Kiki Iriafen: Nigerian-born star wins WNBA Rookie of the Month award

The WNBA announced that Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen was named the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month for May.

The 21-year-old rookie, selected fourth overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft out of USC, has quickly made a name for herself, becoming the first Mystics player in franchise history to earn this prestigious honor.

Following a stellar debut in the league, Iriafen beat out notable rookies like teammate Sonia Citron and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers for the award.

Throughout May, she averaged an impressive 13.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, shooting 47.4% from the field.

Her rebounding prowess was particularly notable—she led all rookies with 10.1 rebounds per game, a mark that also ranked fourth league-wide.

Additionally, her 4.3 second-chance points per game were the second-most in the WNBA.

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Iriafen's consistency was on full display as she scored 10+ points in all seven of the Mystics’ games in May, a feat that places her among an elite group of WNBA rookies.

She joins the likes of Tina Charles, Candace Parker, and Yolanda Griffith as one of only six players in league history to average at least 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds through the first seven games of their career.

One of Iriafen’s standout achievements came when she recorded four consecutive double-doubles, a first for a Mystics rookie.