Several big names were on the move this offseason, including Ariel Atkins. The Washington Mystics traded Atkins to the Chicago Sky for the third-overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. It was a risky move for the Sky, but the front office obviously wanted to accelerate the rebuild around Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
That plan hasn’t worked out quite yet. With a 3-8 record, the Chicago Sky currently sit in eleventh place in the regular-season standings. Washington, meanwhile, is ninth and currently in the playoff picture.
Rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron are thriving in Washington. When Citron finally matched up with the team that could have drafted her, she left no doubt that the Mystics won that trade.
The Mystics beat the Sky
Losing Courtney Vandersloot to an ACL injury was a tough blow for Chicago amid an already brutal season. Losing to the Washington Mystics only added to the Sky’s misery.
Chicago gave up a lottery pick to get Atkins. Washington used that pick to draft Sonia Citron and immediately got a Rookie of the Year candidate. Citron was pro-ready right away and wasted no time letting the rest of the league know it. She also showed the Sky glimpses of what they could have had.
Citron played well against the Sky, almost recording a double-double. She finished the game with 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals. She was the Mystics’ second-leading scorer in the win behind only Brittney Sykes, who put up 32 points.
Meanwhile, the Sky suffered another loss despite separating themselves from the Mystics early. Ariel Atkins finished the game with 10 points, two rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and four blocks.
The first matchup between the Sky and Mystics left no doubt that Washington won the Atkins trade. The reason is not that Atkins played badly and Citron put together a great performance—both had solid games—but rather that Citron played well, and the Mystics got the win.
Not only did the Mystics land a great young talent to develop and build around for the future, but they were also already able to beat the more veteran Sky.
The Mystics are set up well for the future
After trading for the Sky’s pick, the Mystics had three first-round picks in the most recent draft. It was the perfect opportunity to add to the team’s young group of Shakira Austin, Aaliyah Edwards, Jade Melbourne, and Emily Engslter.
The Mystics picked Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Georgia Amoore in the first round, and added Lucy Olsen in the second round. Considering how well Citron and Iriafen are playing, the Mystics have one of the best young cores to work with in the WNBA.
Washington is taking its time with its young players. Chicago, on the other hand, accelerated the team’s timeline and hasn’t been able to reap the rewards yet this season.