The Washington Mystics lost to the Golden State Valkyries with the scoreline reading 83-88. Now, at face value, this might paint a grim picture about the team. However, with the Mystics trying to rebuild, they do have some positives to cherish from this season. For once, the duo of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen has been on the rise. But most importantly, it has been the resurgence of Shakira Austin that is making the news at the moment.
The Mystics are currently sitting in tenth place with 18 losses and 14 wins. While they will surely try to eye the last playoff spot, Austin’s contribution will be of the utmost importance. And her impact on the team was pretty much evident in the manner in which the team faltered against Golden State.
Shakira Austin Holds The Aces For Mystics’ Playoff Hopes
The 25-year-old has been with the Washington Mystics for three years now. Picked as number 3 overall in 2022, Austin’s career had been plagued by ankle and hip injuries. However, now that she looks fit, the Mystics star is making merry. She has already featured in 27 games this season while averaging 12.5 points.
And that’s not all. Austin also has an average of 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and a shooting percentage of 46.6 percent. Unfortunately, with her neck bothering her significantly, the 25-year-old was compelled to sit out of the Mystics’ last two games. Quite surprisingly, Washington’s performance in the absence of Austin has not been great. In all the games where the 2022 rookie has played more than 20 minutes, the Mystics have won 9 times while losing on 11 occasions. Surely, this stat goes on to show just how important Austin’s comeback to the side is at the moment.
This young squad is makin’ a STATEMENT 🗣️
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 25, 2025
Shakira Austin kept it real postgame after the Mystics handed the Lynx just their second loss of the season. #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/XhFqmufst7
Take, for example, the game against the Valkyries. The Mystics were trailing by 25 in the first quarter. But by the time the game ended, they had curtailed the deficit down to three. Here, they missed the quality of Austin. Who knows if the Mystics wouldn’t have clinched the game with a last-minute three-pointer from the 25-year-old? Meanwhile, apart from Austin, Sonia Citron, too, is taking some big strides for the Mystics.
Pushing For ROY, Sonia Citron’s Emergence Is Likely To Help Shakira Austin’s Cause
It is always said that the more, the merrier. And for Austin, the saying cannot be truer. If the Mystics want to push for the playoffs, the 25-year-old will have to get some support. And Sonia Citron looks just what the doctor ordered. In a season where Paige Bueckers is dominating the Rookie of the Year list, Citron has emerged as a surprise element.
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Recently, facing off against the Dallas Wings, Citron dropped 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds. She also shot 7-of-10 from the field. Surprisingly, this was much higher than what Bueckers could manage in the game. She also had fewer points than Citron, which has flung open the ROY debate. Now, then, with the Mystics having so many positives on their platter, fans will wait to see what happens next.