One of the most exciting storylines of the 2026 Washington Mystics season isn’t just the wins—it’s watching one of the deepest rookie classes in the league find their footing in real time. Eight rookies. Eight different journeys. Eight players are learning what it means to compete at the highest level of women’s basketball.
Coach Sydney Johnson has done a masterful job of integrating this group, and the veterans have embraced their role in shaping them. Let’s break down where each rookie stands right now.
Key: GP = Games Played, FG% = Field Goal Percentage, TS% = True Shooting Percentage, PIE = Player Impact Estimate.
Two advanced analytics that I like to look at are PIE and TS%.
Player Impact Estimate (PIE): How the player statistically impacted the game or how they contributed during possessions. Higher the number means more impact.1
True Shooting Percentage (TS%): This takes into consideraton all of the player’s shot attempts and makes for the game. This also includes free throws, the higher the number the more efficient scorer the player is. The lower the number the less effcient of a scorer the player is. 2
Lauren Betts | Round 1, Pick #4
10 GP | 13.7 MIN | 5.8 PTS | 2.7 REB | 50% FG | 55% TS | 10.9 PIECareer High: 11 PTS vs Dallas Wings
Lauren Betts was drafted with a clear purpose—to provide relief for Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen—and Coach Johnson has been intentional and conservative with her development. It’s worth noting that Lauren’s last competitive basketball game was approximately two weeks before draft night, so the measured approach to her minutes makes complete sense.
Betts is in the process of unlearning habits developed at UCLA while simultaneously embracing an entirely new pro system. She has openly acknowledged that adjustment herself, and I respect that level of self-awareness immensely.
When Lauren is confident and comfortable, the talent is undeniable. Her footwork around the rim is beautiful, and her ability to score, defend, and facilitate is very much there. The areas I’d love to see her develop are her willingness to shoot—she can be timid at times—staying vertical on defense, and improving her positioning during possessions. Occasionally, she finds herself in the wrong spot, but that will be corrected itself with reps.
The trust between Lauren, her coaches, and her teammates is growing. Her transition is progressing well—the best is absolutely ahead of her.
Georgia Amoore | Round 1, Pick #6 (2025 Draft)
10 GP | 28.0 MIN | 5.9 PTS | 3.5 AST | 2.2 TO | 30% FG | 48% TS | 2.9 PIE
Georgia Amoore’s journey to this moment is one of the most compelling stories on this entire roster. After suffering an ACL injury that delayed her rookie year by a full season, Amoore did not waste a single day on the bench. She studied the game relentlessly—learning passing angles, identifying pockets for facilitating, understanding the nuances of the pro game before she ever set foot on the court.
Her first few games were marked by the kind of inconsistencies you’d expect from someone easing back in, but then came June 8th against the Indiana Fever—and Georgia Amoore introduced herself to the league properly. She went 4-for-4 from three-point range—a perfect 100%—and announced that she belongs here.
This is officially her rookie season, and she is running point. Her ability to facilitate and shoot has already shown up. What I’d like to see improve is her defense—she can get beat off the dribble similar to Rori Harmon—but adjusting to the pace and speed of WNBA guards is a process, and Amoore is clearly putting in that work.
Angela Dugalic | Round 1, Pick #9
10 GP | 13.3 MIN | 5.0 PTS | 4.2 REB | 51.2% FG | 55.6% TS | 15.2 PIE
Angela Dugalic has the highest PIE of any rookie on the Mystics roster—and if you’ve been watching closely, that number makes perfect sense.
Dugalic is the definition of a Swiss army knife. She does all of the things that never show up in a box score—deflecting basketballs toward teammates, boxing out to secure rebounds and extend possessions, and communicating on defense. She had some shooting struggles in her first preseason game, but she put in the work and came back better. That kind of response tells you everything about who she is as a player.
The part of her game that genuinely impresses me most is her fadeaway midrange. The footwork, the poise, the release—it looks like a veteran’s shot. Don’t sleep on Angela Dugalic, the numbers back up every bit of the hype.
Cotie McMahon | Round 1, Pick #11
8 GP | 17.6 MIN | 6.1 PTS | 2.4 REB | 1.6 AST | 38% FG | 48.2% TS | 5.5 PIEMissed 2 games — left elbow sprain
Cotie McMahon has the 3rd highest PIE among Mystics rookies, and her transition to the W has been nothing short of seamless. One word defines Cotie: fearless. She does not care who is standing between her and the basket—move out of the way or take the foul, because she is coming.
What’s interesting about McMahon is that while she is a traditional wing, she did play point guard during her time at Ole Miss—and that IQ shows up in how she reads the game. Early in the season, she had a tendency toward tunnel vision, occasionally missing open teammates while driving. I am happy to report that she has improved significantly—she is now actively facilitating, finding teammates, and making the right play. That growth in just a handful of games is genuinely exciting.
A healthy Cotie McMahon is a problem for opposing defenses. Keep watching.
Cassandre Prosper | Round 2, Pick #19
10 GP | 17.0 MIN | 3.9 PTS | 1.5 REB | 35.4% FG | 38.2% TS | -2.8 PIE
Cassandre Prosper was a surprise early entry into the draft—a true utility player whose defensive ability has never been in question. When I spoke with Cass during training camp, she told me that one of the hardest adjustments for her was learning how spacing works in a pro system. That’s an honest and important answer.
The early part of her season was rough in one very specific area: she fouled out of her first three consecutive games. Using every single foul allotted in three straight games is a learning curve that had to be addressed quickly—and she addressed it. Her most fouls in a game since then? Four. That kind of correction and discipline shows real growth and coachability.
Prosper’s energy and effort on the defensive end is undeniable every single night. Now that she is leaning into Sydney Johnson’s offensive system and adjusting her spacing, the offensive numbers will follow. The foundation is there.
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs | Round 2, Pick #30
Season Debut Pending — Development Roster
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs has yet to make her regular-season debut, but don’t mistake her absence for unreadiness. As a development player, she is limited to 12 games per season—and with 14 players sharing minutes on this roster, finding the right moments to deploy her requires careful management.
What I saw from Buggs in her two preseason appearances left a real impression. Her speed is noticeable immediately, and her basketball IQ is high for someone at this stage of her career. She knew exactly when to cut for easy layups, and she was a pest on the defensive end every time she was on the floor. When her number is called this season, she will be ready. I do not doubt that.
Rori Harmon | Round 3, Pick #34
7 GP | 8.9 MIN | 1.1 PTS | 1.1 REB | 1.4 AST | 22.2% FG | 37.2% TS | 0.8 PIE
What Rori Harmon lacks in size—she is among the shortest point guards on the roster—she more than makes up for in tenacity and heart. She is a fierce defender who competes on every possession, and her facilitating ability is what makes her valuable to this team.
Right now, adjusting to the pace of WNBA defenders and working through a shooting slump are two areas Harmon is grinding. Neither is a surprise for a third-round pick adjusting to the pro game. She was never known as a prolific scorer, but in this system, putting up shots matters—and she knows that.
What I can tell you is this: Rori Harmon does not stop working. Even when she is on the bench, she is locked in—encouraging teammates, studying the game, staying engaged. That kind of character matters in a locker room. The shooting will come. The work ethic is already there.
Alicia Florez | Undrafted
5 GP | 19.0 MIN | 4.8 PTS | 1.8 REB | 2.8 AST | 1.2 TO | 27.3% FG | 32% TS | -0.2 PIE
Alicia Florez has the best origin story of any rookie on this roster. She came in as a development player—no draft selection, no guarantee of anything. And in just five games, she made such an undeniable impact that the Mystics converted her to a full roster spot. That does not happen by accident.
Florez is a defensive menace—and that is not an exaggeration. Her court vision is exceptional, and she made an immediate impact in her very first game played. The way she reads plays before they develop, the way she pressures the ball—it is clear that defense is her calling card and her ticket to a long professional career.
The area I’d love to see her improve is her finising around the rim, which she is inconsistent at the moment. The opportunities are there, and as her confidence grows in this system, I believe the finishing will follow. For an undrafted player to earn a full roster spot this quickly? Alicia Florez is the ultimate proof that the work never lies
Final Whistle 🏀
Eight rookies. Eight different paths. One system built on joy, trust, and accountability.
What strikes me most about this rookie class is not any individual stat line—it is the collective buy-in. These players are coachable and growing in real time. Dugalic leads in PIE. Betts is finding her footing. Amoore had her breakthrough moment. McMahon has corrected her tunnel vision. Prosper stopped fouling out. Florez earned her spot. Harmon keeps grinding. And Buggs is waiting patiently for her moment.
Sydney Johnson has something special developing in Washington. The Shot Clock is running—and this rookie class is just getting started. 💜💜💜
Looking Ahead
The Mystics take on the Toronto Tempo on Tonight June 12th. Tipoff begins at 7:30 pm on ION.
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