Mystics’ Shakira Austin out for matchup vs. Mercury with yet another serious injury

The Washington Mystics welcomed back guard Shakira Austin in the middle of August after a hip injury kept her out since May 31, but she has been dealt with another setback.

Just as the Mystics are preparing for its upcoming matchup against the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday, the third-overall pick of the 2022 WNBA Draft has been ruled out with a left ankle injury. Austin played five games after her most recent comeback and will miss her 23rd game of the season.

The Ole Miss product came out of college and hit the ground running in Washington. Starting in 32 of the 36 games she appeared in during her rookie year, she averaged 8.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Austin finished second in the 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year race, with Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard claiming the honor.

Since then, Austin has struggled to stay healthy as she has played just 30 games in the past two seasons. Battling a lingering hip injury, she underwent surgery last offseason in the hopes to fix the issue but she injured it again. The Virginia native started in the first six games she played until May 31 when she was ruled out.

She then returned on Aug. 15 against the Minnesota Lynx and had a solid stretch of five games before sustaining an injury to her left ankle. Austin averaged 13.8 points in that span, including her collecting 24 points and nine rebounds vs. the Seattle Storm on Aug. 20.

With the Mystics a game behind the Dream and Chicago Sky for the No. 8 seed in the standings, Washington’s late-season playoff push will be without a rising star like Austin, who has no timetable for a return. Austin was tallying a career-high 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game before her latest absence.

For Phoenix, Charisma Osborne (Left Lower Leg) and Rebecca Allen (Right Hamstring) both remain inactive and will not play against Washington. Neither one has yet to return since the Olympic break.

After the Mercury’s 74-66 win over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts did reveal that Allen’s rehab process is improving and could return for the playoffs but there is still uncertainty around her situation.

“That’s the hope,” Tibbetts said. “Her rehab has been going well. It’s kind of to be determined. I know she is itching to get back out there for sure.”

There are no updates on Osborne’s status. She hasn’t suited up for any game action since June 22.

The Mystics and Mercury go head-to-head tonight inside Footprint Center at 7 p.m. PT.