Mystics’ Shakira Austin reveals how to lock down Angel Reese after 79-74 win vs. Dream

The Washington Mystics are imperfect, but they’ve left nothing for fans to complain about recently. They tied a franchise record with six straight wins after defeating the Atlanta Dream 79-74 at home on Friday, also notching a franchise-record 12 blocks.

Center Shakira Austin tied her personal record with five rejections, and she told ClutchPoints how Washington shut down Atlanta star forward Angel Reese (7 points, 1-12 FG).

I asked Shakira Austin how the Mystics held Angel Reese to 1/12 from the field:

“Seatbelt … She takes a lot of effort to defend, continues to go after the rebound. I think it’s just timing it up. She’s very physical, likes the contact. Kind of the same as trying to guard Bri… pic.twitter.com/8orrjZyaTL

— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) August 8, 2026

“Seatbelt … She takes a lot of effort to defend, continues to go after rebounds,” the 26-year-old admitted. “I think it’s just timing it up. She’s very physical, likes the contact. Kind of the same as I would guard Bri Jones. They initiate the contact; they like physicality. So sometimes when you separate and don’t give them that, it kind of messes up their rhythm. And then I’m 6’5, I’m able to do what I do at the rim.”

Austin blocked Reese three times, and her interior presence combined with that of power forward Kiki Iriafen was suffocating all night. Atlanta shot just 32% from the field and was outscored in the paint 46-34.

Plus, Austin led the Mystics with 21 points (7-11 FG, 1-1 3-point) and 11 rebounds to go with three assists over 27 minutes. The Ole Miss alum has topped the squad in points and rebounds in each of the last three games, maintaining her momentum since winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors on Wednesday.

Austin also shut the door on the Dream’s comeback bid by converting a contested layup over Reese and Jones with 9.7 seconds to go, which brought the score to 79-74. The 2022 No. 3 overall pick is showing why Washington retained her on a three-year max deal this past offseason.

However, the Mystics’ depth is just as crucial to their success as their top players. They had five players score in double figures against the Dream on Friday, while the latter squad had just two. Plus, they won the bench scoring battle 29-8, with rookie guard Cassandre Prosper notching a career-high 10 points (4-8 FG, 1-1 3-point) over 19 minutes.

That’s another recent theme for Washington, as it had six double-digit scorers in its 96-92 win over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday and outscored them 24-8 on the bench. It also had the same number of double-digit scorers in its 100-99 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on July 22 and won the bench battle 23-12.

In short, the Mystics are above-average despite being the youngest team in the league. They’re now sixth in the WNBA at 18-12 and a half-game behind the Dream for fourth, while also sitting six-plus games ahead of teams outside of playoff position.

There’s no telling how far Washington will go in the postseason, but it is now safe to assume the team will get there in just the second year of its rebuild.

Cotie McMahon talks lessons learned from Shakira Austin

Rookie guard Cotie McMahon has shined as a spark plug off the bench in each of the last two contests, scoring a career-high 18 points (6-10 FG, 0-2 3-point) with three rebounds, three assists and two stocks (steals and blocks) over 27 minutes on Wednesday before tallying 11 points (4-13 FG, 1-3 3-point) with five rebounds and two assists over 28 minutes on Friday. This was her first time scoring in double digits in two straight games.

On Wednesday, McMahon credited Austin for her inspirational work ethic.

Cotie McMahon on what she’s learned from Shakira Austin:

“Bring that energy every single day. Whether that be practice, lift, movement … Always have that energy, always show up ready to work. I feel like that aspect is where Kira really motivates me. She stays hungry, man.… pic.twitter.com/gDiopkoHdr

— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) August 6, 2026

“Brings that energy every single day,” the fellow Ole Miss alum said when asked what she’s learned from Austin. “Whether that be practice, lift, movement … Always have that energy, always show up ready to work. I feel like that aspect is where Kira really motivates me. She stays hungry, man. Every day, she attacks the day.”

Austin’s hunger has shown in her production this season, as she’s 17th in the WNBA with 16.1 points per game on 47.7% shooting (38.5% 3-point), fourth with 9.6 rebounds and seventh with 1.4 blocks over a career-high 29.8 minutes (29 games). The Maryland native is building on her return to form last season, when she earned AP Comeback Player of the Year honors after two injury-riddled campaigns.

Meanwhile, Austin is the Mystics’ only veteran besides forward Michaela Onyenwere, so she influences the entire roster. For example, rookie center Lauren Betts said that she sets the standard after Washington’s 84-79 win over the Seattle Storm on July 13. The 22-year-old has been an effective understudy in her own right, totaling seven-plus rebounds off the bench in each of the last four games along with 11 boards and four stocks over 21 minutes on Friday.

The Mystics still have plenty to clean up, as they shot just 15-of-34 (44%) from the free-throw line and had 18 turnovers against 14 assists on Friday. But their combination of elite talent and a deep bench has put the league on notice ahead of their home matchup with the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday.

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