Team USA featured several of the WNBA’s biggest stars during the FIBA Women’s World Cup, with Breanna Stewart, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray among the players who helped the Americans win their fifth consecutive gold medal. The United States defeated France 97-79 in Sunday’s championship game.
Sonia Citron was also part of the star-studded American roster after being added shortly before the tournament alongside Washington Mystics teammate Kiki Iriafen. The 2025 No. 3 overall pick made her senior Team USA debut in Berlin after a strong second WNBA season that earned her a second consecutive All-Star selection.
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However, Citron will not be available when the Mystics return to WNBA action Thursday. The team ruled the 22-year-old guard out due to personal reasons for its road game against the Chicago Sky.
The decision comes after Citron spent the past two weeks competing against some of the best players in the world. She averaged 2.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists for Team USA during the World Cup, while Washington returns to league play sitting at 24-16 and seventh in the WNBA standings.
Citron has been one of the Mystics’ most important players this season. She is averaging 16.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game and was named an All-Star reserve for the second straight year. She also earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors earlier this season after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.0 steals during a three-game stretch.
Washington will now face Chicago without one of its leading scorers as it begins the final stretch of the regular season. The Mystics are scheduled to tip off Thursday’s game at 8 p.m. ET at Wintrust Arena before facing the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
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