Shakira Austin is a name that will become more prominent as this league unfolds. Austin is a 6’5” center from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Her combination of height, athleticism, and skill have made her one of the most promising young centers in the game.
Austin carved out a great college career initially at the University of Maryland before transferring to the University of Mississippi. At Maryland she already established her dominating defensive prowess by setting the program’s freshman record for blocks. After two seasons there, she transferred to Ole Miss, where she continued to elevate her game tremendously. During her junior and senior seasons at Ole Miss, Austin became even more dominant on both ends of the floor as she averaged 15.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game in her senior year. Her impressive progression in production throughout college had earned her numerous accolades, including All-SEC First Team honors.
Austin’s agility, length, and shot-blocking ability made her one of the top can’t miss prospects in the 2022 WNBA Draft. Shakira Austin would be selected by the Washington Mystics as the third overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft and in her rookie season, she instantly showed why she belonged by averaging 8.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and nearly 1 block per game. Her contributions on offense and defense as a rookie showcased her versatility and adaptability to the professional game. Her tremendous rookie season gave her a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team, highlighting her as one of the standout rookies of her draft class. Since her rookie year, she has continued to grow into one of the top bigs in the league. She finished the 2024 WNBA season averaging 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game.
I feel as if her shot-blocking and rebounding abilities will be on full display in this competition, especially with the help of the 3v3 format. Her height, wingspan, and mobility also allow her to guard multiple positions of switches, which makes her an essential part of any defense. You can’t really underestimate her offensively because she is extremely effective in the paint. Austin possesses strong and nimble footwork that accompanies her soft touch around the rim, which is going to be incredibly valuable to any team she’s placed on.
