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Game Recap: Mercury vs. Sun (6/18/25)

While the WNBA’s current scoring leaders include veterans like Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, and while veteran players like Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart, and Tina Charles continue to thrive in the league, youth continues to be an underlying talking point of the 2025 WNBA season. 
Let’s dive into which rookies have impressed as we wrap up the first quarter of the 2025 season. 
The Washington Mystics rookie duo of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen
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The Mystics have begun their season strong thanks in large part to two of their draft picks from this year, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. The duo has been tearing teams apart in transition, with Citron an ever-looming scoring threat from three point range and with Iriafen consistently giving opposing teams’ bigs their “welcome to the 2025 rookie class” moments. 
Citron is averaging 14.3 point per game along with four rebounds and two assists, and she’s shooting an impressive 40 percent from three this year. Iriafen has been a perfect post-up counterpart to Citron, averaging a double double with 13.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game on 47 percent shooting from the field.
According to WNBA Stats, the second-most common lineup for the Mystics of Jade Melbourne, Stef Dolson, Brittney Sykes, Kiki Iriafen, and Sonia Citron is posting an offensive rating of 124.5 with a defensive rating of 98, for an overall net rating of 26.5. This speaks highly to how these two rookies have seamlessly integrated themselves into a lineup supported by veterans on the team, and how they’re an integral part to the Mystics’ success so far this season.  
The international class of rookies is getting things done
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Rookies coming from overseas are also posting some impressive performances so far this season. The Golden State Valkyries are one team to watch for some especially promising minutes from international players like Janelle Salaün. Salaün is averaging 12 points per game along with 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists on nearly 38 percent shooting from three, and she’s currently fourth amongst rookies in points per game. 
Another key international name to watch this season so far has been the Phoenix Mercury’s rookie guard Monique Akoa-Makani. She has suddenly emerged as one of the league’s best three point shooters, hitting at a clip of 45.5 percent from deep on 4.1 shots per game. She’s helped keep Phoenix afloat amidst injuries bogging Alyssa Thomas down. 
As the 2025 WNBA season unfolds, it’s clear that this rookie class isn’t just finding its footing—they’re making an immediate impact. Whether it&#8217;s Citron and Iriafen anchoring the Mystics’ resurgence or international standouts like Salaün and Akoa-Makani elevating their teams with poise beyond their years, the league’s youth movement is not just promising—it&#8217;s already here. If this is what the first quarter of the season looks like, the rest of 2025 is bound to deliver even more breakout performances and future stars in the making.
WNBA reporter Candace Pedraza writes columns on <a href="http://wnba.com/">WNBA.com</a> throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams

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Monique Akoa Makani

NOTABLE: The Cameroonian-French guard plays for the Cameroon National Team and played the 2024-25 season in France for Charnay Basket, averaging 14.9 points (41.8% 3PT, 87.8% FT), 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.1 steals in league play &#8230; Recorded 22 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 8 steals in last overseas (playoff) game on April 22. WNBA CAREER HIGHLIGHTS • Entering first season in the WNBA. WNBA CAREER TRANSACTIONS • Signed training camp contract with Phoenix on March 11, 2025 2024-2025 SEASON (Charnay l France) FRANCE-BWL (23 games) • Led team in 3PT%, FT%, minutes (31.6), assists and steals per game / second on team in points and blocks (t-2nd) per game. • Ranked first in France’s LFB (Ligue Féminine de Basketball) in steals per game, fourth in assists per game and seventh in points per game. • Recorded 21 games with 10+ points and three games with 20+ points. • Recorded seven games with 3+ 3PM and four games wuth 4+ 3PM &#8230; led team in 3PM (41). • Recorded a steal in all but one game, posting a season-high 8 steals on April 22. EUROCUP (8 Games) • Averaged 13.6 points (51.5 FG%, 36.4 3FG%), 6.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals. • Scored 10+ points four times and 20+ points three times, including a playoff-high 23 points on Oct. 24. • Led team in assists and steals per game / second on team in points per game. SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CAREER (CAMEROON) • Played in 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket and 2024 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Qualifiers. OVERSEAS CAREER • 2022-25: Charnay Basket (France) • 2021-22: Nantes Rezé (France) • 2019-21: Lyon ASVEL Féminin (France) • 2018-19: Union Lyon (France)
OVERSEAS AWARDS/TITLES • French LF2 Champion (2023) PERSONAL • Born in Edea, Cameroon and grew up in Lyon, France.
• Has two older brothers and one older sister.
Enjoys meditation, as well as music (singing and dancing), movies and shopping. • Grew up playing soccer before switching to basketball.