Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin will miss at least three weeks with a left hip strain, the team announced Tuesday. Austin will be re-evaluated after three weeks to determine her timeline to return.
Austin was injured early in the fourth quarter of the Mystics’ loss Sunday against the New York Liberty.
Shakira jumped a pass for a turnover. As she went to corral the loose basketball, she stumbled to the ground after planting her leg awkwardly. Austin grabbed the back of her leg immediately.
Her teammate Natasha Cloud helped carry Austin from the court to the locker room.
Despite not finishing Sunday’s game, Austin is second on the Mystics in scoring, averaging 11.4 points per game through 13 games. She leads the team with 7.8 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and shooting 50.8% from the field.
Washington selected Shakira Austin third overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She was on par with having a breakout second pro season. However, her efforts are now on pause for the foreseeable future.
