Despite finishing with a losing record and missing the postseason, the Washington Mystics earned significant recognition this season with three players capturing major Associated Press honors.
Center Shakira Austin was named AP Comeback Player of the Year, while rookie standouts Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were both unanimously selected to the 2025 AP All-Rookie Team.
“Sonia and Kiki should be considered for Rookie of the Year,” Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson said before the official announcement. “What they’ve already done is super exciting to build on.”
The dynamic rookie duo appeared in all 44 games during the 2025 WNBA season, with Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers ultimately claiming AP Rookie of the Year honors. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft led UConn to the NCAA championship but played on a Wings team that won only 10 games and missed the postseason.
“Paige Bueckers is an absolutely wonderful player,” Johnson said.
Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 36 games, beginning her WNBA career by scoring in double-digits in 30 consecutive games.
Austin’s Resilient Return
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After playing in just 12 games during the 2024 season due to injury, Austin appeared in a career-high 38 games this year while posting personal bests across multiple statistical categories.
“I’m just proud of how resilient I was,” said Austin, who averaged career-highs in points (12.7), assists (1.8), and blocks (1.1) along with 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. “I was finally able to focus on being out there.”
Austin joined an elite group of just five players in 2025 to average at least 12, five rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal per game, alongside Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and Azura Stevens (Los Angeles Sparks).
Her breakout performance came Aug. 24 against the Seattle Storm, when Austin recorded 30 points, five rebounds, four blocks, one assist, and one steal — becoming the first player in Mystics history to post at least 30 points and four blocks in a single game.
Austin became the first player in franchise history to earn AP Player of the Year honors, while Citron and Iriafen became the fourth and fifth Mystics players named to the AP All-Rookie Team.
Record-Breaking Rookie Seasons
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Citron finished with 657 total points — both the most by a Washington rookie and the most in a single season in franchise history.
“The season has been great,” said Citron. “I have so much gratitude about how it went down.”
In her debut campaign, Citron averaged 14.9 points, four rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while leading the WNBA in three-point percentage (44.5%) — the highest mark by a rookie in league history. Her 81 three-pointers tied for ninth-most league-wide and matched the single-season franchise record.
Iriafen averaged 13.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting nearly 50% from the field. She joined an exclusive group of six players to average at least 12 points and eight rebounds on 48% or better shooting, and became just the seventh rookie in WNBA history to achieve those benchmarks.
Iriafen’s 16 double-doubles set both a 2025 rookie record and single-season franchise mark, ranking fifth league-wide. Her 8.5 rebounds per game topped all rookies in franchise history and ranked fourth in the WNBA this season.
The Lynx, Aces, Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury, Liberty, Indiana Fever, Storm and Golden State Valkyries qualified for the playoffs. The Aces enter the postseason riding a 16-game winning streak to close the regular season, tying the 2014 Phoenix Mercury for the second-longest streak in WNBA history.
2025 AP Award Winners:
Player of the Year: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Rookie of the Year: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Defensive Player of the Year: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Coach of the Year: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
Comeback Player of the Year: Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics
Most Improved Player: Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries
Sixth Woman of the Year: Naz Hillmon, Atlanta Dream