players.

‘If I make a choice to make more money, whatever, and then teams are mad that I don’t come back, but that’s how it is.’

One Clark fan then pointed out that the Indiana Fever star’s earnings had surpassed $700,000 during her rookie season.

That is despite her base WNBA salary being just $76,000.

Williams responded to the fan on social media, insisting that she was referring only to WNBA pay – not money made through sponsorships and other outside deals.

‘Clark makes $70,000 in the WNBA,’ Williams said. ‘So I know all these Caitlin Clark fans are like “Caitlin Clark makes $700,000”.

That’s off of endorsements… to everyone saying leave the country, if you’re unhappy in America, I did.”’

The forward averaged 10.3 points, four rebounds and 3.7 assists during the 2024 WNBA regular season before deciding to head for Turkey.

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WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert claimed WNBA players can make up to $700,000 a year