Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers will be one of the headliners for the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis on Saturday. But the former UConn All-American isn’t the only rookie set to showcase her skills in front of millions of fans in person and at home.
Washington Mystics rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen—the No. 3 and No. 4 overall picks from April’s WNBA Draft—are the first rookie teammates chosen for the All-Star Game since 1999. They were selected to play for the team captained by Caitlin Clark.
The rookie duo’s emergence comes at a pivotal time across the league. Citron and Iriafen’s early on-court returns provide a source of stability for the rebuilding Mystics, while both the WNBA and its teams navigate a future clouded by ongoing labor negotiations. Washington’s first-year general manager Jamila Wideman says the unknowns—more than 100 WNBA players are set to be unrestricted free agents next year—didn’t alter her draft strategy but did give greater clarity.
“What any team can do right now is try to control what [they] can,” Wideman said in a phone interview. “For us, that meant digging in to get incredible talent and building an atmosphere where we thought we could do a good job in developing that talent.”
WNBA All-Star weekend will be the latest example of the league’s economic boom as sponsors, partners and other stakeholders convene in Indy. Amid this wave of momentum, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association is fighting for a myriad of enhancements in the next collective bargaining agreement.
The players association’s goals include a sizeable increase to the rookie wage scale, which currently pays rookies, including Citron and Iriafen, $78,831 in Year 1 and increases annually until reaching $100,510 in Year 4. That means the Mystics were able to secure both players on the last rookie deals signed under the league’s current CBA. The next CBA is expected to increase salaries dramatically, with top stars slated to receive their biggest raises ever. The incoming accord is why most players on non-rookie deals didn’t sign contracts past this year, knowing the current agreement expires Oct. 31.
“It’s created a landscape that is incredibly exciting and dynamic but also uncertain,” Wideman said.
The list of players set to be free agents includes stars like A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum, though it remains unclear how many All-Star caliber players will sign with new teams. The offseason movement will likely hinge on the union’s ability to secure changes to the salary cap and the core-player designation, which resembles a franchise tag in the NFL.
The earnings gap between the Mystics duo and the league’s highest-paid stars in coming years could give the team a player-budget edge on its foes. It could also help Washington try to lure one of the top-billed free agents in 2026 to the district by dangling a stronger compensation package and the chance to play alongside a promising young core anchored by Citron and Iriafen.
The Mystics, which drafted four rookies this year, could also potentially receive strong value out of Georgia Amoore. The former Kentucky star, who was chosen No. 6 overall and will make slightly less than her All-Star teammates at $75,643 this year, is out indefinitely after tearing her ACL in April but is expected to play a role in the rebuilding process.
It remains to be seen which players Washington will protect during the expansion draft after this season as the WNBA expands to 15 teams next year. Like the Golden State Valkyries, who drafted last December ahead of their inaugural season, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, both set to start in 2026, will select from a pool of designated players submitted by each team.
In the meantime, Citron and Iriafen continue to be bright spots during the Mystics’ transition period under first-year coach Sydney Johnson. A former assistant for the Chicago Sky, Johnson witnessed the star power of Angel Reese firsthand fresh out of an All-American career at LSU. After going 14-26 last season and missing the playoffs, Washington enters the 2025 All-Star break at 11-11.
WNBA rookies—at least the ones who survive preseason cuts—continue to have an immediate impact on their teams, both on the court and off it. Citron, who will compete in the 3-point contest against the likes of Clark and Sabrina Ionescu this weekend, and former USC standout Iriafen have the chance to grow their marketing profile while the league experiences highs in TV viewership and worldwide interest.
This past draft was highlighted by Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick who helped UConn win its 12th championship almost four months ago. There was little national attention paid to other prospects, but the Mystics duo will get their time in the spotlight this weekend. It’s an unexpected boost for a Washington team that was expected to have a forgettable season.
“They have a tremendous amount of development that remains possible for them,” Wideman said. “We’re excited about that but [so far] they have definitely not disappointed.”