5 Things To Know About Unrivaled Star Courtney Williams: Balling Bull To Midrange Royal
It’s Court’s Court.
In a league where 18 out of 36 players are out as LGBTQ+, Unrivaled is just the beginning of many more groundbreaking and exciting things to come for queer athletes. For queer women’s basketball superfans who’ve long been shooting their shots or newbies who are breaking their ankles to learn all the lore about one of the gayest professional sports leagues, we’re highlighting all the GOated things about its queer players that make them the greatest. This week, we’re spotlighting one of the most loveable and talented players of the league, Courtney Williams.
Balling Bull
Before the WNBA, Williams had a historic basketball career at the University of South Florida. During her four-year career, she helped lead the team to four straight 20-win seasons, was named a first-team all-conference selection and all-tournament selection three times, earned first-team all-region honors three times, and earned the title of the 2016 American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She’s the only player in USF history with 2,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 300 assists in a career. In 2019, she was inducted into the USF Hall of Fame, where her iconic number 10 jersey was retired.
Midrange Royal
Williams has spent nine years playing in the WNBA. In the 2016 WNBA Draft, she was the No. 8 pick in the first round for the Phoenix Mercury. After appearing in only six games, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun. She later played for the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky but recently found her home with the Minnesota Lynx, where she signed a two-year guaranteed deal in 2024 and led the team to their championship game against the New York Liberty. On the court, she proves herself as one of the greatest scorers in the league, where her midrange is unguardable. Based on her WNBA stats, most of her shots are taken around 15 feet out, above the league average in scoring in that range. And while the Minnesota Lynx lost the WNBA Championship, she made one of the greatest sports shots in history and tied the championship game with five seconds left in the fourth quarter by shooting a 3-pointer that sent them into overtime. In Unrivaled, she plays for the currently undefeated Lunar Owls.
From Court to Courting
On November 7, 2024, sapphics everywhere went crazy to find out Williams was engaged to her girlfriend of two years, N’Shya. In a touching proposal, the internet witnessed Williams’s charming side when she brought her blindfolded girlfriend to an intimate backyard where giant letters with lightbulbs said, “WILL YOU MARRY ME,” while a man played saxophone. In a sweet caption, Williams said, “Wowwwww 🥹 it’s a forever thing now 🔒🫶🏽 My fiancé yaaa hearrr meeee.” The couple also made a touching feature in Season 2 of the WNBA limited series Pride is Love.
Stylish Swag
While Williams effortlessly manages to grab attention on the court, her infectious personality and style always leave us wanting more. When asked what inspires her style, she said, “I’m such a huge Pinterest person. Like, I love just scrolling through pictures and just seeing everybody vibe and everybody flow.” Whether it’s comfy and casual outfits with a chic edge or snazzy designer wear paired with a leather bag, tie, or sparkly chains, Williams is sure to stun.
An Exciting Exclusive
The emerging women’s basketball shoe brand Moolah Kicks created a player-exclusive shoe in collaboration with Williams in June of 2023. “These shoes are super special to me because I based the colorway around my college, the University of South Florida. If it wasn’t for that school and basketball program, I wouldn’t be here still doing what I love, so it was only right I show love,” she said in a statement. The shoes, an evergreen shade that features a white logo on the tongue, make quite the fashion statement, and we hope to see more exciting brand deals with her in the future.
