Sonia Citron’s rise in the WNBA has happened faster than even she once imagined. Not long ago, the idea of playing professional basketball wasn’t something she took for granted. Today, she’s one of the most important players on the Washington Mystics, a two-time WNBA All-Star, and a central part of a young team that made a dramatic jump in 2026.
Citron’s story is especially interesting because her success hasn’t followed the usual path of a player who was always certain she would become a professional. At Notre Dame, she was talented but naturally deferential, and her coaches often had to encourage her to shoot more. It wasn’t until the summer before her senior season that she seriously began considering a future in the WNBA.
A trip to watch a Chicago Sky game helped change that mindset. From there, her confidence grew, and so did her game.
After being selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Citron quickly showed that her college production didn’t tell the whole story. Washington saw room for growth, and she took advantage of it. Her shooting, defensive instincts, off-ball movement and willingness to expand her role have since turned her into a reliable perimeter scorer and an increasingly capable point guard.
Her 2026 season made that development even clearer. Citron helped lead the Mystics to a franchise-best 28–16 record and their first playoff appearance since 2023. She also earned her second consecutive All-Star selection and emerged as one of Washington’s go-to offensive players.
Quick Bio
Full Name: Sonia Citron
Date Of Birth: October 22, 2003
Height: 6 Feet 1 Inch
Position: Guard
College: Notre Dame
Country: United States
WNBA Team: Washington Mystics
WNBA Draft: 2025
Draft Position: No. 3 Overall
WNBA Debut: 2025
2025 Games: 44
2025 Starts: 44
2025 Points Per Game: 14.9
2025 Rebounds Per Game: 4.0
2025 Assists Per Game: 2.4
2025 Steals Per Game: 1.3
2025 Three-Point Percentage: 44.5%
WNBA All-Star Selections: 2
College: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Who Is Sonia Citron?
Sonia Citron is an American professional basketball player who plays guard for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA. Born on October 22, 2003, she stands 6 feet 1 inch tall and developed into a versatile perimeter player during her time at Notre Dame.
Washington selected Citron with the third overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. The selection reflected the organization’s belief that she could become more productive at the professional level than she had been in college.
That belief proved well founded.
During her rookie season, Citron averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game while starting all 44 games. She shot 47.0 percent from the field, 44.5 percent from three-point range and 87.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Those numbers earned her a 2025 WNBA All-Star selection and All-Rookie honors. She also became the only rookie in WNBA history to finish a season with at least 13 points, four rebounds and two assists per game while shooting at least 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 85 percent from the free-throw line.
By her second season, Citron had gone from promising rookie to established WNBA contributor.
Early Connection To Basketball
Citron’s relationship with basketball started at home. Her brother, Will, played the sport, and she followed his example. Basketball wasn’t the only activity she tried, either. She also played soccer, but eventually her height and natural development made basketball the obvious direction.
Citron has recalled that she essentially outgrew soccer, joking that being 6 feet 1 inch tall made the decision fairly easy.
That early connection eventually developed into a serious basketball career. Still, becoming a professional wasn’t always part of the plan. Even while playing at a major college program such as Notre Dame, Citron didn’t automatically assume the WNBA would be her destination.
That uncertainty became an important part of her development.
Sonia Citron At Notre Dame
Citron played her college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where she developed in a talented backcourt alongside Olivia Miles and later Hannah Hidalgo.
Her ability was clear, particularly as a shooter and defender. Yet her personality sometimes worked against her offensively. Citron was naturally willing to defer to teammates, which meant she didn’t always look for her own shot as often as her coaches wanted.
Notre Dame coaches repeatedly encouraged her to become more aggressive.
One of the benchmarks she received from assistant coach Michaela Mabrey was simple: Citron was encouraged to get up four shots per quarter so she would remain involved offensively.
By the time she finished her college career, Citron was shooting 37 percent from three-point range. More importantly, she had begun to understand that being an effective player wasn’t simply about making the right pass or staying within the offense. Sometimes, she had to take responsibility for creating the offense herself.
Why She Was So Deferential In College
Citron’s college role helps explain why her WNBA breakout surprised some people.
At Notre Dame, she played alongside talented guards who could create their own shots and handle the ball. Her willingness to make the extra pass was valuable, but it also meant she could sometimes disappear offensively for stretches.
That wasn’t necessarily a weakness in her basketball intelligence. In fact, it reflected one of her strengths: Citron understood how to play within a team.
The challenge was learning when to move from supporting piece to primary option.
The WNBA gave her that opportunity.
The Chicago Sky Game That Changed Her WNBA Dream
One of the biggest turning points in Citron’s journey came in 2024, when Mabrey took her to a Chicago Sky game.
The reason for the trip was personal as well as basketball-related. Mabrey wanted Citron to watch her younger sister, Marina Mabrey, who was also a former Notre Dame player.
But there was another purpose behind the visit.
Mabrey wanted Citron to imagine herself at the professional level. Watching the game from close range allowed Citron to study the pace, physicality and spacing of WNBA basketball. She could see how players attacked defenses, how they used their lower bodies and how much room existed for a player with her particular skill set.
The experience changed something for Citron.
On the drive home, she told Mabrey that she could actually see herself playing in the WNBA.
Mabrey’s response captured the confidence she wanted Citron to develop. She already believed Citron could make it. Now, she needed Citron to believe it too.
That shift in mindset proved important.
From “I Never Thought” To A Top Draft Pick
Once Citron began taking the possibility of a WNBA career seriously, outside expectations started changing as well.
Mock drafts began projecting her as a first-round selection. Even that surprised her because becoming a professional basketball player had not always seemed like a realistic goal.
Washington ultimately selected her third overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The pick represented more than a draft position. It was an opportunity for Citron to step into a much larger offensive role and discover how much more she could do against professional competition.
She didn’t waste much time answering that question.
Why Washington Believed In Her
The Mystics saw something in Citron that went beyond her college statistics.
Her off-ball experience at Notre Dame was particularly valuable. She understood how to move without the ball, read screens and find efficient opportunities rather than needing to dominate possessions to make an impact.
The WNBA’s defensive three-second rule also created additional space for her attacks. That extra room allowed Citron to come off pin-downs and wide screens, get downhill and still threaten defenses as a three-point shooter.
Washington’s confidence gave her another advantage.
Instead of asking Citron to remain within the limitations of her college role, the Mystics allowed her to make mistakes and learn from them. That freedom helped her become more aggressive without losing the efficiency and decision-making that had already made her valuable.
How Her Game Translated To The WNBA
Citron’s game translated because she could contribute in several different ways.
She wasn’t dependent on one type of shot or one style of possession. Her three-point shooting gave defenders a reason to stay attached to her, while her size and ability to attack closeouts allowed her to put pressure on the basket.
Her defensive instincts were just as important.
During her rookie season, Citron ranked among the league’s strongest rookies in several statistical categories. She finished second among rookies in scoring, sixth in assists, sixth in rebounds and fourth in steals, while ranking fifth in field-goal percentage and first in three-point percentage.
That combination made her difficult to categorize.
She could space the floor, attack, defend and make plays for teammates. For a young WNBA guard, that versatility provided a strong foundation.
Her Rapid Success As A Rookie
Citron’s first WNBA season immediately established her as more than a developmental prospect.
She played all 44 games and started every one of them, averaging 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals. Her 44.5 percent shooting from three-point range was particularly impressive.
She also earned a spot in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, along with All-Rookie recognition.
The impact went beyond the box score. Washington was 8.8 points per 100 possessions better with Citron on the court during her rookie season, showing how much her presence mattered to the team.
Her rookie year made one thing clear: Washington hadn’t simply drafted a promising shooter. It had found a player capable of growing into a much larger role.
Sonia Citron Becomes A Go-To Scorer
That growth became even more noticeable in 2026.
Citron became one of the Mystics’ primary offensive options, and her production rose accordingly. She finished the regular season averaging 16.8 points and 4.4 assists per game, while continuing to contribute as a rebounder and defender.
At the time of her second All-Star selection, she was averaging 18.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field.
She also earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Associated Press WNBA Player of the Week honors for the week of June 15–21 after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.0 steals during Washington’s three-game winning streak.
Those numbers reflected a player who was no longer waiting for opportunities.
Citron was creating them.
Developing Into A Point Guard
One of the most important parts of Citron’s Sonia Citron WNBA career has been her development as a ball handler.
With Washington relying on two rookie point guards, Citron was asked to take on more responsibility with the ball. That meant learning to initiate offense, make decisions under pressure and create opportunities for teammates.
She worked with player development coach Clinton Crouch on her handle, quickness and counters. The focus wasn’t simply on adding more dribbles to her game. It was about becoming more efficient and avoiding unnecessary over-dribbling.
The progress showed statistically.
Citron ranked 20th in the WNBA in assists per game during her sophomore season, while her assist-to-turnover ratio improved to 1.84 as her ballhandling responsibilities increased.
Two of Washington’s most-used non-starting lineups also featured Citron at point guard. Those groups produced a plus-13.1 net rating per 100 possessions, according to databallr.
That development gives the Mystics another dimension when Citron is handling the offense.
Leadership Growth
Citron’s growth hasn’t been limited to what she does with the basketball.
She entered the 2026 season as one of Washington’s more experienced players, behind only Shakira Austin and Michaela Onyenwere in that regard. As the Mystics’ young roster developed, Citron gradually became more vocal in the locker room and during huddles.
Her approach remains understated.
Coach Sydney Johnson has described her as soft-spoken, but that doesn’t mean her teammates overlook what she says. Her teammates listen to her and respect her, which has allowed her leadership to develop naturally rather than through forced emotion.
Citron also paid attention to veteran leadership while representing the United States at the FIBA World Cup. Watching Breanna Stewart communicate intentionally with teammates gave her another example of how effective leadership can work.
For Citron, becoming a leader has been another gradual step in becoming comfortable with her growing responsibility.
Sonia Citron Playing Style
The most appealing part of Sonia Citron basketball is its balance.
She can stretch defenses with three-point shooting, but she isn’t simply a spot-up shooter. When defenders close out too aggressively, she can put the ball on the floor and attack. Her size gives her an advantage around the perimeter, while her understanding of off-ball movement helps her find scoring opportunities without controlling every possession.
Defensively, her length and instincts allow her to contribute through steals and pressure.
As her point-guard responsibilities have increased, another layer has been added to her game. Citron can now spend more possessions initiating offense rather than waiting for a play to create an opening for her.
That combination of scoring, passing, shooting and defense is what makes her such an intriguing WNBA guard.
Sonia Citron Stats And Overall Impact
Citron’s statistical development tells a clear story.
In 2025, her rookie campaign produced 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She shot 47.0 percent from the field, 44.5 percent from three and 87.2 percent from the free-throw line.
In 2026, her scoring and playmaking responsibilities increased. She finished the regular season averaging 16.8 points and 4.4 assists per game, helping Washington establish itself as one of the WNBA’s biggest improvement stories.
The Mystics finished 2026 with a franchise-best 28–16 record. After beginning the season 12–12, they went 16–4 over their final 20 regular-season games.
Citron and Kiki Iriafen were at the center of that turnaround. Both earned their second consecutive All-Star selections, making them the first teammates since 1999 to be named All-Stars in each of their first two seasons.
Citron’s individual progress and Washington’s team improvement have gone hand in hand.
Her Approach To Goals
Interestingly, Citron doesn’t appear to be someone who builds her career around a long list of specific statistical targets.
Rather than entering each season determined to repeat an award or chase a particular honor, she has focused more on becoming a better player and person than she was the year before.
That mindset fits her career so far.
Citron didn’t begin with a firm belief that she would play professionally. She gradually grew into the idea, earned the confidence to pursue it and then continued improving once she reached the WNBA.
Her rise has been less about forcing a particular outcome and more about responding to each new opportunity.
Her First WNBA Playoff Appearance
Citron’s first WNBA postseason appearance finally arrived in September 2026, when the Mystics faced the Atlanta Dream in the first round.
Washington lost Game 1, 92–77, but Citron delivered a memorable individual performance. She scored 25 points in her playoff debut, placing her among the highest-scoring players in WNBA history in a first postseason game.
The loss highlighted some of Washington’s problems, particularly its 22 turnovers. Seven of those turnovers came during the third quarter, leading directly to 14 Atlanta points.
Still, Citron remained one of the Mystics’ brightest performers.
The team had reached the playoffs for the first time since 2023 after completing a 28-win regular season, and Citron had become one of the players Washington trusted most when the stakes were highest.
Angel Reese And The Playoff Challenge
There was an interesting full-circle element to Citron’s first WNBA playoff experience.
The Chicago Sky game that helped her realize she could one day play professionally featured Angel Reese on the court for Chicago. Years later, Reese and the Dream stood between Citron and the continuation of Washington’s season.
Citron scored another 25 points in Game 2, giving her 50 points across her first two playoff games. She became only the second WNBA player to score at least 25 points in each of her first two postseason games.
The Mystics ultimately exited the playoffs in the first round, but Citron’s performance offered another indication of how far she had come.
She entered the league unsure of whether she belonged. By the end of her second season, she was carrying a major offensive role into the postseason.
Final Thoughts
Sonia Citron’s rise with the Washington Mystics is a story about confidence as much as basketball ability.
She had the shooting touch, size, defensive instincts and all-around skill long before she became a WNBA star. What changed was her willingness to recognize those qualities and use them more aggressively.
Notre Dame helped build her foundation. Michaela Mabrey helped her imagine the professional game. Washington gave her the opportunity to grow, make mistakes and expand her responsibilities.
The results have been impressive. Citron went from a player who once wasn’t sure she’d play in the WNBA to a No. 3 overall pick, a WNBA All-Star as a rookie, a two-time All-Star by her second season and a go-to scorer for a rapidly improving Mystics team.
Her development as a point guard could make her even more valuable moving forward. If she continues improving her handle, playmaking and ability to create shots while maintaining her elite perimeter shooting, her role in Washington could become even bigger.
For now, the most compelling part of the Sonia Citron WNBA story is that she’s still developing.
She didn’t arrive in professional basketball believing she had everything figured out. She arrived willing to learn. That combination of talent, humility and growing confidence has helped turn an uncertain possibility into a very real WNBA career.
Conclusion
Sonia Citron’s journey from Notre Dame to the Washington Mystics shows how quickly a player can grow when talent meets opportunity and confidence.
She once needed encouragement to shoot more and only gradually began believing that a WNBA career was possible. Now, she’s a two-time All-Star and one of the key players on a young Mystics team with a promising future.
Her story isn’t finished. In many ways, it’s only beginning.
FAQs
Who Is Sonia Citron?
Sonia Citron is a professional basketball player and guard for the Washington Mystics. She was selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft after playing college basketball at Notre Dame.
How Tall Is Sonia Citron?
Sonia Citron is 6 feet 1 inch tall.
When Did Sonia Citron Join The WNBA?
Citron entered the WNBA in 2025 after Washington selected her third overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
How Many WNBA All-Star Selections Does Sonia Citron Have?
Citron has been selected as a WNBA All-Star twice. She earned her first selection as a rookie in 2025 and returned as an All-Star in 2026.
Where Did Sonia Citron Play College Basketball?
Sonia Citron played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. She finished her college career shooting 37 percent from three-point range.
What Were Sonia Citron’s Rookie Stats?
During her 2025 rookie season, Citron averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She started all 44 games and shot 44.5 percent from three-point range.
What Makes Sonia Citron A Strong WNBA Guard?
Citron combines three-point shooting, perimeter defense, off-ball movement, size and improving playmaking. Her ability to attack closeouts and take on more point-guard responsibilities has made her increasingly difficult to defend.
How Did The Washington Mystics Perform In 2026?
The Mystics finished the 2026 regular season with a franchise-best 28–16 record and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2023. They went 16–4 over their final 20 regular-season games before losing to the Atlanta Dream in the first round.
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