On March 10, 2024, then-Virginia Tech Hokies star Georgia Amoore texted Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Sonia Citron, essentially saying she was a big fan of her game and would love to play with her one day.
Citron responded with identical sentiments about Amoore and said, "Maybe soon."
We know about this exchange, which occurred the day after Notre Dame eliminated Virginia Tech from the 2024 ACC Tournament, because No. 6 2025 WNBA Draft pick Amoore recounted it on Wednesday while sitting with No. 3 pick Citron at the press conference that introduced them to Washington, D.C. media as draftees of the Mystics. Sitting between them was former USC Trojan star and No. 4 pick Kiki Iriafen. Amoore had an anecdote to share about Iriafen as well; the two had dinner together the night before Monday's draft, just the two of them.
"It's kinda cool how they were the people I gravitated to without knowing what was about to happen," Amoore said, via hannah on X (formerly Twitter). "Knowing that I was going to join them, I had the most priceless reaction, and it was chills because they're great humans and I've always respected their games and I've always watched them or been connected with them."
Making names for themselves
It's true -- the three of them have been connected the past couple of years. They've been mentioned in the same breath as three of the best players in college basketball, especially Amoore and Iriafen who were Second- and Third-Team AP All-Americans, respectively, this year.
Citron was somewhat overshadowed throughout her college career by her Fighting Irish classmate and fellow guard Olivia Miles, not to mention by an even more talented Irish guard in Hannah Hidalgo the past two years. But she was still highly respected across the women's college basketball community, averaging a career-high 17.3 points per game as a junior, and for her career averaging 1.8 steals while shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc with 173 makes.
Amoore and Iriafen had their fair share of talented teammates as well, mostly notably 2025 National Player of the Year JuJu Watkins in Iriafen's case. Amoore, meanwhile, played with three-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabteh Kitley for four years in Blacksburg. But both Amoore and Iriafen received their due hype in the end, with Amoore being the clear-cut best player and superstar for the Kentucky Wildcats this past season and Iriafen being promoted in commercials for the second season of ESPN's Full Court Press series, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at just three very special women's college players each season.
College fame doesn't always translate to pro success, but it gives Mystics fans something to get excited about because many of them have probably already followed and cheered for Citron, Iriafen and Amoore. The Dallas Wings took the biggest college name in Paige Bueckers with the No.1 pick, but picks 2 and 5 were international players selected by the Seattle Storm and Golden State Valkyries, respectively. So no team came home from the 2025 draft with a more celebrated assortment of college stars than Washington.
Amoore a joy to watch
The selection of Amoore over projected No. 6 pick Shyanne Sellers (Maryland Terrapins) ensured this would be the case. Yes, Sellers was a college star in her own right, but not to the same degree as Amoore. One reason Sellers was projected higher than Amoore was definitely her height (6-2 compared to Amoore's 5-6). Both are point guards.
I get that shorter players tend to face more and more challenges to succeed as they ascend to higher and higher levels of basketball, with the WNBA being the highest level. But there are so many exceptions throughout history -- on both the men's and women's sides -- where a short player is just so talented that they don't lose a step. 6-0 Allen Iverson comes to mind as someone who remained a superstar. Heck, Earl Boykins is shorter than Amoore and played well in the NBA! The 5-5 perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate once averaged 14.6 points per game in a season.
So let's not act like it's outside the realm of possibility for Amoore to carry over her sweet step-back treys to the W. She's such an energetic and exciting player who can score in so many ways, and she may be an even better passer; 19.6 points and 6.9 assists per game this past season is nothing to sneeze at.
Mystics fans knew going in that this was an important draft for them, and I can't imagine them not being excited about the potential of their three first-round picks.