Sonia Citron, a mystic, discloses shocking revelations following her 19-point debut performance.
Rooting for the Future:
The Washington Mystics put on quite the show in their recent victory over the Atlanta Dream, and their newbies, especially Sonia Citron, shone like stars. The Mystics triumphed 94-90, with two of their 2025 lottery picks playing crucial roles.
Citron, the No. 3 overall pick, delivered a head-turning debut performance with 19 points (6-7 FG, 2-2 3 PT), two rebounds, and two assists. In a postgame interview, she shared her secret to success, admitting, "I think when I let the game come to me, I play a lot better. When I'm focusing on shots, or makes or misses, I think that kinda puts me in a bad headspace. So I try as much as I can to just let the game come to me, and just take open shots, my shots."
Her preseason debut against the Indiana Fever on May 3 was similarly impressive, with 15 points (5-6 FG, 2-3 3 PT), four rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block in 22 minutes, despite the loss to the Fever in overtime.
The 21-year-old rookie demonstrated her maturity and experience level during the final seconds of the game, when she took a crucial shot with the fate of the game in her hands. Veteran guard Brittney Sykes passed her the ball while falling out of bounds after stealing the Dream's inbound pass. Instead of forcing a shot or passing into traffic, Citron skillfully piloted the ball from the midrange to the outside and waited to be fouled by Allisha Gray, sinking both free throws to extend Washington's lead.
While it's early days, Citron and No. 4 overall pick Kiki Iriafen have already left a remarkable impression. Their impressive debuts have the potential to expand the team's fanbase.
Iriafen Stands Tall Against Brittney Griner
Iriafen, who started the game after appearing off the bench in both preseason outings, once again took on the challenging task of guarding future Hall of Famer Brittney Griner. In their earlier encounter, an 80-70 preseason loss to the Atlanta Dream on May 7, Iriafen admitted the assignment was difficult.
However, during Friday's contest, she held her own for the majority of the game, limiting Griner to a 2-of-10 shooting clip before a personal 7-0 run from the 6-foot-9-inch center with five minutes remaining. Postgame, Iriafen expressed more confidence in her ability to defend Griner this time around.
"We prepped all week, so I did all my due diligence to make sure I was ready for her," Iriafen said. "Someone like BG, you can't shut her down, you just try to slow her down and burn her out as much as you can. That's what I tried to do to the best of my ability."
While Griner outscored Iriafen 18-14, she shot a less efficient 7-of-16 from the field and 0-of-2 from long range, compared to Iriafen's 4-of-10 shooting. Iriafen was outrebounded 8-4 but showed that her and Citron’s combined efforts almost single-handedly powered the Mystics to victory.
As the Mystics face off against the Connecticut Sun in their first away game of the year on Sunday afternoon, we'll get another chance to see Citron and Iriafen prove their stunning debuts weren't just beginner's luck. With the loss of No. 6 overall pick Georgia Amoore (ACL), the pressure is on for the rookies to hold their own and help lead their team to success.
The impressive debut performances of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen in the Washington Mystics' games have sparked potential interest in expanding the team's fanbase, especially since the two rookies have been excelling on the basketball court, showcasing their skills in sports like the WNBA. Sonia Citron, in particular, demonstrated her maturity and experience during a crucial game-deciding shot against the Atlanta Dream, while Iriafen held her own against future Hall of Famer Brittney Griner, despite her less efficient shooting.
