Mystics Coach Breaks Down Winning ‘Shift’ in Washington
The Washington Mystics have the youngest roster in the WNBA this season. Only one player on the team is older than 25—26-year-old Michaela Onyenwere—and only five players are not rookies, including second-year stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Despite the obvious talent in Washington, when you’re that young, you don’t necessarily expect to stand a chance against veteran contenders, like the New York Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, or Las Vegas Aces.
The Mystics didn’t, but that’s starting to change. After back-to-back wins against the Liberty and Lynx and a two-point loss to Minnesota in the rematch, Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson can feel the expectations in his locker room changing.
“This is a game that our team expected to win,” Johnson said in the postgame media availability after the loss to Minnesota, per a YouTube video by The Ballers Magazine. “Just let that settle in, okay? We expected to win this basketball game, and Minnesota beat us, so I want to give them all the credit in the world, but that’s a shift. And so, as tough as our players feel and coaches do as well, the expectation to be in those games and win games is something that’s starting to emerge with this group.”
The Mystics’ rebuild is off to a great start
There are many great young cores in the WNBA. The Seattle Storm are starting to see what their future with Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam, and Flau’jae Johnson could look like. The Dallas Wings are very much in the playoff picture with Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Awak Kuier, Maddy Siegrist, and Aziaha James all contributing to the team’s success. Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston in Indiana are only 24.
The Mystics belong in that same conversation. Citron and Iriafen were All-Stars in their very first WNBA season and are continuing to play well. Citron currently leads the Mystics in scoring with 18.3 points per game alongside 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals. Iriafen, meanwhile, is averaging 15.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists and has already recorded five double-doubles.
Shakira Austin is playing her best basketball yet. After dealing with injuries early in her career, the 25-year-old has finally found her rhythm, averaging 13.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks.
Citron, Iriafen, and Austin are the Mystics’ foundation to build around, but the roster is full of other intriguing young players. Lauren Betts, their lottery pick in this year’s draft, is still getting used to the W, but she has shown flashes of the potential that comes with her size and interior presence. Moreover, Cotie McMahon was a very interesting pickup late in the first round.
The confidence a young team gains from knowing that it can hang with more proven veteran squads will only help the Mystics’ core continue to grow.
With an 8-8 record, the Mystics are just one spot behind the final playoff berth in the standings. If they wanted to, they could try to take advantage of the Los Angeles Sparks’ and Toronto Tempo’s injury struggles and sneak into the playoff picture instead of aiming for a losing record and a high chance at a top pick.
They own their first-round pick in a strong 2027 draft, but also have the right to swap picks with the Chicago Sky. Chicago is currently 13th and will have to face an uphill battle to get into playoff range, so, much like the Lynx did this year, the Mystics could end up with a lottery pick even if they push for a playoff spot.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.