The Washington Mystics have had a sensational start to the 2025 season. In two games, they have dominated both the Atlanta Dream and the Connecticut Sun. So what has changed for a team that only finished one place above the Chicago Sky in the regular season standings with a record of 14 wins and 26 losses?
In short: the Mystics put their faith in rookies this season, and it looks like it's working out for them — and it's something Chicago Sky's Head Coach Tyler Marsh should do. more of.
Washington's trust in rookies is already paying dividends
We now live in a golden age of sports media, especially in the United States of America. A high percentage of elite athletes have their careers analyzed from the second they enter the thriving college game. With NCAA players increasingly accessible to the public, rookies are becoming more accustomed to the pressures of fame before they even enter the WNBA, allowing for an easier transition. This is something that the Mystics are taking full advantage of.
The incredible rookie duo of Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron has seamlessly settled into their new home in Washington, propelling the Mystics to two wins in their first two matchups of the 2025 season. Iriafen has been trusted to play 29.5 minutes per game at the start of her WNBA career. The USC graduate has repaid her franchise in impressive fashion by averaging 15.5 points and 9 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 55% from the floor. Citron has also showcased her devastating offensive prowess by scoring 17 points per game while averaging 24 minutes on the floor.
Even though the Sky has only played one fixture so far, it appears Marsh and the Sky are taking a contrasting approach with their young stars. Hailey Van Lith, who was awarded the Big 12 Player of the Year Award in her senior year at TCU, was only given four minutes to stake her claim for a more important role in the rotation despite the blowout defeat to Indiana, which ended 58-93 to the Fever. Van Lith's rookie partner, Maddy Westbeld, was also only granted four minutes on the floor.
Is Van Lith not as ready for action as Mystics' stars?
Despite being given a fraction of the time on the floor as her rookie comrades, the 11th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft managed to sink both of her field goal attempts and ended the game with 4 points. This is the same amount of points as her legendary mentor, Courtney Vandersloot, who was trusted to play 28 minutes against the Fever despite a poor shooting performance, finishing just 2 out of her 9 opportunities.
Nevertheless, the 36-year-old playmaker exhibited a composed figure as she managed to tally up 5 assists even though Chicago limped their way to an inefficient field goal percentage of 29 percent on the night. However, this is an area in which Van Lith thrived during the 'Windy City's' preseason matchups. The 23-year-old accumulated 13 assists over the Sky's three-game training camp schedule.
Understandably, Tyler Marsh wishes to take a more cautious approach with Chicago's rookie stars while they acclimate to the physical and fast-paced world of the WNBA. In addition to this, the Mystics do not have the luxury of unleashing an iconic point guard such as Vandersloot in place of their young core, yet Washington is the franchise reaping the rewards of this process. It is not time for Marsh to set flames to his ideologies and start over, but when the opportunity arises to unleash Van Lith and Westbeld to gain vital experience, the head coach must snatch it with both hands.