When Sonia Citron transitioned from freshman to sophomore, her stats reflected improvement. Her field goal percentage increased from 50 to 56.9 percent over her first two years at Fighting Irish. “Honestly, it happened super, super fast,” Mabrey shared. It was because Citron grasped the concept of quality. “But she works. She’s in the gym. She works on her game and she’s very, very efficient at what she’s doing.” It seems like she has prepared well to land up at the W to play against vets. But has she?
On paper, Citron is league-ready. ACC Tournament Champion, first-team All-ACC, and records of 1,774 points, 700 rebounds, and 300 assists– there’s a reason she was the 3rd overall pick. And she’s excited too. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity, and it’s somewhere I can try to make an impact and learn from the amazing players,” she had said. But even while expressing that, Citron had failed to comprehend where she was headed or who she was going to be amongst. It was only with a text from a veteran that she was reminded of the weight of the situation.
On a recent interview, the Fighting Irish shared her first-ever experience that offered her the realization that she’s going to play against W’s superstars. It was when Sabrina Ionescu, the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist, reached out to her on the text.
“She actually texted me after the draft… it was like, ‘hi, this is Sabrina’. Yeah, I was shocked, to say the least. I don’t think it’s really hit me yet that I’m in the same league with them,” Citron shared.
Coming from a basketball family, the sport has always been a part of the star guard’s life. Her parents having a major impact? Yes. But it was the WNBA players her eyes followed. She molded her game against the very Ionescu who texted her, and it was Jackie Young she largely admired. “They didn’t talk about her a lot, but she just always did work so hard and gave her 100 percent,” she had said as a high schooler. Now, she is going to be on the same court as these names.
“Like the past couple of years… it’s looking up at them. Because they are who they are. So I don’t think its hit me yet that I’ll be playing with and against them, which is absolutely crazy,” she added.
Sonia Citron talks about how Sabrina ionescu texted her on draft night after being drafted to the mystics.
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— Domo (@ddubxdo) April 16, 2025
Citron, a part of the Mystics, will be facing Young and Ionsecu 4 times each throughout her first season. Whether her idols spare her from the rookie treatment is news we still await, but being a guiding light and building relationships? That you can count the New York Liberty star in on. No, it isn’t just because she reached out to Citron. But the factor has been quite important for Sabrina — showing up for the stars who are going to be taking over soon, breaking those records, and growing the game.
“(It’s) wanting to give back to the next generation of athletes that are going to end up breaking your records and being better than you are,kind of welcoming them with open arms and showing them the way,” she had said about being closely involved with young talents so often. Citron is appreciative of that. She is confident, no doubt, but some warmth in entering a new chapter does no harm.
Sonia Citron exudes confidence in taking the next step
At just 21 years old, Sonia Citron is already leaving a legacy that will echo through the halls of Notre Dame for years to come. She’s the only player in program history to tally at least 1,700 points, 700 rebounds, and 300 assists. And now, she’s headed to the pros.
With the third overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Washington Mystics made Citron their top choice, making her the first guard they’ve taken in the first round since 2019. That’s no small vote of confidence. In fact, Citron became the 21st player in Notre Dame history to be drafted into the WNBA and just the 11th to hear her name called in the opening round. When you have that to resound all the hard work you have put in throughout the years, you better sound confident with your game. And the star guard did just that.
“I think I pride myself on being able to play both sides of the ball, and I think that definitely translates,” she said following her draft. “I think I’m a very dependable, steady person and I’m going to put the work in every day.”
But she isn’t crossing the line. Citron is aware of her skills, but she is also looking to grow and soak in everything the league and its players have to offer. Citron joins fellow first-round picks Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore to form a promising young core. It’s clear that Washington is betting on the future, and Citron is right at the heart of that plan.
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