The Mystics will have three first-round picks for the second year in a row. This year, the Mystics selected Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, and Georgia Amoore. Citron and Iriafen put together All-Star seasons. Meanwhile, Amoore didn’t get to play due to an ACL injury. The Mystics were even in the running for a playoff spot for much of the season, but bowed out of the race after trading Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm. Nevertheless, the season was an overall success and set the stage for a bright future.
The 2026 WNBA Draft is a chance to round out the young core with additional talent. Washington owns a lottery pick, the ninth pick, and the eleventh pick in the draft. The former is unquestionably the most valuable pick, and the Mystics should already have their eyes set on one particular college star who is expected to be selected in the lottery: Olivia Miles.
Olivia Miles could be a great fit next to Citron and Iriafen
With Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, the Mystics have one of the best young bigs and one of the best young two-way wings in the WNBA. What they need to round out the core is a young star guard. Amoore is a promising young guard, but might not turn out to be the kind of All-Star-level player the Mystics will want to run the show alongside Iriafen and Citron.
Miles could be that player. She averaged 6.5 assists over four seasons at Notre Dame and displayed great court vision. On top of that, Miles is a high-level scorer and strong rebounder at the guard position.
Last season, she vastly improved her 3-point shooting, going from averaging 22.8% shooting on 2.8 attempts to knocking down 40.6% of her 5.3 attempts per game. She will have to prove that her improved shooting from three wasn’t just a fluke. If she can keep it up or at least continue to shoot over 30% from three, it would make Miles an even more enticing prospect for the Mystics.
They need better 3-point shooters around Iriafen—and hopefully Shakira Austin. Citron was the only Mystics player who shot over 40% from three this season. Only Stephanie Dolson and Sug Sutton exceeded the 35% mark.
Moreover, Miles and Citron played together at Notre Dame for three seasons and are already familiar with each other.
Miles was already expected to be a lottery pick in last year’s draft, but ultimately elected to stay in college for another season and transfer to TCU. Given what Miles showed in her first four years in college, she is expected to be a top pick once again. The Mystics should have a chance to select her in the first round if no other team drafts her before.