There were definitely some doubts about Washington’s Mystics heading into the season. They seemed to be in a tough spot, having traded away one of Ariel Atkins’ standout players and starting off with the unfortunate news that their drafted point guard, Georgia Amoor, collapsed with a torn ACL during training camp. Not exactly the best start, right?
However, against the odds, the Mystics turned out to be one of the league’s surprising bright spots in their first two games. They kicked off the season with a narrow victory over the Atlanta Dream, winning by four points, and followed that up with another close win against the Connecticut Sun, this time by five points.
Brittney Sykes has been the standout performer for the team, shaking off an injury-plagued season last year. Right now, she’s averaging an impressive 24.5 points and 6 assists per game. Not bad at all.
Then there are their two first-round draft picks, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iliafen, who have completely blown expectations away. Citron, chosen third and coming from Notre Dame, is averaging 17 points with an eye-popping shooting percentage of 64.7%, including hitting 40% from three-point range. Meanwhile, Iliafen, the fifth selection, is contributing 15.5 points on 55% shooting, along with nearly nine rebounds per game.
These two are really something special. Kiki Iriafen: 17 Pts, 14 Reb, a solid 7-10 FG (new career high). Sonia Citron: 15 points, 3 assists, 2 steals, 5-10 FG. Their key contributions in the fourth quarter helped the Mystics hit a 2-0 start!
After their season opener, Iliafen shared her thoughts on playing with Citron. “I love it,” she said. “She was really unselfish and quietly scored 20 points. The way she plays, it just brings a calm vibe to the game.”
Guard Jade Melbourne’s return is also notable. She’s averaging 13 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, making good use of increased opportunities in the backcourt. Then there’s Aaliyah Edwards—an up-and-coming post player—alongside Shakira Austin. Unfortunately, Edwards missed one game due to hip issues and another because of a right leg injury, which has slowed her growth a bit. Once everyone is back, the team’s chances against tough opponents really improve.
This early in the season, it’s probably worth mentioning that the competition the Mystics have faced hasn’t been the toughest. The Sun are projected to linger near the bottom of the league, while the Dream might find themselves in the middle of the pack. The Mystics now head into a three-game road trip, facing the Valkyries in Golden State, who also seem to be struggling early on as a new expansion team.
Sure, it’s still just the beginning, but the synergy between Citron and Iliafen has been impressive. Sykes seems poised for an All-Star nomination, and who knows? The Mystics might surprise a lot of analysts by the end of the season.
