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After being traded to her hometown Minnesota Lynx prior to the 2010 season, Lynx Hall of Famer Lindsay Whalen said she felt like it took a full year to fully understand and feel comfortable in Cheryl Reeve’s system.
In 2011—a season that ended pretty well for the Lynx with their first WNBA title—she took another step in Minnesota, knowing the ins and outs of the system and what the expectations were to help her team as floor general.
In 2025, that same situation appears to be occurring for Lynx point guard Courtney Williams, who signed with Minnesota prior to the 2024 campaign and played her first season under Reeve a season ago.
And ironically, Williams and Whalen are now going through this together, with Whalen teaching and offering her experiences to Williams to help her take a similar step that Whalen did in year two. And though they have only spent a few months together, the relationship is becoming a strong one between the Lynx assistant coach and starting point guard.
Relationship Between Williams and Whalen
Since day one, Williams and Whalen were committed to the process of establishing this new relationship as a player and coach. Not only to build chemistry on a personal level, but to lean on each other for advice and specifically help Williams—as well as the rest of the guards—on the court.
“Whay is really enjoying that and taking Courtney on and just sharing nuggets along the way,” Reeve said. “It’s great to see Whay in that space. I’m really proud to have that and I’m excited that Courtney gets to listen to that. I know Courtney really values her opinion. That’s a fun pairing with those two, along with [Natisha Hiedeman.”
Whalen is leading things with the Lynx guard group as an assistant coach, with extensive knowledge of the Reeve system she also played under. As a result, she shares nuggets, tips and her viewpoint on things as a former guard so Williams and the rest of the guards can grow and take the next step to help their team.
“The amount that Courtney communicates is at [such]a high level. The amount of things she does defensively that allows everybody else to be where they need to be,” Whalen said of what impresses her about Williams. “Now as we continue to get into it and continue to go, we continue to learn from each other.”
The relationship between the two has already translated early on this season, and is in part due to the willingness of Williams to be coached—especially from a Hall of Famer who has been through this exact situation. She’s willing to learn and wants to find ways to get better, which is exactly what Whalen has and will continue to provide.
“I was just telling Whay the other day, she’s gonna be a game changer for me. Especially when we get deep into our run and teams start scouting and knowing the things I do well,” Williams said at the start of the season. “Being able to look over and ask her ‘what have you seen, what can I do?’ She’s done it and won it four times. To have her in my corner now and be able to tell me those small details where I can find an advantage, it’s going to be a game changer for me.”
Williams’ Season So Far
Courtney Williams was what Minnesota had hoped she would be and more in her first season with the Lynx in 2024, not only providing the team with a veteran point guard and great locker room presence, but with a consistent starting point guard they have been searching for ever since Whalen retired in 2018.
Over 40 games a season ago, Williams averaged 11.1 points per game (PPG), 5.5 assists per game (APG), 4.7 rebounds per game (RPG), and 0.9 steals per game (SPG) while shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three in 26.5 minutes per game (MPG).
In the first 10 games of the 2025 campaign, Williams has been a spark plug on both ends of the floor while seeing an improvement statistically in nearly every category compared to a season ago. She’s on pace to have an even better year than in 2024, also helping her squad on the defensive end of the floor by keeping opposing guards in check.
Courtney Williams and Hiedeman have been an impressive duo so far this season—not even talking about their infamous Studbudz live streams—and Whalen could be credited for being a big reason for that growth.
“It starts with our point guards and I want to be right there with them,” Whalen said. “(Williams and Hiedeman) have been so fun to work with. … I’m excited for this opportunity.”
Both Williams and Hiedeman have played their best basketball in a Lynx uniform so far in 2025, with Williams improving year-over-year thus far and Hiedeman playing at a Sixth Player of the Year level.
“We’re just excited to be here. We know the culture here and how we are as a team,” Hiedeman said. “Just to be a part of something special means a lot to us. We don’t take that moment or time for granted.”
Williams is taking that next step with the Lynx in her second season with the team, the same that occurred for Whalen in her second year in Minnesota. They not only play a similar style, but they can relate to each other with this situation in front of them in 2025.
“I remember my second year, you know the playbook. [Williams] already knows as Cheryl is installing and giving the different sets and things, she already knows what they are. I think, as a coach, that’s such a great feeling,” Whalen said. “Courtney defensively in transition has been great. … I think that’s a big step from year one to year two that she’s taken that you can see she takes a lot of pride in.”
The relationship between Courtney Williams and Whalen grows by the day, and the play of Williams has benefited both her and the Lynx. When you think about the point guard group in Minnesota, where there’s a Will there’s a Whay. And that will only continue to help the Lynx as they attempt to fight for a championship in 2025.
All stats as of June 12. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of WNBA.com
