Ariel Atkins

Ariel Atkins (born July 30, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). After a four-year college career with the Texas Longhorns, Atkins was drafted 7th overall by the Washington Mystics in 2018 and helped them reach the WNBA Finals.[1] She then spent the 2018–19 season in Poland with InvestInTheWest ENEA Gorzów Wielkopolski. In 2019, she won a WNBA Championship with the Washington Mystics. For the 2019–20 WNBA off-season, she signed with an Australian team, the Perth Lynx.[1]

Ariel Atkins
Atkins with the Washington Mystics in 2023
No. 7 – Washington Mystics
PositionShooting guard
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1996-07-30) July 30, 1996
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Listed weight167 lb (76 kg)
Career information
High schoolDuncanville (Duncanville, Texas)
CollegeTexas (2014–2018)
WNBA draft2018: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Selected by the Washington Mystics
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–presentWashington Mystics
2018–2019InvestInTheWest ENEA Gorzów
2019–2020Perth Lynx
2020Elazığ İl Özel İdarespor
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoTeam
World Cup
Gold medal – first place2022 Australia

College

Atkins played college basketball at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas for the Longhorns.[2]

Career

WNBA

At the 2018 WNBA draft, Atkins was drafted by the Washington Mystics in the first round, as the seventh overall pick.[3] Atkins would join a Mystics line-up alongside players such as Elena Delle Donne, Kristi Toliver & Natasha Cloud. In August 2018, Atkins was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in her debut season.[4] Later in September 2018, Atkins was also named to the All-Rookie Team.[5]

On October 10, 2019, Atkins and the Mystics took home their first WNBA Championship after defeating the Connecticut Sun, 3–2.[6] In September 2020, Atkins was named to the All-Defensive Second Team for the third time in her three career seasons.[7]

In August 2023, Atkins signed a multi-year extension to stay in Washington with the Mystics.[8]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2014–15 Texas 27 19 23.9 .363 .288 .825 3.4 1.3 1.2 0.2 2.2 9.7
2015–16 Texas 27 14 21.0 .536 .356 .819 3.9 1.3 1.3 0.2 1.4 11.2
2016–17 Texas 32 32 26.6 .456 .377 .818 4.2 1.6 2.0 0.3 1.4 12.8
2017–18 Texas 35 35 27.7 .534 .420 .859 5.5 3.2 2.5 0.6 2.0 14.9
Career 121 100 25.1 .475 .373 .831 4.3 1.9 1.8 0.4 1.7 12.4

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2018 Washington 292422.5.432.357.8242.42.11.30.31.311.3
2019† Washington 333324.3.416.357.8112.81.91.50.51.010.3
2020 Washington 222231.0.438.411.8862.92.41.80.31.914.8
2021 Washington 303030.6.407.359.8312.82.61.60.52.016.2
2022 Washington 363630.0.420.365.8453.32.31.40.31.414.6
Career 5 years, 1 team 15014527.6.421.367.8412.82.31.50.41.513.4

Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2018 Washington 9927.9.480.424.8793.71.91.10.10.815.2
2019† Washington 9919.8.373.333.9292.72.30.80.01.27.3
2020 Washington 1136.0.375.0001.0004.04.02.00.00.013.0
2022 Washington 2233.0.379.5001.0001.55.50.50.01.015.5
Career 4 years, 1 team 212125.3.426.390.9003.02.51.00.01.011.8

References
  1. "LYNX SIGN USA IMPORT ARIEL ATKINS". wnbl.com.au. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  2. "Ariel Atkins - Women's Basketball - University of Texas Athletics". texassports.com.
  3. "MYSTICS SELECT ATKINS IN 2018 WNBA DRAFT". mystics.wnba.com.
  4. "Defensive POY Alana Beard Leads 2018 All-Defensive First Team". wnba.com.
  5. "Diamond DeShields, A'ja Wilson Headline 2018 WNBA All-Rookie Team". wnba.com.
  6. "Bringing It Home: Delle Donne, Mystics Earn First WNBA Crown". wnba.com.
  7. "Two Atlanta Dream Players And Seattle Storm's Alysha Clark Headline 2020 WNBA All-Defensive Team". wnba.com.
  8. "Ariel Atkins Signs Multi-Year Extension". mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
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