Shakira Austin joined the Mystics as the franchise’s highest draft pick since 2009 when they selected Marissa Coleman second overall. Being a top-three pick comes with certain expectations. Austin hasn’t met those expectations yet, but her talent was never truly in question. Hip injuries slowed down her development, limiting her to only 31 total games in 2023 and 2024. Nevertheless, the Mystics and most of the team's fans held on to the belief that Austin could grow into a special player.
2025 marked a breakout season for Austin. She averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks over 38 games and firmly established herself as a part of the Mystics’ young core. The Mystics even opted to trade Aaliyah Edwards, solidifying Austin’s standing as a core piece in the frontcourt. That season made up for the two injury-ridden campaigns before and underlined the Mystics’ belief that Austin is still far from reaching her ceiling.
Rose head coach Nola Henry confirmed those suspicions. “Shakira still hasn’t even scratched the surface of what she can become,” Henry said after the Rose’s loss to the Breeze. “She’s super skilled, especially at her size and with her frame and with her build.”
Austin has been great since recovering from her hip injuries
When Austin suffered a hip injury in 2023, it cost her most of her sophomore season and forced her to have surgery. Nevertheless, she was ready for the 2024 season, but re-injured her hip and sprained her ankle later in the season, costing her more precious time on the court.
Since then, Austin has been great. In 2025, she put together a career season in the WNBA and won a gold medal at the 3x3 AmeriCup. Now, she is also killing it in Unrivaled.
Austin is one of two newcomers on the Rose’s roster. Despite being new to the team and the youngest player on the roster, she averages the third-most minutes and points and leads the team in rebounds. Unrivaled has been a great opportunity for Austin to work on her skill set and showcase what she can do against some of the best players in the game.
Austin is a restricted free agent, but it is unlikely that the Mystics will let her walk in the offseason. So, barring any injuries, Mystics fans should have another career season from Austin to look forward to. 2026 will be a crucial season for the Mystics. It’s an opportunity to take the first step from being a fun young team to becoming a playoff contender.