'Everything you learned at UConn, just throw it away for a second'

Editor's note: Former UConn star Gabby Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2018 WNBA draft, details her rookie season with the Chicago Sky. Check back in two weeks for Williams' next "View from the Sky" installment on espnW.

CHICAGO -- Preseason did not go great for me.

My shots weren't falling. It felt like there was a lid on the basket. Defensively, I wasn't doing what I normally do. I didn't feel nervous, but maybe that's why I played so badly. Chris Dailey (UConn associate head coach) told me before I left, "Don't let anything come to you, go get it." I think in the preseason games I was waiting for things to come to me. Preseason was kind of to get all of that out of the way.

Tina Charles gave me some advice after a preseason game. She said, "Focus on doing one thing really well and then just kind of build off that each day." Our first game I was really focused on rebounding and then when I got rhythm with that I focused on cutting hard and on my defense. I think that if I keep building onto that then my rhythm will come a lot easier.

In our last preseason game at Minnesota, I guarded Maya Moore for a few possessions.

I was like, "Oh, OK, all right, this is happening." She tried to post me up one time and I just remember thinking, "If she catches the ball right now it's going to be really embarrassing for me and whatever happens." I think I had just gotten crossed by Seimone Augustus the possession before that ended up on a highlight reel. They tried to throw it into Maya and I ran around her and stole it -- but that whole time I was thinking, "If she gets this ball, I'm done."

Playing against these players is a feeling of completion: I am playing against my idols and against people who I learned the game from. Now it's about how I get onto their level. How do I get people in this next group when they step up, to have to think about that when they guard me?

All of the Sky vets are vocal and supportive, and that helps me a lot. Alex Montgomery is really good at picking out the little things. Allie Quigley has been super encouraging and always pulls me aside and lets me know what I need to do or how I can contribute more.

I kept getting in trouble in practice from our shell drill. Everything we did at UConn, we do the opposite here. Stef Dolson was funny; she pulled me aside and said, "I know exactly what you're doing. Everything you learned at UConn, just throw it away for a second." That was a hard adjustment for me.

Learning to play with a new group has been easier because of what I learned at UConn. We play such team basketball at UConn that that was the first thing I thought of when I got to Chicago: How do I jell with this team? Who are the people I need to find? Where do people like the ball? I learned very quickly that I need to try and get Allie open all the time. I know when I need to stay low and let Stef go one-on-one, or if I need to come help her. The team moves the ball so well that it hasn't been that hard of a transition.

May 19 at Indiana

The Sky won their season opener 82-64. Williams had six rebounds, two steals and four points on 2-for-7 shooting from the field.

Before our first two regular-season games, I started to feel those butterflies and feel excited. I went and got it. It was tough to get thrown into the fire and guard a vet like Candice Dupree when we played Indiana. I wouldn't say she's fun to guard, but it was fun to say that I got to guard her. I made some good plays on her. She made a lot more good plays on me. It was a good welcome to the league.