When people discussed the WNBA Coach of the Year, they focused on the coaches who led their teams to the best records. This season, that conversation included Cheryl Reeve, Natalie Nakase, and Becky Hammon.
While those names were in the top tier, Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson rightfully deserved more attention.
Coming into the season, Johnson’s main goal was to build on Washington’s 16-28 finish from the 2025 season. With a roster made up mostly of young players, the expectations weren’t necessarily for the Mystics to make the playoffs. However, in only his second year as head coach, Johnson led the Mystics to the playoffs while continuing to develop their young talent.
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Austin, Citron, and Iriafen All Took Major Leaps This Season
One player who took a major leap is Shakira Austin. Austin, who has faced several setbacks in her career because of injuries, is becoming the foundational piece the Mystics have been searching for.
Unlike last season, Austin has established herself as a legitimate all-around player who can impact the game in many ways. She has become a much better scorer, going from 12.7 points per game in 2025 to 17 points per game in 2026. She also took another step in her rebounding and rim protection numbers, averaging 9.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game this season.
The most notable addition to her game is the three-point shot. Austin is shooting 33.3% from three on 1.3 attempts per game. This is only modest volume, but the willingness to shoot it at all forces defenses to respect her out there.
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Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen are two other players who have shown improvement.
Fans have seen Citron go from a promising rookie to a leader and another centerpiece. Her scoring and assist numbers improved by 1.9 points and 2.o assists, but the biggest development was her leadership. Before the season began, Citron told reporters on Media Day that she is trying to take initiative this year and become more of a leader. And she did just that.
Iriafen’s development has shown in both her numbers and her on-court chemistry with Austin. She’s become a more polished scorer and rebounder while stretching her range to the three-point line. She has averaged 15.3 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from deep. More importantly, her ability to complement Austin has helped make them one of the league’s most respected frontcourt duos.
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Johnson Proved Washington Could Rebuild and Make the Playoffs
When a franchise rebuilds and focuses on development, it usually continues to suffer from losing seasons. However, Johnson made sure that didn’t happen.
When the Mystics hired Johnson as head coach, an immediate playoff appearance wasn’t expected. Instead, the organization wanted to focus on player development and building a solid roster.
After the 2025 season, the Mystics front office decided to make Austin, Citron, and Iriafen the foundational core of the rebuild. Before this season began, Johnson told reporters on Media Day that their commitment was “full-out player development for everybody.” But few people expected the Mystics, who have missed the postseason the previous two seasons, to clinch a playoff berth while doing so.
Ultimately, the Coach of the Year award went to Minnesota Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve. But when the conversation is about coaches making the most out of their teams this season, Johnson still deserved to be included.
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