Things got a little heated in the fourth quarter of last week's Washington Mystics win over Chicago.
The DC-based WNBA team held a slim 62-60 lead over the Sky, when a contested rebound turned into a jump ball that Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh strongly disagreed with — costing him a technical foul from the sideline.
Washington veteran Brittney Sykes could have taken the subsequent free throw, adding to a 32-point performance on a night when it felt like the 31-year-old couldn't miss. Fourth-year center Shakira Austin was also on the floor, as was third-year guard Sug Sutton.
Instead, the player stepping up to the stripe turned out to be rookie guard Sonia Citron. She calmly sank the shot for her 11th point of the game, giving Washington a little more daylight as they held on for their fifth win of the season.
Of course, Citron stepping up in the clutch is not exactly surprising. The Notre Dame alum has quickly made a name for herself in the early weeks of the 2025 WNBA season, alongside teammate and fellow first-round draft pick Kiki Iriafen — whose power was on full display Tuesday night as she battled with Sky forward Angel Reese.
"Kiki was in some foul trouble, but that didn't take away from her aggressiveness, and she played smart with fouls. You don't really get to see that with a lot of rookies," Sykes said after the game. "Soni came in. Soni does what she does."
And this past Sunday, they did it again. Taking the Dallas Wings to overtime, the Mystics rookies proved perfectly in sync. They executed a crucial jump-ball possession in the final seconds, before Citron hit the game-winner to top off a 27-point performance.
A little over a month in, Iriafen and Citron have already presented DC with a new dynamic duo. The pair embodies a new vision for the downtrodden Mystics — one that will hopefully return them to the WNBA's top ranks.
Washington's 2025 WNBA Draft night gamble
Following a breakthrough 2019 title win, Washington has sat in danger of spinning their wheels. They managed just two playoff berths in the last four seasons. They never failed to challenge opponents, but lacked the consistency necessary to keep up with the league's latest dynasties.
Then, in 2025, the Mystics took a risk. Faced with two paths — forge ahead with the status quo or attempt to start anew — they blew everything up. The team moved on from the father-son duo of general manager Mike and head coach Eric Thibault. Then, they brought on new GM Jamila Wideman and first-time WNBA head coach Sydney Johnson.
The team also doubled down on 2025 draft prospects, signing three first-rounders in No. 3 Citron, No. 5 Iriafen, and No. 6 Georgia Amoore, as well as retaining third-round pick Lucy Olsen out of Iowa. And despite hitting a setback after Amoore suffered a season-ending ACL injury during training camp, following the highs and lows of their youngest players has become the Mystics' new normal.
Thankfully, the trust in their rookies is paying off, with both Citron and Iriafen looking like naturals on the professional court — and averaging double-digit scoring along the way.
"They're going to move up in people's scouting reports. I'm pretty sure of that," Johnson said after the duo's first start, describing his rookies as simultaneously confident and coachable. Iriafen opened her career with a string of double-doubles, a feat that resulted in the 21-year-old's first Rookie of the Month award.
For her part, Citron trails only No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers in points per game among rookies. She also manages heavy minutes, recording more than 10 points in every game this season.
Suddenly, the Mystics' risky turnaround looks like a sure thing, thanks to a talented young pair who couldn't be more different from one another.
A smooth transition from college to the WNBA
Before the 2025 WNBA Draft, Iriafen and Citron only knew each other by force of reputation. They grew up on different coasts — Citron in New York, Iriafen in California — and only played each other once in college. That was during Iriafen's senior season as a USC transfer and Citron's final season at Notre Dame.
"I was kind of intimidated by her, I'm not gonna lie," Citron told Just Women's Sports with a smile, drawing a laugh from Iriafen. Even though, Iriafen admitted, she didn't know much about the Notre Dame guard either — other than that she was a beast on the court.
The two rookies didn't share much with one another on draft night. It was a hectic evening, filled with emotions, loved ones, and a very busy first round for the Mystics. But once the new recruits made their way into market, things began to lock into place.
"Since we got here, and I've been in DC, I feel like I've known her for years. We kind of just clicked instantly, along with Georgia and Lucy [Olsen]," Iriafen said.
The Mystics helped the newcomers transition from the college game to the pros. As Iriafen and Citron tell it, the entire organization made both rookies feel not just welcome but needed from the moment they stepped into training camp.
"One thing [Johnson] said early on was, 'With big opportunity comes big responsibility,'" Citron said. "And the fact that he trusted us and had confidence in us to say that and really believe it, I think it made us believe in ourselves."
"It feels like I'm a person," echoed Iriafen. "I don't feel like I'm just an athlete or just a business decision. I feel like this is my second family."
Mystics make room for the new kids
Washington has certainly tapped into their rookies' collective confidence, giving Iriafen and Citron far greater opportunities than many first-year players in the WNBA. The pair are trusted with both opening and closing rotations, leaning into the freedom to connect with players across the team.
Citron noted that her Notre Dame coaches were particularly excited for her to join the Mystics, knowing that she'd develop quickly through extended playing time. "Experience is the best way to learn. You're going to get thrown in the fire, and that's how you're going to become a great player," she recalls being told.
Iriafen voiced a similar feeling. "There's just so much opportunity here," she added. "That's why you're able to see a lot of success with us — we have the ability to play and make mistakes."
Far from intimidating, the pair say that their new teammates have embraced the rookie class with excitement and full support. And there seems to be few insecurities around the prospect of draftees walking in and taking their spots.
"We're not alone at all. It's not like we felt it's us versus them," said Citron. "In no way did it ever feel like it was [all] on our shoulders."
"I think that's really the essence of the Mystics as a family," said Iriafen. "You fight with your siblings, you don't always get along with your siblings. But at the end of the day, we're one family."
Iriafen and Citron learned to lean on their vets
Both players point to veterans on the Mystics squad who have stepped up to provide advice and encouragement — for Iriafen, it's Austin, and for Citron it's Sykes. Though they've also gotten plenty of help beyond Washington's roster.
"One thing that I've really appreciated being in the league so far is [how] the vets are talking to me even though we're on opposing teams," Iriafen said. "BG, Stewie, they're giving me advice on, 'Hey, I'm able to get you on this because of this and this.'"
"Kiki came in and she's not playing like a rookie," Atlanta Dream center Britney Griner confirmed after the Dream's June 15th win over the Mystics. "She wasn't scared of any of us out there. She's coming right at us. You see her working. She seems like an amazing person."
Washington's rookie performances have clearly been noticed throughout the league, with mutual respect mounting in every corner. The learning curve for a WNBA first-year is steep, and sometimes praise is hard to come by. But their hard work has set Citron and Iriafen apart from the pack.
"Sonia, her poise has always stuck out. Even when she was at Notre Dame," said Chicago's Marsh. "One of her greatest attributes is her ability to play at her own pace and not get sped up. And she's carried that with her into her early career here in W."
"And Kiki — her aggressiveness, offensively and defensively," he continued. "She's not afraid of the moment. She's not afraid of the matchups."
With Washington behind them, the rookies find their groove
With so many players and staff already firmly in their camp, it's easy for Citron and Iriafen to gas each other up. Iriafen describes Citron as "stone cold" and a "silent assassin," joking about how different they are when the competition heats up.
"I can be a little bit extra when I play, which I like," Iriafen laughed. "Soni's the opposite. The only time Soni makes a face is if her teammates do something."
On the other hand, Citron thinks Iriafen's passing ability is underrated, and notes that her teammate doesn't get guarded like a rookie — not a small feat considering the WNBA's elite post player lineup.
"People on the free throw line have to pinch her," Citron said. "We do that to the vets [when] we need help, like we can't do it on our own. And they're doing that to her as a rookie. That says something."
"Not only is she holding her own, she's excelling," she continued. "And seeing that is just incredible."
Occupying complementary positions on the court, fans can see the connection building between the pair as they evolve from executing set plays to moving instinctively around one another. Their chemistry is palpable on the pick-and-roll, stifling defenses with backdoor cuts in the post, trusting the exact right pass will arrive.
"It's not even something that I'm thinking about, my body's just doing it," said Iriafen. "I feel like she's always in the right spot."
"Soni just does all the little things," she continued. "She doesn't shortcut anything. She's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all. And I think that's why she's able to be so successful."
Playing with joy, Iriafen and Citron eye the WNBA postseason
For all of Washington's early success, the organization understands that rebuilding is a process that takes longer than a single season. The Mystics currently sit at No. 9 in the WNBA standings with a 6-8 record, with the hope of turning close losses into wins as the year progresses.
That perspective hasn't deterred Citron and Iriafen, though, with the rookies making it clear they'd like to see Washington in the playoffs this season — while also knowing to measure success beyond wins and losses.
"It's about the sisterhood that we have, and the joy that we have playing together," said Citron. "So after 44 games, we want to still be able to be around each other, love each other like a family. Like sisters."
Iriafen said she wanted to remember her rookie year as one filled with joy. She defined the term as "when even in the tough moments, you're able to find the good in it."
"If I can look back and be like, this was such a joyful season, I was around so many people that brought me joy every single day, that would be a success," she said.
The biggest victors in the WNBA last weekend were the Seattle Storm, as the fifth-place contenders took down the last two league champions to record six wins in their last seven games.
The Storm first took down 2022 and 2023 champs Las Vegas 90-83 on Friday before toppling reigning title-winners New York 89-79 on Sunday.
Guard Skylar Diggins and forward Nneka Ogwumike powered Seattle's two games, putting up 44 and 51 points, respectively, over the weekend.
Forward Gabby Williams also helped fuel the Storm's weekend with two double-double performances.
Seattle is now just one game behind the similarly surging fourth-place Atlanta Dream, while trailing the red-hot No. 3 Phoenix Mercury by 1.5 games.
"Staying ready is what the group is," Storm head coach Noelle Quinn told reporters on Friday. "They're professionals, they're vets."
Teams at the top of the WNBA standings aren't the only squads that saw weekend success, as the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries snagged their second win in a row with Sunday's 87-63 thrashing of the last-place Connecticut Sun.
Despite registering Friday losses, both No. 7 Las Vegas and the No. 9 Washington Mystics finished the weekend on a high note, earning big Sunday wins over the No. 8 Indiana Fever and No. 12 Dallas Wings, respectively.
How to watch the Seattle Storm this week
The Storm will suit back up for another tricky WNBA test on Tuesday, when Seattle hosts the always-dangerous Indiana Fever at 10 PM ET.
The game will air live on NBA TV.
The reigning champion New York Liberty battled through injury and absences over the weekend, narrowly retaining their second-place spot in the WNBA standings despite seeing their losing streak extend to two games with Sunday's 89-79 stumble against the Seattle Storm.
Already missing starting guard Leonie Fiebich, who is overseas competing at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament, the Liberty also played without center Jonquel Jones and guard Sabrina Ionescu.
While Ionescu is day-to-day with a neck issue, Jones will miss four to six weeks of action due to an ankle injury, the team announced on Saturday.
Despite dropping three of their last four matchups, the champs appear to be taking their recent downturn in stride.
"This isn't going to be the hardest thing that we face all season," said forward Breanna Stewart after Sunday's loss. "We have to kind of embrace the adversity a little bit, whether it's we're down players or things happen in the middle of the game."
New York wasn't the only team in trouble this weekend, though, as the Indiana Fever followed up last Thursday's stumble against the Golden State Valkyries with an 89-81 Sunday loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark is now one-for-17 from behind the arc in her last two games, as Indiana struggles to break out of their eighth-place standing.
How to watch the New York Liberty this week
New York will hope for added firepower in order to snap their losing streak on Wednesday, when they'll face a rising Golden State squad at 10 PM ET.
Coverage of the game will air live on WNBA League Pass.
Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.
The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.
Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.
"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.
Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.
Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.
Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.
How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend
Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.
Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.
In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.
A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.
Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.
- No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
- No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
- No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.
Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.
The Indiana Fever advanced to the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship on Tuesday night, clinching their franchise-first Cup final berth following a tense battle with the Connecticut Sun that saw three ejections and two flagrant fouls.
In the game's first half, Sun guard Jacy Sheldon committed a Flagrant 1 on Fever guard Caitlin Clark, with Sheldon and teammate Marina Mabrey receiving a pair of technicals for shoving after the call.
With Indiana dominating late in the matchup, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham committed a Flagrant 2 on Sheldon, spurring a scuffle that ended with Cunningham, Sheldon, and Sun guard Lindsey Allen all being ejected.
The rest of Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup action played out mostly as expected, with New York securing an 86-81 comeback victory over the Atlanta Dream. However, because of the Fever's victory, the Liberty fell just short of returning to the Cup final.
The Minnesota Lynx also launched a comeback to take down Las Vegas 76-62, successfully punching their ticket to defend their 2024 Cup title — despite star forward Napheesa Collier exiting the showdown with an apparent back injury.
Ultimately, while on-court performances should have driven the narrative, lack of referee control overshadowed the night.
"Everyone is getting better but the officials," Indiana head coach Stephanie White said after the Fever's win. "We need to remedy that. I mean, we've heard every coach talk about it. I don't know what the answer is."
How to watch the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship
The grand finale of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx will tip off at 8 PM ET on July 1st, with live coverage on Prime.
The FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 has arrived, with the 16-team regional tournament tipping off its group stage on Wednesday before the knockout stages begin on June 24th.
Hosted across the continent with games in Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Greece, the 40th edition of the annual competition carries the additional weight of serving as a qualifying event for the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.
As a result, the top five teams in this month's EuroBasket contest will earn automatic spots in one of the March 2026 qualifiers.
Leading the charge to this year's trophy are 2023 winners Belgium, who enter the EuroBasket tournament as reigning champions.
However, 2024 Olympic silver medalists France have since stepped into the spotlight, with the always-dangerous Spain also threatening a podium finish.
Familiar faces to WNBA fans will feature on the 2025 EuroBasket courts this month, as several WNBA players have temporarily departed their US clubs to join their national teams in Europe, including Belgium guard Julie Allemand (LA Sparks), Great Britain center Temi Fagbenle (Golden State Valkyries), and Germany forward Leonie Fiebich (New York Liberty).
As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.
How to watch FIBA Women's EuroBasket in the US
The EuroBasket group-stage action tipped off on Wednesday morning, with all games streaming live on Courtside 1891.
With EuroBasket set to tip off on Wednesday and injuries mounting league-wide, WNBA teams are filling out dwindling rosters with more short-term contracts — and calling back some familiar faces along the way.
While some European standouts withdrew from EuroBasket consideration — including Phoenix's Satou Sabally and Seattle's Gabby Williams — others, like New York's Leonie Fiebich and Golden State's Temi Fagbenle, will join their national teams for the regional FIBA tournament through the end of June.
Due to these planned absences, WNBA teams temporarily suspend their EuroBasket players' contracts, allowing squads to add others to their rosters.
Players signed due to temporary absences are technically on rest-of-season deals, though the agreements can end whenever the missing athletes return.
In contrast, the league requires that teams release any hardship signings due to injury once squads tally enough healthy original players to satisfy the WNBA's 10-athlete roster minimum.
Featuring a lineup stacked with international talent, Golden State made the most transactions this week, temporarily suspending four regular contracts as 2025 EuroBasket stars departed for the annual competition.
To bolster their depleted bench, the Valkyries brought back 2025 WNBA Draft Cinderella pick Kaitlyn Chen and recent training camp participant Laeticia Amihere on short-term contracts, in addition to guard Aerial Powers and forward Chloe Bibby.
Elsewhere, after losing forward Maddy Siegrist to injury and temporarily suspending the contracts of centers Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder, Dallas acquired center Li Yueru from Seattle — with the Wings possibly needing additional hardship signings in the coming days.
The Storm snagged two future draft picks in the Saturday deal — a second-round selection in 2026 and a third-round pick in 2027.
Ultimately, teams are striving to find a balance between stocking up and maintaining consistency, all while operating under the WNBA's roster constraints — with further league expansion fast approaching.
The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup will wrap up its conference play on Tuesday, as both Eastern and Western teams battle for a ticket to the in-season competition's championship game — and a cut of the $500,000 prize pool.
With 12 of the league's 13 teams facing off across Tuesday's WNBA courts, the results will set the stage by minting the two squads who will battle in the July 1st final showdown.
Reigning Commissioner's Cup champs Minnesota have the West's easiest path, as a win over the Las Vegas Aces will send the Lynx to a second straight final.
Should the Lynx fall to the Aces, however, Seattle can grab the Western Conference berth by beating the Los Angeles Sparks.
Meanwhile in the East, a surging Atlanta could land a trip to the final by topping New York, while the Liberty need both a win over the Dream plus a loss by the Indiana Fever to clinch their own return ticket to the Cup's grand finale.
If New York does take down Atlanta, the Fever could advance to the team's first-ever Commissioner's Cup final by beating the struggling Connecticut Sun.
How to watch Tuesday's 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup games
All of Tuesday's six WNBA games count toward the 2025 Commissioner's Cup tally.
The action begins with the Atlanta Dream tipping off against the New York Liberty while the Indiana Fever battles the Connecticut Sun at 7 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese made headlines this week, with the second-year WNBA forward announcing that she has trademarked word "mebounds" — a slang term opposing fans use to describe Reese rebounding her own missed shots.
"Whoever came up with the 'mebounds' thing, y’all ate that up, because mebounds, rebounds, keybounds...anything that comes off that board, it's mine," Reese said in a TikTok video on Saturday.
"And a brand? That's six figures right there," she continued, referencing her trademark application. "The trolling — I love when y'all do it because the ideas be good!"
Currently averaging 11.9 boards per matchup, Reese is leading the WNBA in rebounds for the second straight season.
Her rookie campaign saw Reese average 13.1 boards per game, a rate that set a single-season league record. She also blasted through the WNBA's consecutive double-double record last season, claiming it with 10 straight before extending it to an impressive 15 games.
Along with the average rebounds record, Reese also broke the single-season total rebounds record previously held by retired Minnesota Lynx legend Sylvia Fowles — a mark that was later surpassed by 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson following Reese's season-ending wrist injury.
"Statistically, all the rebounds that I get aren't always just mine," Reese added in her Saturday social media post. "They're the defense's, too, or somebody else on my team."