Washington Mystics’ Nigerian-born star, Okikiola ‘Kiki’ Iriafen was again in top form during her team’s latest match in USA’s Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), as she side to victory with a double-double 14 points.
Sports247 reports that Iriafen added 10 rebounds for her eighth double-double this season and Shakira Austin had 21 points with nine rebounds, as The Mystics beat Atlanta Dream 81-76.
Iriafen hogged more highlights on the night, as she made layups from back-to-back possessions to give Washington a 78-74 lead with 1:20 left, following which Georgia Amoore sealed it with two free throws to make it 80-76.
Alicia Florez had 13 points and seven assists off the bench and Amoore finished with 11 points for Washington, but Sonia Citron, who was coming off a 32-point performance in a four-overtime win over Portland on Sunday, did not play due to right knee soreness.
With Iriafen leading the assault, Mystic kept on roaring, but they still trailed 41-32 at halftime after turning it over 18 times and attempting 22 fewer shots, while Rhyne Howard led Atlanta with 24 points and five 3-pointers.
Allisha Gray added 17 points, Angel Reese had 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Jordin Canada scored 10 points for Atlanta, but The Mystics responded with five 3-pointers in the third quarter to take a 60-56 lead entering the fourth.
In the end, the last laugh belonged to Iriafen, who started out early in the game of giants when she played college basketball at Stanford and USC, following which she was selected fourth overall by Mystics in the 2025 WNBA draft and was named an All-Star in her rookie season.
She had earlier on been named Rookie of the Month for May after averaging 13.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 47.4% from the field; then got 18 points and 13 rebounds that broke a team record for most double-doubles in a season with 16.
The previous record of 15 was set by Crystal Langhorne in 2010, but Iriafen broke it on September 4th, 2025 but, just two months later (November 5th, 2025) it was announced that the Nigerian-born lass had been drafted by Phantom BC for the 2026 Unrivaled part-time season.
Although born to Nigerian parents in Los Angeles on August 26th, 2003, Iriafen made her United States senior team debut on March 12th, 2026, recording 10 points and five rebounds in a 91-48 win over Puerto Rico at the FIBA World Cup qualification tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
