Atkins’ play garners All-Star buzz
Natasha Cloud keeps shouting it so everyone can hear, begging people to listen. When that’s not enough, she straightens her hands to give the table a karate chop — eight times for emphasis.
“The best!” Bang. “Two guard!” Bang. “In this!” Bang. “League!” Bang.
Cloud then repeated the line about Ariel Atkins, with the same cadence and the pounding echoing throughout the room, in case anyone missed it.
“There’s not a debate,” Cloud said. “She’s an All-Star. She is an All-Star. Period.
“Ariel Atkins works her a— off for everything. I don’t think we talk enough about how she’s been an underdog her whole career. And she had one organization believe in her, and that’s us in the Mystics. This is who she’s always been. She’s a hard worker. She works her a— off for everything that she gets. I think her confidence comes from her preparation.”
From ‘bossy’ to ‘genius,’ injured Mystics forward Alysha Clark gives lessons from sideline
The confidence is understated but unmistakable this year, and the Washington standout has taken her game to another level during her fourth season in the WNBA. She’s the No. 10 scorer in the league at 18 points per game, just two spots behind reigning MVP A’ja Wilson at 18.6. She’s the league leader with three 3-pointers per game, and her 45.0 percent shooting on 3-pointers is the second highest in the league among players attempting at least five per game. Her scoring average is up 3.5 points from last season, and her shooting percentage (.455), 3-point percentage, rebounds (3.1), assists (2.9) and blocks (0.9) are career highs.
Atkins, who was drafted seventh in 2018, has been a starter since her rookie season, but she filled a distinct role in her first two years, including on the 2019 championship squad. The defensive specialist and knockdown shooter saw her responsibilities expand during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but that was with a depleted roster.
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