Washington Mystics First Basket Stats 2026: Who Scores First
Shakira Austin scored the Mystics’ first basket more than anyone in 2026: 17 times in 45 starts, or 38% of the games they started. Kiki Iriafen was next with 8. The Mystics made the game’s first field goal in 48% of their 46 games and won 60% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2026 game (330 regular season, 16 playoffs, 1 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Mystics in 2026
First basket for team is the first field goal by any WAS player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for WAS | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakira Austin | 45 | 17 | 38% | 11 | 24% |
| Kiki Iriafen | 43 | 8 | 19% | 2 | 5% |
| Michaela Onyenwere | 42 | 6 | 14% | 3 | 7% |
| Georgia Amoore | 46 | 6 | 13% | 2 | 4% |
| Sonia Citron | 42 | 5 | 12% | 1 | 2% |
| Angela Dugalic | 3 | 2 | 67% | 1 | 33% |
| Cassandre Prosper | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 50% |
| Lauren Betts | 1 | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% |
How often the Mystics scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 46 | 22 | 48% |
| Home | 23 | 12 | 52% |
| Away | 23 | 10 | 43% |
| Regular season | 44 | 22 | 50% |
| Playoffs | 2 | 0 | 0% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakira Austin | 43 | 25 | 58% |
| Sonia Citron | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Lauren Betts | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 45 | 27 | 60% |
How the Mystics’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Layup | 31 | 67% |
| 3-pointer | 11 | 24% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 4 | 9% |
2025
| Player | Starts | First basket for WAS | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiki Iriafen | 0 | 12 | – | 4 | – |
| Shakira Austin | 0 | 10 | – | 7 | – |
| Sonia Citron | 0 | 7 | – | 5 | – |
| Jade Melbourne | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – |
| Sug Sutton | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – |
| Brittney Sykes | 0 | 3 | – | 1 | – |
| Alysha Clark | 0 | 2 | – | 1 | – |
| Stefanie Dolson | 0 | 1 | – | 0 | – |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Mystics?
Shakira Austin, with 17 of the Mystics’ first baskets in 2026 (38% of their 45 starts), ahead of Kiki Iriafen with 8.
How often do the Mystics score first?
The Mystics made the first field goal in 22 of 46 games in 2026 (48%): 52% at home and 43% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Mystics?
Shakira Austin took 43 of the Mystics’ 45 opening tips in 2026 and won 58% of them.
Is Shakira Austin a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 38% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every WNBA game; see WNBA first basket picks.
Source: WNBA play-by-play and box scores, 2026. Updated October 13, 2026. See the WNBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.