Shakira Austin is why the Washington Mystics are championship contenders

No team has come out of the All-Star break quite as hot as the Washington Mystics. While some contenders are stumbling toward the finish line, the youngest squad in the WNBA is putting everyone on notice.

The Mystics entered All-Star Weekend riding high thanks to consecutive wins over the Golden State Valkyries and Las Vegas Aces. They were still sitting at No. 8 in the standings, but had separated themselves from the bottom half of the league and were firmly in the playoff picture.

Still, it was up in the air whether those big wins were mere flukes or whether that same energy would carry into the second half of the season. But it's safe to say the Mystics have answered the contenders or pretenders question: Since returning from the break, Washington has extended its winning streak to seven — one game shy of a franchise record. They've climbed to No. 6 in the standings now, overtaking teams like the Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty, and are only half a game back of the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream as they hunt home-court advantage.

The Mystics' brightest star

While this is technically Shakira Austin's fifth season in the league, it's the first in quite a while in which she's been fully healthy. After a promising rookie campaign in 2022 , she spent most of 2023 battling a labral injury. For the next two years, she still struggled with that issue in addition to several others which held her back from reaching her fullest potential.

In an interview with SLAM's Max Resetar, Austin spoke about her injuries and how important it was to come into the 2026 season healthy: "A lot of players may have enjoyed their offseason seeing their family, but I stayed in D.C. as long as I could because the opportunity and the resources here," Austin said. "I want to get to the player that I want be. And it was really about health for me. I’ve gone through a full year, I played Unrivaled, I played 3x3 in Thailand, I played in China, and now I’m back starting and I’m healthy, like, it’s such a relief for me. I feel like finally I can focus on just continuing to get better."

If you've watched Austin this season, you'll know that she's done just that — especially as of late. She's averaging 16.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game this season, and over the Mystics' seven-game winning streak, those numbers have jumped to 21.7 and 10.3 respectively. The whole league has been put on high alert, as Austin has been named the AP WNBA Player of the Week twice in a row.

Via Jarrett Spence, Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson shared some praise for Austin.

"We recognize and see the growth that she's had from month to month, from season to season," Johnson said. "I still feel very strongly that she played at an All-Star level this year and should've been recognized as such. Right now, I'm looking at her, along with Kiki (Iriafen), as one of the best frontcourt players in the league."

Quick sidebar: It's true, the Mystics have one of the most threatening frontcourts across the W. They are the only team with two players in the top 10 in rebounds per game thanks to Iriafen and Austin. Over their seven-game winning streak, they've bested their opponents in both rebounding and second-chance points in six of them.

The Mystics beat the Atlanta Dream on Aug. 7 thanks to a 21-point, 11-rebound, 5-block performance from Austin. Her defense was remarkable, too, as Angel Reese, another dominant frontcourt star, was held to only 1-of-12 from the field.

Perhaps being considered an All-Star snub has given Austin a bit of an edge when it comes to finishing out this season. Johnson mentioned that since the All-Star Game has come and gone, it's time to start discussing Austin being named to the All-WNBA or All-Defensive lists. But let's be honest: With the way the Mystics' season has been trending, finishing the season as a WNBA champion is not off the table — and we can almost guarantee she'd rather have that than any All-Star nod or other individual accolade.

Expect this Mystics squad to keep climbing, especially with Austin at the helm. Teams are struggling to find an answer for her dominance in the paint. She has a couple of big tests this week, though, as Washington will take on the Las Vegas Aces twice. Just a few weeks ago, Washington handed the Aces a 100-99 loss, with Austin putting up 25 points. There's no doubt Vegas is looking for a little revenge.

There's no telling how much longer this historic Washington winning streak will go on for, but one thing is for certain: This is the last team any title contenders want to face in the playoffs.

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