Mystics' Sonia Citron opens up about Kiki Iriafen, Lucy Olsen
The post Mystics' Sonia Citron opens up about Kiki Iriafen, Lucy Olsen appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The Washington Mystics followed up their best game of the season with their worst on Sunday, as they got blown out 89-56 by the Atlanta Dream at home. However, one bad day doesn't undo the Mystics' most important storyline of the season: the development of their rookies.
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After Friday's practice, No. 3 overall pick Sonia Citron credited Washington's players and coaches for helping her and Kiki Iriafen top the WNBA rookie scoring list this season.
'I always credit my team and my coaches, just empowering us to be confident and not being scared to make mistakes,' the Notre Dame alum said. 'We really go out there knowing we have the full support of everybody and the full confidence of everybody, and that just helps us play free and play together and to not be afraid of making mistakes.'
Nobody, including Citron and Iriafen, played well for Washington on Sunday. Citron led the squad with 10 points (2-8 FG, 0-3 3 PT) and was its only player who scored in double figures. However, growing pains are inevitable for a rebuilding team with a new front office and coaching staff.
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Additionally, the Mystics were crushed by a Dream team that's 8-3 and is the third seed in the WNBA. Two-time All-Stars Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard as well as future Hall of Famer Brittney Griner lead a roster that could go deep into the playoffs this year. Washington isn't quite there yet, as it showed on Sunday, but the young squad is planting seeds of greatness that will sprout in the future.
Lucy Olsen, Georgia Amoore add to Mystics' potential
No. 23 overall pick Lucy Olsen hasn't gotten as much playing time as Iriafen or Citron, but she's made the most of her minutes. The Iowa alum is second on the team only to Jade Melbourne with a 41.7 percent clip from beyond the arc. Additionally, she's totaled 28 points (10-24 FG, 5-12 3 PT) with 11 rebounds and eight assists in 89 minutes thus far, but also six turnovers.
Olsen admitted that she's still adjusting to playing an off-ball role off the bench after being the Hawkeyes' No. 1 option and primary ballhandler.
'I think it's been an adjustment for sure, but coming in as a rookie, that's kind of what you have in your mind, like things won't always be the same as they were in college,' the 2025 first-team All-Big Ten honoree said. 'I think just learning from all the vets, and I'm with so many skilled players that I can learn from every day, even when I'm not getting on the floor in a game. Practice is always intense, and I'm just taking it as a learning experience and moving on from there.'
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Olsen led Iowa to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season and logged multiple 25-point games in the process. The 22-year-old has more competition for playing time in Washington, with Citron, Melbourne, and Sug Sutton all ahead of her on the depth chart. However, she'll increase her 8.9 minutes per game if she continues shooting efficiently and improves her assists-to-turnover ratio.
Citron had 'nothing but good things to say' about her fellow rookie.
'Lucy, I mean, she's amazing. Absolutely amazing,' the two-time first-team All-ACC honoree said with a smile. 'In practice, just always so consistent, brings so much energy. Is a baller too, a really great player and even better person. Always smiling, always spreading joy, great teammate. Nothing but good things to say about her.'
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While it's common for teammates to talk each other up publicly, that's still high praise coming from the second-leading scorer in this rookie class. Citron (147 points), of course, only trails Iriafen (152).
Meanwhile, before Sunday's game, No. 6 overall pick Georgia Amoore had her first media availability since sustaining her season-ending ACL injury in April. The 2025 second-team All-American told reporters that she's taking this season to study film and share learnings with her teammates, via The Next's Jenn Hatfield.
'Anything that I have to do [rehab-wise], I stagger it around every single film or practice or game to make sure that I'm still there and engaged and watching,' she explained. 'So much of being a point guard, obviously, is how you play and what you do, but it's [also] the mental aspect and it's the vocal aspect. So I can clearly do that on one leg. So that's all I'm trying to bring.'
'I've always had to do the little things, and I've always had to learn the intricacies, learn my teammates, learn the flow, [and] learn my coach and what they want to see manifest on the court,' she continued. 'So it's been really fun for me to take a step back and just really be a nerd about it.'
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Between Olsen and Amoore, Washington has two collegiate primary ballhandlers developing in different ways. Of course, that's in addition to its two headlining rookies as well as veteran guard Brittney Sykes (19.4 points per game) having a career season thus far. Staying in the playoff picture this season before shooting up the standings next year would not only be a win for the team's new regime, but it seems plausible given the wealth of talent in the building.
Next up for the Mystics is a road tilt with the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night.
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