The Washington Mystics have jelled quickly on the floor to start the 2026 WNBA season, but there’s a little tension in the locker room.
Well, there was tension under very specific circumstances before the Mystics took on the Dallas Wings at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on Monday night.
Former UCLA star center Lauren Betts blessed us with this TikTok capturing fellow rookie Cotie McMahon belting a note so loudly — and, actually, impressively — that veteran forward Michaela Onyenwere yelled off camera, “Cotie, shut up! What the [expletive]?” Betts and McMahon couldn’t help but laugh. Laughing is reflexive when watching the clip.
Betts led the UCLA Bruins to their first NCAA national championship in women’s basketball program history when they defeated South Carolina, 79-51, on April 5. The Mystics selected Betts with the No. 4 overall pick, former UCLA forward Angela Dugalic at No. 9 overall, and McMahon out of Ole Miss at No. 11 overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft on April 13.
Betts has been coming off the bench in limited minutes through the Mystics’ first four games. With Shakira Austin, 25, playing so well, minutes will be tough to come by for Betts. So far, she’s averaging 3.7 points and three rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game.
By drafting Betts, Dugalic, and McMahon, the Mystics bolstered an already exciting young core. Austin was the third overall pick in 2022, while 22-year-old All-Star guard Sonia Citron and 22-year-old All-Star forward Kiki Iriafen joined the fold as the third and fourth overall picks in 2025. Citron is averaging 24.3 points per game — a top-five mark in the league — and Austin and Iriafen are each averaging double-doubles.
The Mystics are trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2023. They haven’t advanced beyond the first round since winning the 2019 WNBA Finals.
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