When Shakira Austin signed a three-year max offer sheet with the Toronto Tempo this offseason, the Washington Mystics had a choice. They could match the offer sheet and pay her like a star, or let her walk and risk that she would grow into an All-Star-level player elsewhere.
They matched the offer sheet. A few months later, it’s clear that that was the only right choice. Austin may not have been selected as an All-Star, but she has played like one all season long and was instrumental in the Mystics’ return to the playoffs.
If anyone needed any more convincing that Austin could be a building block for the Mystics, she just broke the franchise’s single-season scoring record in her 40th game of the season, firmly establishing herself as an organizational cornerstone. It also validates the Mystics’ decision to roll with such a young team. It has given their three young stars the opportunity to shine to the fullest.
Shakira Austin is putting together an outstanding season
Austin is averaging 16.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, leading the Mystics in points and blocks. Those numbers mark a notable improvement compared to her previous four seasons. Her points are up by five per game, her rebounds by three, and her assists by 0.7. Austin has also extended her range, taking 1.3 3-pointers per game compared ot 0.4 last season. While her growth overall has been phenomenal, the latter may be the most impressive and important development. It makes the fit with Kiki Iriafen and Lauren Betts much easier.
The 26-year-old should be one of the frontrunners for the Most Improved Player award. She should also be in the All-Defensive team conversation as one of the anchors of the third-best defense in the WNBA.
Austin was the third overall pick in 2022, but dealt with injuries in her second and third seasons. These last two years, she has finally looked like the star player you’d hope to get out of a top-three pick. Her next to Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen is a scary sight for opponents—and not just because they’re winning now, but because they could be one of the best big threes in the W for years to come.
Austin will become an unrestricted free agent in 2029, but considering how far ahead of schedule the Mystics are, the success they’re bound to find over the next two seasons should be enough to convince her to stay. As the youngest playoff team and a lower seed, the Mystics may not go far this year, but they are poised to make some noise in 2027 and 2028.
Add us as a preferred source on Google