Former USC F Kiki Iriafen wins May's WNBA Rookie of the Month

It has been clear since Kiki Iriafen stepped foot on the court. Although she has a Washington Mystics rookie teammate in Sonia Citron who has also started out well, Iriafen has played the best among all of the WNBA newcomers.

Iriafen's efforts have earned her the league's Rookie of the Month recognition for the month of May. Already setting records and on pace to shatter season-long milestones, the former Trojan has done extremely well in our nation's capital.

Averaging 13.9 PPG and 10.1 RPG, Iriafen has set herself apart from the rookie class. Her play is that much more impressive when looking at who she has already matched up against in her frontcourt battles. The forward has more than held her own.

It is still early, but already fans have seen how quickly Iriafen has adjusted since last stepping off the court for USC to now facing veterans in the league.

A lot of people were focused on her four consecutive double-doubles, and deservedly so. What some may miss is that in games in which Iriafen happens to not grab a tenth rebound, her impact on the game is very much noticeable.

Her securing of the defensive glass and the energy that she provides offensively help to provide constant fuel for the Mystics' offense. Able to step outside of the paint and drain 17-foot jumpers, she also displays good post skills and finds ways to get open down low through her cuts to the basket.

Bright future for former USC forward

This is a young Washington team. Having someone like Iriafen to build around for the foreseeable future is an exciting prospect to think about. They have already shown improvement and will look to find a way into the postseason this year.

Considering how Iriafen is playing and how the rest of this team is coming together, there could be more accomplishments collectively and individually for USC fans to continue to monitor.