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WNBA Sends Strong Message on Top-Five Pick vs. Fever originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Washington Mystics rookie Kiki Iriafen has been one of the top rookies in the WNBA in the 2025 season. As the No. 4 pick of the recent draft, she has lived up to the expectation of being a top talent. On Tuesday, Iriafen and the Mystics faced the Indiana Fever for the second time in a single week.
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Though the Mystics were ultimately defeated, at times during the game, they took advantage of the Fever not having their best player on the floor. All-Star guard Caitlin Clark has been ruled out of the action due to a quad injury. She has missed her third straight game of the new campaign because of her injury.
Without Clark, Iriafen dominated inside the paint for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game.
Indiana Fever forward DeWanna Bonner falls back while guarding Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen on Tuesday.Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The NBA recognized the dominant game the former USC star had. Late in the first quarter, she asserted her presence inside and wasn’t afraid to score against DeWanna Bonner, one of the top defenders in the WNBA.
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“Kiki Iriafen is OWNING the paint 🎨” the league posted on X.
At the end of the fourth quarter, Iriafen had 20 points and nine rebounds (both offensive and defensive) on 9-for-11 shooting from the field.
Before the contest against the Fever, the rookie forward had played all seven games of the season. Iriafen has averaged 13.9 points and 10.1 rebounds in her first year as a professional basketball player.
The Mystics took on the New York Liberty before their second matchup against the Fever. Iriafen had 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in Washington’s 85-63 defeat against the defending champions.
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Related: Indiana Fever Star Gets Technical Foul Against Mystics
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
