Ariel (Update - Made the Olympic team)

Ariel Atkins isn't the Washington Mystics’ biggest name, but she could be their most important player
Atkins bridges the gap between 2019, 2020 and the present like no one else

Ariel Atkins isn't the Washington Mystics’ biggest name, but she could be their most important player

 

Also good to see that Sug is on the team again this year.

 

So proud of Ariel!

 

She had some good moments last season and evidently did very well in Poland. Really hope she makes the team.

 

Love this.

 

Ariel put up a career high 29 points last weekend and had a helluva game tonight...

 

Cloud speaking on Ariel in a Washington Post piece:

“Ariel Atkins works her a-- off for everything. I don’t think we talk enough about how she’s been an underdog her whole career. And she had one organization believe in her, and that’s us in the Mystics.This is who she’s always been. She’s a hard worker. She works her a-- off for everything that she gets. I think her confidence comes from her preparation.”

The confidence is understated but unmistakable this year, and the Washington standout has taken her game to another level during her fourth season in the WNBA. She entered Saturday as the No. 9 scorer in the league at 18.3 points per game, just behind reigning MVP A’ja Wilson at 18.6. She’s the league leader with three three-pointers per game, and her 45.0 percent shooting on three-pointers is the second highest in the league among players attempting at least five per game. Her scoring average is up 3.5 points from last season, and her shooting percentage (46.3), three-point percentage, free throw percentage (89.7), rebounds (3.1), assists (3.0) and blocks (1.0) are career highs.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/06/12/ariel-atkins-mystics-all-star-buzz/

 

Ariel set a new career high tonight with 32 points, shot 10/15 (3/5 from 3) and was 9/10 at the line.

 

WNBA All-Star Voting is still in progress and votes today count double so go to the WNBA app or www.WNBA.com/vote and support Ariel.

 

Making the WNBA is tough but the Olympic team? Wow. Great for Ariel.

 

@HornView I hope that "dislike" was just a fat finger type of thing.

 

Yes it was thank you. YIKES!

 

Yay Ariel!!!!!!

 

How fabulous and so so deserved! The general world of WBB fans has been very slow to recognize how good Ariel really is. I am happy for Ariel to have this opportunity to compete for an Olympic medal and also for her to get the recognition she deserves but does not appear to seek. She is letting it come to her as a by product of the things she does work for - being the best player and best teammate she can be.

 

TBH I wonder if the general world of UT fans wasn't a bit delayed in realizing her greatness. She was self-effacing, uncomfortable in interviews, not at all flashy on the court. She just worked hard, improved her game and did everything that was asked of her. She was great, but not "in your face" great. I do know that by the time she was done here everyone recognized who she was and how much she had contributed to the team's success.

 

Not sure if any one remembers it but Ariel was not invited to the WNBA draft the year she got drafted. Only first round pick not invited to attend and be brought on stage. She was drafted with the 7th pick of the draft by the Mystics GM & Coach Mike Thibault when he made the pick he jumped up in the air and acted like “I just pulled one over on you guys”. The announcer was even shocked by the pick. She sure proved the Mystics knew what they were doing!

 

Ariel has ALWAYS been an exceptional talent. Remember coming out of high school she was named the national POY by one of those services (can't remember which one). It seems that Ariel's ascension has just been a matter of her realizing the enormity of her talent and learning to impose herself on the court. I couldn't be happier for any player. She was always such a great kid... humble and hard-working.

 

And I recall many Mystics fans (who don't know much about the college game) were upset that Ariel Atkins was chosen instead of Victoria Vivians (Vic's Mississippi State). They only paid attention to the draft predictions and not what happened on the court.

Safe to say 4 years into their careers, Ariel Atkins has proven she was a worthy draft pick.

Vivians: 16 games, 3 starts, 15.1 min/g, 34.8% FG, 25.0% 3pt, 92.9% FT, 1.8 reb/g, 0.8 ast/g, 0.4 stl/g, 0.1 blk/g, 1.1 to/g, 5.5 pts/g.

Atkins: 14 games, 14 starts, 30.4 min/g, 44.0% FG, 42.9% 3pt, 88.1% FT, 3.2 reb/g, 3.2 ast/g, 1.2 stl/g, 0.7 blk/g, 2.1 to/g, 17.9 pts/g.

 

I think a lot of it also had to do with the success of the teams Ariel played on in college compared to players like Vivians. If you look at Ariel's numbers, they're very similar to her SR. year numbers in college. If she can get her overall shooting % up to over 45% those would be elite player numbers.

 

Not only is Ariel an Olympian, she’s a first time WNBA All-Star. However, she’ll be playing on the USA team in the All-Star game of course.

 

Extensive article on Ariel - including how she almost transferred away from Texas after her freshman season.

Team USA's Ariel Atkins is much more than a basketball player

 

Interesting article. Thank goodness Tina Thompson joined the coaching staff or Ariel may have transferred. In time, I hope Vic can get strengthen connections with the more recent Texas Exes such as Ariel, Brooke, Jada, Joyner, the Caron-Goudreau sisters, Imani, Brady, Celina, etc.. and get them back on campus for the occasional visit.

 

This article is a terrible epitaph for Karen Aston. Ariel never mentions her in the article as a mentor, friend, Coach or as part of her growth and success. She mentions "The first time somebody approached me as a human first" was when Tina Thompson joined the staff! That is one Cold statement to make about the Texas staff. Which included Jamie Carey as her position coach. Even Cathy Self-Morgan, a Texas ex, mentions how Texas suppressed Ariel during her Freshman year and she was ready to transfer. Of course Aston's success in recruiting top talent to Texas got worse year by year during her tenure. I had no idea things were that bad at Texas under Aston. It's sad but I can not imagine how Karen Aston felt after reading this article?

 

You wrote what I was thinking when I read the article. In the end, both Texas WBB and Aston are in better places today.

Hopefully, Karen has reflected on the things she can do better as a coach and makes those changes as she starts her first year at UTSA. We all have blind spots that require honesty with ourselves and the wisdom/courage to change. I hope she revives the program at UTSA finds success along the way.

 

YES, thank goodness for Tina Thompson. I recall seeing an interview of Ariel and Mystics teammate Tina Charles in preparation for the Olympics. Since this is Ariel's first olympic team appearance, the interviewer asked whom Ariel looks to, to help guide her through the national team.

Without a hesitation, Tina Charles piped up and answered for Ariel, "Tina Thompson".

What's remarkable is this is the first year for Tina Charles and Ariel Atkins to be teammates. And ALREADY Tina Charles knows Ariel is close to Tina Thompson.

 

I posted a tweet from Didi Richards' Dad after Baylor won the Title in 2019. It pretty much said that Didi had de-committed from Texas because she could see herself that Ariel wasn't being given the opportunity to play her game. That's pretty big when a younger player still in high school can notice a school isn't going to be a good fit.

 

I wanted so badly for Aston to succeed at UT, but I was also one of the most outspoken ones who wanted her gone those last couple of years. I had heard that Ariel had to be talked down off the ledge, and also heard the same about our other best player of that time frame. Having friends close to the program and others very close to a couple of the players at that time, I mostly kept that info to myself. In retrospect I can see where Karen had quite a bit going on outside of basketball... New marriage, a kid, and not the least of which was losing her mother. Being that I don't know her personally, I have to give those things some weight. I can't imagine that she was so arrogant and blind that she could not see where she needed improvement as a coach. Again, I don't know her personally so that's just a guess on my part. Whatever the case, I'm glad we are where we are with our program and I still hope that Karen does well at UTSA.