 Atkins with the Washington Mystics in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 – Washington Mystics | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard | ||||||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBA | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 30, 1996 Dallas, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 167 lb (76 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Texas (2014–2018) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| WNBA draft | 2018: 1st round, 7th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Washington Mystics | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2018–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2023–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–present | Washington Mystics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | InvestInTheWest ENEA Gorzów | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Perth Lynx | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Elazığ İl Özel İdarespor | ||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–present | Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Ariel Atkins (born July 30, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In addition to her playing career, she serves as a player development coach at the University of Michigan.[1]during the off-season.
Drafted 7th overall by the Washington Mystics in the 2018 WNBA draft, Atkins quickly established herself as a key player. She helped lead the Mystics to the WNBA Finals in her debut season and was a pivotal figure in their 2019 WNBA Championship victory. Atkins' defensive prowess earned her 4 selections to the WNBA All-Defensive Team so far in her career.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Atkins attended Duncanville in Duncanville, Texas. She played college basketball at the University of Texas, where she was recognized for her athletic performance.
At the 2018 WNBA draft, Atkins was drafted by the Washington Mystics in the first round, as the seventh overall pick.[2] 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.[3] Later in September 2018, Atkins was also named to the All-Rookie Team.[4]
On October 10, 2019, Atkins and the Mystics took home their first WNBA Championship after defeating the Connecticut Sun, 3–2.[5] In September 2020, Atkins was named to the All-Defensive Second Team for the third time in her three career seasons.[6]
In August 2023, Atkins signed a multi-year extension to stay in Washington with the Mystics.[7]
Atkins has also played internationally. She spent the 2018–19 season with InvestInTheWest ENEA Gorzów Wielkopolski in Poland and played for the Perth Lynx in Australia during the 2019–20 off-season.
| 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 |
| 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 | 4 years, 1 team | 121 | 100 | 25.1 | .475 | .373 | .831 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 12.4 |
| † | Denotes seasons in which Atkins won a WNBA championship |
| ‡ | WNBA record |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Washington | 29 | 24 | 22.5 | .432 | .357 | .824 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 11.3 |
| 2019† | Washington | 33 | 33 | 24.3 | .416 | .357 | .811 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 10.3 |
| 2020 | Washington | 22 | 22 | 31.0 | .438 | .411 | .886 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 14.8 |
| 2021 | Washington | 30 | 30 | 30.6 | .407 | .359 | .831 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 16.2 |
| 2022 | Washington | 36 | 36 | 30.0 | .420 | .365 | .845 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 14.6 |
| 2023 | Washington | 27 | 27 | 25.1 | .414 | .339 | .897 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 11.5 |
| Career | 6 years, 1 team | 177 | 172 | 27.2 | .420 | .363 | .849 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 13.1 |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Washington | 9 | 9 | 27.9 | .480 | .424 | .879 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 15.2 |
| 2019† | Washington | 9 | 9 | 19.8 | .373 | .333 | .929 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 7.3 |
| 2020 | Washington | 1 | 1 | 36.0 | .375 | .000 | 1.000 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.0 |
| 2022 | Washington | 2 | 2 | 33.0 | .379 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.5 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 15.5 |
| 2023 | Washington | 2 | 2 | 33.5 | .345 | .250 | 1.000 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 13.5 |
| Career | 5 years, 1 team | 23 | 23 | 26.0 | .416 | .371 | .907 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 11.9 |
