Shakira Austin’s Journey in the WNBA

In 2024, Shakira Austin faced a challenging time with the Washington Mystics, missing a significant portion of the season due to hip and ankle injuries.

As a result, she participated in less than half of the team’s games during what turned out to be an injury-riddled season.

Looking ahead to the 2025 WNBA season, Austin felt a wave of excitement knowing she was finally healthy. After completing an offseason with Unrivaled, she was eager to start her fourth season in the league.

Before the season kicked off, she reflected on her time away from the court, noting, “I can’t express how much I learned on the sidelines. It was really bad. I wanted to be on the court, but I was able to really change my perspective and imagine myself being out there, instead of just learning while on the court. I learned from others’ mistakes.”

Back in action, Austin had a remarkable season. For the first time in years, she maintained her health, playing in a career-high 38 games and performing at the highest level of her career.

At 25, she averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks each game, placing her among just five players to achieve at least 12 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block per game. Other standouts include Nafeesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Brianna Stewart, and Azura Stevens.

In July, Austin delivered an outstanding performance against the Sparks, scoring 28 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and making three assists and three blocks.

Then in August, she turned heads again with a stunning 30-point game against the Storm, managing to score those points along with four rebounds and four blocks in just 26 minutes of play.

This transformation in her performance led the Mystics to reassess their roster, resulting in a trade of Aliyah Edwards to the Connecticut Sun, who was coming off a solid rookie season.

Now, with Austin and rookie Kiki Iliafen, who averaged 13.3 points and 8.5 rebounds in his first season, the Mystics have two promising young bigs on their roster. Although the team did not make the playoffs again, their new frontcourt setup bodes well for the future.

Head coach Sidney Johnson mentioned, “Their chemistry is getting better every game.”

Due to her impressive comeback, Shakira Austin was honored with the WNBA Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Upon winning, she shared her gratitude on social media, simply saying, “We’re just getting started.”

Shakira Austin’s Potential as a WNBA Star

With her health back on track, it’s no surprise that Shakira Austin is thriving. The expectations for her have always been high. Drafted third overall in 2022, she had a solid rookie year with the Mystics, averaging 8.7 points over 36 games.

However, injuries plagued her second and third seasons, causing her to miss more than half of the games. This year, though, it’s evident that the Mystics boast one of the most promising young cores in the league, featuring rising sophomores Sonia Citron and Kiki Iliafen, both recognized on the All-Rookie team.

Additionally, guards Georgia Amoore and Lucy Olsen are secured under contract through 2028. Unfortunately, Amoore, the No. 6 overall pick, faced a setback with a torn ACL during the preseason, which kept her from playing her entire rookie season.

As a restricted free agent, Austin’s future is somewhat uncertain, but the Mystics would be wise to respond to any interest she garners in free agency.

The upcoming 2025 season has the potential to reveal even more of what the 25-year-old can achieve.