After sitting out the first two games with a partially torn UCL in her left elbow, Cotie McMahon finally made her regular-season debut for the Washington Mystics. And afterward, the rookie opened up about the toughest guard she has ever defended from Caitlin Clark’s team.

In front of 15,673 fans, Cotie McMahon made an immediate impact against the Indiana Fever. The 22-year-old finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists in 30 minutes of action. And after the game, McMahon made sure to thank and praise Kelsey Mitchell for helping her shine on the court.

During her postgame interview, Kareem Copeland asked Cotie McMahon what she was most proud of from the game. McMahon responded, "[It's] guarding Kelsey Mitchell. She is the hardest person I've ever guarded in my entire career of basketball. She got me, she gave me my 'Welcome to the League' moment."

And McMahon definitely had a difficult challenge against the 30-year-old veteran. Mitchell scored 24 points in 39 minutes, finishing as Indiana’s second-leading scorer behind CC.

While Sonia Citron did play brilliantly in overtime, the actual game-deciding free-throw miss came from Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell, who went 0-for-2 from the free-throw line during the game.

But the shot missed, and Indiana fell 104-102. But despite the pressure, McMahon was not afraid to play against one of the league's best guards.

"Honestly, I would just say I'm really proud of myself for just stepping up and taking the challenge and not being scared. That's what I'm gonna have to do moving forward."

McMahon also had another reason to celebrate the win. It marked her first regular-season WNBA victory after suffering an injury on May 3 during a preseason 83-72 win over the Atlanta Dream.

Cotie McMahon Looks Ready for Next Big WNBA Battle

Even so, the rookie looked confident against the Fever after recovering through non-surgical rehabilitation and physical therapy instead of undergoing surgery.

Part of that confidence also comes from her strong basketball background. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft started all 36 games for the Ole Miss Rebels during the 2025-26 season.

She tallied an average of 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Along the way, she earned All-SEC First Team honors, made the SEC All-Tournament Team, and was also named SEC Newcomer of the Year.

The No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft spent three decorated seasons at Ohio State before transferring to the Ole Miss Rebels for her final year.

During that time, she started 97 games and averaged 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.

With that strong resume behind her, Cotie McMahon now faces another big challenge. As the Washington Mystics prepare to take on the Dallas Wings?

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Utsav Gupta