Washington Mystics: A Rising Force in the WNBA

When the Washington Mystics take to the court, you might almost mistake them for a college basketball team. With an average roster age of just 23.8 years, they’re officially the youngest squad in WNBA history.

Yet, in spite of their youthful inexperience, the Mystics managed to clinch a playoff position after defeating the Portland Fire 105-100 on Sunday night.

Shakira Austin, who at 26 is one of the older players on the team, led the charge with a career-high 31 points during that game. It’s really exciting to see her playing at such a high level—she’s averaging 17 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game this season, quietly establishing herself as one of the top bigs in the league.

Meanwhile, second-year players Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen are building on their promising rookie seasons. Citron has become one of the league’s standout perimeter defenders, with averages of 16.9 points and 4.2 assists, while Iriafen is contributing 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

As a result, the Mystics have a record of 22-15, with 10 wins in their last 13 games.

Even though Austin, Citron, and Iriafen are leading the way, the contributions from the team’s role players are just as crucial. Michaela Onyenwere (27), Cotie McMahon (22), Georgia Amoore (25), and Lauren Betts (22) have all made significant impacts in their own rights.

Onyenwere, who is the team’s top three-point shooter, nails 40.3% of her 3.6 attempts each game. Amoore, starting every game this season as the point guard, has been a key playmaker after recovering from an ACL injury that sidelined her entire rookie season.

Betts, picked fourth overall in the 2026 draft, is contributing 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in roughly 16.8 minutes of play. Her height and strength add a unique element to the Mystics’ game. Meanwhile, McMahon has really stepped up recently, averaging 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

In the last month, the Mystics have racked up victories against teams like the Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, Dallas Wings, and Atlanta Dream. They also acquired veteran forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton following the midseason trade deadline; she has been averaging 14.3 minutes over the six games since joining the team.

Head coach Sydney Johnson is effectively utilizing the roster in his second year at the helm. While the Mystics might not yet be championship contenders, they seem to be on a promising path.

Interestingly, they weren’t really expected to be in this position—after all, last season they finished near the bottom of the standings. However, Johnson has instilled a strong defensive identity in the team. They’re currently leading the league in rebounds per game at 37.8 and have the third-best defensive rating at 104.6. Plus, they attempt more free throws than any other team, at 25.4 per game.

Austin is becoming recognized as one of the WNBA’s more underrated players, and her impressive performance against the Fire further illustrates her growth. Standing at 6’7″, she believes that the Mystics still have their best basketball ahead of them.

“We want to be able to start peaking now,” she said.