Mystics' star rookies provide franchise-shaping opportunity [View all]

Fresh off a 14-26 campaign - their fourth sub-.500 season in five years since winning the title in 2019 - the Mystics entered the mid-April showcase with a new head coach in Sydney Johnson and a huge opportunity. Armed with the third, fourth, and sixth selections, Washington chose Oregon wing Sonia Citron, USC forward Kiki Iriafen, and Kentucky facilitator Georgia Amoore.

Amoore tore her ACL less than a week into training camp and was ruled out for the season, though the early-season heroics of Citron and Iriafen have softened the blow. Quite suddenly, the Mystics appear to have a foundation that could help them return to the heights they reached in 2019.

You could argue that Citron and Iriafen - and not Bueckers - have been the league's best rookies in the campaign's early stages.

Johnson inserted both into his starting five out of preseason, and they've looked the part. Citron and Iriafen are second and third on the team in points and minutes played, respectively, and their contributions have helped lighten the burden on leading scorer Brittney Sykes. For a franchise that desperately needed an infusion of young talent, Citron and Iriafen have answered the call.



https://www.thescore.com/wnba/news/3293354/amp