The Mystics’ Ariel Atkins has taken her game to another level, and all-star buzz has followed

Atkins, who was drafted seventh in 2018, has been a starter since her rookie season, but she filled a distinct role in her first two years, including on the 2019 championship squad. The defensive specialist and knockdown shooter saw her responsibilities expand during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but that was with a severely depleted roster. The Mystics (4-5) have been shorthanded in 2021, too, but Atkins is still having a career year alongside Tina Charles (the league’s top scorer and an MVP candidate), Myisha Hines-Allen and Cloud.