The Los Angeles Sparks have traded Gabby Williams to Seattle, as first reported by Winsidr’s Rachel Galligan. In exchange, the Sparks acquired Katie Lou Samuelson and the No. 9 pick in the 2022 draft.
The Sparks originally acquired Williams in a trade with the Chicago Sky. Williams did not play in the WNBA last season due to overseas commitments. In her three seasons with Chicago, she averaged 7.7 points per game.
In early January, the Sparks officially added Williams to the roster for the upcoming season.
But now Williams will join a team that recently re-signed Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Sue Bird. She will be just the second player in WNBA history to be traded in consecutive offseasons without playing for the middle team, joining Stephanie Talbot. Talbot was traded from Minnesota to New York to Seattle in 2020 without playing for New York.
Samuelson, the former No. 4 pick, was with Seattle just one season after being acquired by the Storm. In that trade, the Storm gave the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft to Dallas. During last season, Samuelson averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
She’s been dominant overseas for Perfumerias Avenida in Spain, second on the team in both scoring (17.6 points per game) and efficiency (12.6).
“We’re excited to add Katie Lou Samuelson to our team,” General Manager/Head Coach Derek Fisher said. “In addition to her perimeter shooting, Katie Lou brings defensive versatility and length. She has great on-court instincts and we’re excited to build with her moving forward.”