Lynx star Courtney Williams shares her pride, reflects on love from father

Lynx star Courtney Williams shares her pride

As people all over the country celebrate Pride Month in June, Lynx star Courtney Williams reflects on her loving relationship with her father and her life as an out and proud gay woman. FOX 9's Chenue Her has the story.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Whether it’s the on-court killer instinct or her off-court aura, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams stays true to who she is, and she credits that confidence to the love and support she’s always gotten from her family, especially her father, Don Williams.

On and off camera 

True joy:

Whether the camera is on or off, Courtney and Don have fun around each other. The father-and-daughter duo said they’re always "tickled" when they’re together and nothing’s ever "too serious".

"He just makes my life easy, like having him here with me. He just does all the little things that a dad’s supposed to do like take out the trash, watch the dogs. He just makes my life easy, like all the things I kind of have to worry about while I’m in season, he’s just like ‘You worry about basketball and I’ll worry about all this other stuff,’" Courtney said.

Dad's consistency:

In her WNBA journey, Courtney bounced around to different teams before finding a home in Minnesota. Throughout all of those years, Don’s always been her constant.

"Honestly – he’s always been there so it doesn’t feel like… different. He’s been there since rec league to middle school to high school to college. So, it’s like everybody else is seeing it but it’s natural to me. I’m used to him being here, so it’s not like this feeling I feel because I became a pro. It’s where he’s supposed to be. It’s what he’s been doing," explained Courtney.

"It’s where I want to be," Don added.

He’s at nearly every home game at Target Center and his enthusiasm is catching on. Lynx fans are flocking to his TikTok now and he’s becoming known as "Pops" to teammates and fans.

"Oh yeah, he’s everybody’s dad," said Courtney.  

"Yup. Yup. I’m the team dad," Don proudly proclaimed.

Embracing his child 

True pride:

As people all over the country celebrate Pride Month in June, Courtney reflected on her life as an out and proud gay woman. She said she still remembers telling her parents, and Don’s reaction plus his continued love and support for her has made a big difference in her life.

"It’s helped me tremendously. I’ve had so many friends that when they do decide to tell the world that they’re gay, their parents sometimes aren’t that supportive, right? But man, when I told him he was like ‘Okay?’ He was like ‘Alright. That’s it?’ And them from there it’s just been like… that’s my guy," Courtney said with a smile. 

"I’m really just blessed to have a dad, a mom that has just embraced me. They tell me all the time ‘Girl, we’re going to love you through whatever’. He always says you’re my seed. It’s still this crazy confidence. I don’t have to go searching for love in other places because I have it here first so I can walk in a room and be myself. I can walk in any room and genuinely be who I am because the love is real at the crib. I don’t have to worry about the love outside the house," she continued. 

As a father, Don said it was natural for him to love his daughter unconditionally.

"That’s my daughter. She came from me since day one," Don said. "She reminds of the story when she first came out. I’m like okay -- how am I supposed to feel ? Am I supposed to feel a certain way? You’re still my child. Am I supposed to punish you? Am I supposed to take you to therapy or something? I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. You’re gay? What does that mean? That’s cool with me."

Don said for other parents out there, he just wants to encourage them to enjoy and cherish the time they have with their children.

"They come from you. Some people got these old traditions but this is me. This is like my arm, my body. Why would I not want to treat this the same way? It’s like a valuable piece of my life and it’s wonderful. And she’s doing great which definitely but if she was just on the bench, I would be on the sideline cheering. It makes no difference. I’m just happy to have a beautiful, happy child. To me it’s the happiness," he said.

That support and love has given Courtney the confidence to compete at the highest level of basketball and also be her best self even off the court.

"Love your kids, man. It just impacts our lives so much. Like, I would not be who I am if I didn’t have the love from my pops, from my mama, from my sister. I understand like some people have these ways of thinking but man, your child comes from you and when you understand that and embrace that, it’s like this is a part of you. So love that part of you," she said.