Courtney Williams returns to Lynx on two-year max deal

Two-time WNBA All-Star Courtney Williams is returning to the Minnesota Lynx on a two-year max deal, her agent, Marcus Crenshaw of The FAM Sports Agency, told ESPN on Sunday.

One of the most efficient midrange shooters in the league, Williams averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 assists and 4.9 rebounds with the Lynx last season.

The 5-foot-8 point guard has been a crucial contributor to the Lynx’s recent success. Williams helped Minnesota reach the WNBA Finals in 2024 and played a key role in Minnesota securing the No. 1 seed in the playoffs last year. She is recognized as a member of the dynamic “StudBudz” duo with Natisha Hiedeman after their live streams went viral this past season.

After being selected eighth overall in 2016 out of the University of South Florida by the Phoenix Mercury, Williams went on to play for the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky. Following a standout season with Chicago in 2023, she initially signed a two-year deal with Minnesota in 2024.

Williams’ return marks the first known move the Lynx have made this free agency. They have lost a slew of players from their 2025 team so far, including Bridget Carleton (expansion draft), Alanna Smith, Hiedeman and Jessica Shepard.

The health status of MVP candidate Napheesa Collier is up in the air after she underwent surgery on both ankles this offseason. It was announced in January that she was expected to miss four to six months.