Former UConn guard and Washington Mystics rookie Christyn Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury during Tuesday’s practice, the team announced Wednesday.
“We are heartbroken for Christyn and will miss her greatly. She was off to a terrific start in training camp, and I know she will work diligently to make a comeback next season,” said general manager and head coach Mike Thibault in an official statement. “She will have our full support and all of our resources during her rehab. She is part of the Mystics family.”
Williams was selected by the Mystics with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She was coming off a solid season with the Huskies, helping lead UConn to the program’s 14th consecutive Final Four appearance, and then to the 2022 NCAA Tournament championship game.
While UConn star Paige Bueckers was out with injury earlier in the season, Williams stepped up as the leading scorer and finished her 2021-22 campaign with an average of 14.2 points per game. She made an impact on both sides of the ball and finished the year with 49 steals, second best on the team.
Soon after the news of the injury came out, Bueckers went on Twitter to lift her former teammate’s spirits.
“Comeback story is going to be CRAZY,” she wrote.
Williams will undergo surgery, but for now there is no timeline for her return. Elena Delle Donne and Alysha Clark are not expected to play this weekend either. Donne had a pair of back surgeries last season, and Clark is recovering from a foot injury.
Washington is set to open preseason play on Sunday with a road exhibition game against the Atlanta Dream. The Mystics will officially open their season with a home game against the Indiana Fever on May 6.
