The Washington Mystics traded two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky in exchange for the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, the teams announced Sunday.
The Mystics also received the rights to swap 2027 first-round picks with Chicago as well as the Sky’s 2027 second-round pick.
The move kickstarts a rebuild in D.C. after Washington narrowly missed the playoffs and parted ways with general manager Mike Thibault and coach Eric Thibault earlier this offseason. The Mystics are now in possession of the Nos. 3, 4 and 6 picks in this year’s draft, and if they retain them, it would be the most first-round selections in any WNBA draft in franchise history.
The deal, Mystics general manager Jamila Wideman told ESPN, is “in many ways … a clear reflection of our commitment to build toward a new era.”
“It’s a great time if your plan is to draft, develop, nurture and compete,” Wideman said. “The future of this game is bright. A…
