The center’s breakout season has Washington in the postseason for the first time since 2023.
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The Washington Mystics already earned their spot in WNBA history.
With an average roster age of about 24, they became the youngest team to reach the playoffs when they clinched a berth Aug. 23. Washington (26-16) is positioned as the No. 6 seed with two games left in the regular season after accruing a 30-54 record over the previous two seasons.
There are wide-ranging reasons for the turnaround. But the most significant may be Shakira Austin’s ascension.
The fifth-year center is averaging 16.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 blocks per game — all career highs. And the 26-year-old has blossomed into a key leader as Washington’s oldest starter and third-oldest player.
“[Teammates] go to her for any questions that they have,” Mystics Coach Sydney Johnson said. “She has an amazing ability to compete in the game, and have some fire — and get on herself, and the game and teammates when it’s needed. That’s a unique skill set, to be able to bring that fire, but also to have the warmth for people to come to you and look up to you.”
One key factor in Austin’s growth is simple: She’s healthy.
The former All-Met at Riverdale Baptist and college star at Maryland and Mississippi was drafted by Washington third overall in 2022. After a largely healthy rookie campaign, Austin played just 31 games across the 2023 and 2024 seasons because of injuries, including a severe left hip strain that required surgery. While she appeared in 38 games last year, she faced an early-season minutes restriction and came off the bench in eight contests.
Managing the injuries required a “lot of isolation,” Austin said. She had to complete separate workouts from teammates. Different warm-ups. There were extensive protocols she needed to clear before returning.
“If Kira can’t get good work in and it doesn’t feel right to her, then her whole day is off,” said Shay Robinson, who coached Austin as an assistant at Maryland and Mississippi. Robinson, now the associate head coach at Florida, compared Austin’s need for an intense workout to a person requiring their daily vitamins.
This season, she’s finally been able to consistently feed that desire. Austin has started all but one contest en route to a career-high 40 games. She’s no longer hyper-focused on her health, which has allowed her to thrive as a mentor.
“Just finally being a part of the team fully has just unleashed who I can be as a leader,” Austin said. “I honestly feel like I was born a leader.”
Austin’s maturation has aligned with Johnson’s vision for the Mystics to build camaraderie through interpersonal relationships, rather than through wins and losses. The head coach says “sisterhood” almost everyday — something Austin said initially annoyed players, until they realized the word’s importance.
Case in point: Austin recalled that the team sat together outside a pool for some seven hours during Washington’s four-game West Coast road trip in late August, simply chatting about their lives. And regardless of a win or loss, players always socialize together after games. Every Mystic can joke with Austin, she said, adding that there’s plenty of playful roasting.
“You’re able to get the best out of everyone when they feel valued,” Austin said. “Being one of the best players on the team, being able to pour in and help them with their confidence, I think translates immediately to the game.”
Austin has boasted an infectious personality for years. During her college days, Robinson recalled, she had a habit of abruptly dancing and yelling at practice.
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That friskiness spanned into games, too. During the second half of one contest for Mississippi, Austin pulled a Rice Krispie treat out of her sock before stepping to the free throw line. She then took a bite, placed the treat back in her sock and giggled before asking the referee for the ball.
“That’s a definition of, she’s unafraid,” Robinson said. “She’s supremely confident in who she is.”
While Austin enjoys connecting with teammates in lighthearted ways, she’s also willing to have tough conversations.
“She speaks up and says what she says,” said guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, at 32 the Mystics’ oldest player. “It’s really good for us.”
It took time for Austin to become comfortable this season. She was unsure of her role for nearly the first two months of Washington’s campaign.
Then, one game shifted her mentality.
Austin endured a six-game stretch in late June in which she averaged just 9.2 points on 32 percent shooting. The final contest came June 28, when Washington beat the Portland Fire, 124-123, in four overtimes.
For most Mystics players, winning a game that matched the longest in WNBA history was a surreal achievement.
Not Austin.
The center felt disappointed in her play. Austin thought she wasn’t making the correct adjustments against defenses. After the Portland game, she committed to better studying coverages and remaining aggressive — knowing her team would need more from her.
“Once I made that switch,” Austin said. “It just opened up a lot.”
The numbers back her assessment.
Over 24 games since, Austin has averaged 19.8 points on 52 percent shooting. She also has collected 9.5 rebounds per game, tied for fourth in the WNBA, to go with 2.3 assists. Johnson said her passing, in particular, has taken her game to “another level.”
The dominant stretch led to Austin securing her place in Mystics history: She set a team record for points in a season during Thursday’s blowout of the Chicago Sky, when she surpassed Sonia Citron’s total from last year.
Austin is a top contender for the WNBA’s most improved player of the year and defensive player of the year awards. Although the long-awaited breakout season gives Robinson chills, it’s not surprising to him.
“Kira has always had the ability that she’s showing right now,” Robinson said. “Everybody else is just finding out.”
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