Shakira Austin shares candid message for fans after winning Comeback Player of The Year Award: "Just the beginning"

Shakira Austin has been a key contributor for the Washington Mystics for the past few seasons. Early in her career, she mostly played a bench role and made an immediate impact when subbed into a game.

However, this season has been different for the Mystics forward. She has started 30 out of 38 games this season and has averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

On Friday, the Mystics announced that Austin's contributions earned her the AP Comeback Player of the Year award. She became the first Mystics player in history to win the honor.

On Saturday, Shakira Austin reshared the announcement on her X account and accompanied a candid message for the fans.

"Man….God is so good to me. I sometimes questioned when my journey would start to see the light, but i wouldn’t trade my strength, my resilience, or my testimony for ANYTHING!!!! Just the beginning🙂‍↔️🤍," Austin wrote.

The Washington Mystics ended the season in 10th place. Although they failed to secure a playoff berth this year, their current roster has shown tremendous potential for the next few seasons.

Their rookie duo of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen has proven to be special talents. They both earned All-Star nominations this season and are expected to have a greater impact in future seasons with more experience under their belt.

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Shakira Austin passes a subtle hint on impending decision to leave

Shakira Austin had the best career of her season with the Mystics this year. She played high minutes and boasted a career high in points and assists. However, on Friday, the Washington forward dropped a subtle hint about an impending decision to leave.

"I wanna play with great people. I wanna play with people that have also won, and just help to put us in the best situation possible. Everything will just kinda be shown in how the front office handles things," she said via I Talk Hoops.

In her statement, Shakira Austin made it clear that she wants to be around players who are the best of the best. She hinted that the Mystics should construct a stronger roster next year or risk losing her.

Austin started her career in the league after the Mystics drafted her third in the 2022 draft. She had signed a three-year rookie contract with a club option.

The contract was scheduled to run out last season, but she opted for the club option to play an extra year. Now, if the Mystics do not extend her contract, she will become a restricted free agent during the offseason.

Edited by Dipayan Moitra