Courtney Williams logs her 1st career triple-double — the 5th in Chicago Sky history: ‘I definitely went crazy today’

With 8:40 left in the Chicago Sky’s 86-78 win over the Los Angeles Sparks, the crowd at Wintrust Arena reached its loudest volume for a layup.

It was an otherwise innocuous play — Courtney Williams fed a pass to Alanna Smith for a quick basket to punch the Sky ahead by six points. But fans met the moment with heightened enthusiasm, as the late-game spotlight highlighted a milestone for Williams: the first triple-double of her career.

Williams finished with 12 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for the fifth triple-double in franchise history. The score line reflected the impact Williams makes as a veteran — balancing hard-nosed defense with efficient offense to feed the Sky in every spot on the court.

“You don’t have a triple-double without the team,” Williams said. “That was the big thing, man, just trusting me to playmake and knock down shots.

“I definitely went crazy today,” she added with a laugh.

When she signed with the Sky, Williams knew what she could bring to the team: buoyant leadership, rigorous perimeter defense, one of the smoothest shots in the league. But her debut didn’t follow the script.

Her 8.2 points per game is the lowest average of Williams’ career since her rookie season — and only half the production of her All-Star season in 2021.

This dip in scoring was a somewhat expected byproduct of an adjusted role that places Williams on the ball as a playmaker rather than feeding her for spot-up opportunities. Her diminished scoring has been offset by a career-high 5.5 assists, which ranks sixth in the league.

As Williams continued to adapt, Sky coach James Wade never wavered in his belief the guard would find her footing.

“She’s a high-IQ player,” Wade said. “She just needed a bit to get used to our system.”

Williams echoed this call to patience, even through a scoring drought and a six-game losing streak. But she was equally vocal about the frustration that brewed underneath her low-scoring nights and career-low shooting percentage.

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Now, however, the scoring tide is turning for Williams, who has averaged 14.6 points over the last three games. She dropped 21 points in Wednesday’s win over the Sparks, leading the Sky in scoring and flashing the signature confidence that fuels her pull-up jumper.

“My mama told me I need to shoot more,” Williams joked.

Even as Williams finds the balance between shotmaking and playmaking, she’s committed to embrace the versatility required from a point guard.

“It’s going to change every game,” Williams said. “Because if (Marina Mabrey) gets on a heater, we’ve got to get her the ball. If Kahleah (Copper) gets on one, we’ve got to get her the ball. Every game is going to look different. It’s not like every game I’m going to be like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to go for 20.’ That’s not what that consistency is going to look like.”

Wade didn’t specifically recruit Williams as a point guard. The switch came in the early weeks of the season. Williams is known for her talkative disposition on and off the court, chattering to teammates and chirping at opponents in a nonstop stream of dialogue.

Her ability to spearhead the team’s communication naturally developed into her role as the on-ball leader of the offense.

“Courtney just stays on you,” Mabrey said. “She keeps talking and keeps talking. Even if you want to disengage, she won’t let you. She keeps staying on you and she keeps everyone in it and exactly where they’re supposed to be in that headspace.”

The well-rounded night from Williams highlighted the importance of balanced performances to power the Sky offense.

All five starters logged double-digit points for the first time this season. Alanna Smith led the Sky in scoring with 18 points, while Copper anchored the offense with 17 points on 66.7% shooting. Mabrey went 3-for-4 from 3-point range to tally 15 points. Elizabeth Williams blocked three shots while adding 12 points.

As the Sky try to move back above .500, Courtney Williams felt the win showcased promise for the offense in the stretch before the All-Star break.

“When you’re continuously playing with somebody, you build that chemistry, you build that trust,” Williams said. “You learn when they want the ball, you learn how they want the ball. That’s something that you just build on.”