ShakiraAustin

News: 4 days agoAustin will arrive late to training camp due to an overseas commitment, Jenn Hatfield of The Next reports.

Spin: Austin is still playing for Shanxi in China, and her status for the Mystics' April 25 preseason opener against the Lynx is in question. After spending the first four years of her career in Washington, the 25-year-old center agreed to a three-year pact to return to the Mystics. Across 38 regular-season outings (30 starts) in 2025, she averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks over 23.0 minutes per showing and was named the Comeback Player of the Year.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: After a promising rookie season in 2022, Austin struggled mightily with injuries in 2023 and 2024, totaling only 31 appearances in two seasons. However, she bounced back in 2025, making a career-high 38 appearances, posting her best season-long averages in points (12.7), assists (1.8), steals (1.1) and blocks (1.1) per game. When healthy, Austin has always been a force in fantasy, but her availability has been far from a guarantee. With a full offseason under her belt, expectations are high for Austin, who'll play an integral part for a Mystics team looking to compete in 2026 after strong rookie seasons from Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Despite not shooting a ton of three-pointers, Austin is a high-upside player who'll likely be taken early in fantasy, but she'll be a risky pick on draft day.