With the WNBA season in full swing, there are a number of former Blue Devils playing at the highest level of women’s basketball. The Blue Zone breaks down their performances in the pros thus far:
Williams sidelined with injury
Despite a strong start to her year, Elizabeth Williams’s ninth season in the WNBA has taken a turn for the worse. In a June 6 game against the Washington Mystics, the starting center for the Chicago Sky suffered a torn meniscus. The team has announced that she will need surgery for the injury, and it remains unknown whether Williams will return to action in 2024.
Before disaster struck, the Virginia Beach, Va., native was putting up solid numbers as a centerpiece of Chicago’s lineup. Averaging 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, Williams’s presence in the frontcourt was a staple in the Sky’s offensive success. On top of that, her defensive presence made her incredibly dangerous. Currently sitting as the sixth-best shot blocker in the league with 1.7 per game, her ability to protect the rim makes her one of the most valuable players on Chicago’s roster. Especially among players like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, who are still finding their way in the league as rookies, Williams’s experience is crucial for the Sky.
Without the former Duke center, head coach Teresa Weatherspoon turned to Cardoso to fill out the starting lineup, though she is recovering from a shoulder injury herself. This leaves Chicago with a younger and less battle-tested frontcourt at a time when veterans may be key. Sitting at 6-9 on the year, the team is currently third in the Eastern Conference and eighth in the WNBA overall. The loss of Williams will only make the Sky’s climb to greatness that much more difficult as they attempt to right the ship.
Gray makes long-awaited return
After an injury in the third game of the 2023 WNBA finals, point guard Chelsea Gray spent months on the sidelines waiting to make her return to the court. On Wednesday night, she finally made her return to action, helping the Las Vegas Aces take down the Seattle Storm 94-83. Gray got 16 minutes of playing time, where she racked up one point, four rebounds and seven assists. She saw the floor again in a game Friday night against the Connecticut Sun as she slowly works her way back to full strength.
Before her injury last year, Gray had an enormous impact as arguably the best point guard in the league. With her ability to run the floor and dole out assist after assist, the Manteca, Calif., native is a fearful offensive weapon who racked up 15.3 points and 7.3 assists per game while starting every contest. Her role as the facilitator of Las Vegas’s offense also makes her a key leader and veteran presence, and she was a major contributor in each of the Aces’ title runs in 2022 and 2023.
As a skilled player capable of controlling any game she plays in, the return of Gray spells trouble for the rest of the WNBA while providing a necessary boost to the defending league champions. Last season, Las Vegas went 34-6 en route to back-to-back trophies. However, the Aces have struggled more in 2024, going 8-6 through the beginning of regular-season play to match their loss total from the previous year. The team is currently third in the Western Conference and fifth in the league overall, so the return of Gray may be the catalyst that helps lift Las Vegas toward greatness once more. The former Blue Devil will also travel to Paris this summer for the Olympics, where she is expected to be the starting point guard for Team USA.
Brown looks to aid Sparks’ recovery
Despite starting her year off strong, guard Lexie Brown’s production has slightly tapered off since the beginning of the season. However, she is still a reliable presence in the Los Angeles Sparks’ lineup, averaging 8.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. After missing the majority of 2023 due to a bacterial infection that required several surgeries, Brown’s return to the court is a welcome sign for the Sparks with her strong defensive skills and respectable shooting numbers. Yet the Suwanee, Ga., native does not appear to be back to full strength. During Los Angeles’s most recent contest against the New York Liberty, the former Duke guard was originally listed as out with an illness. While she did make it onto the court, she saw considerably little playing time, only on the floor for seven minutes to contribute one assist and two steals.
The Sparks are struggling overall in league play this season, only winning four games thus far with 13 losses. The team currently sits at the bottom of the WNBA standings and needs to turn things around if it wants to be in playoff contention later on in the year. Injuries have also made things increasingly difficult for Los Angeles, namely rookie Cameron Brink’s ACL tear. If the Sparks want to add more tallies to the win column, reliable and consistent players like Brown may be the key to more success.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Mackenzie Sheehy is a Trinity junior and associate editor for The Chronicle's 120th volume.