Washington Mystics select USC women's basketball's Kiki Iriafen #4 in WNBA Draft

In what could have been interpreted as something of a final homage to her time with USC women's basketball, Kiki Iriafen's dress was custom-made by a Nigerian designer, as she wanted to represent her background with a gold dress. Trading in her Cardinal and Gold for her professional gold is a fittingly symbolic way to mark her transition after playing for the Trojans and now embarking on her WNBA journey.

In her final collegiate year, Iriafen played a key part in the Women of Troy advancing to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament and having an overall great season under coach Lindsay Gottlieb. While returning to Los Angeles for her senior season, she continued to showcase her strong overall game. 

Playing alongside JuJu Watkins and then stepping up when the All-American guard went down and also demonstrating that she can lead the charge on a moment's notice will only further serve as a feather in her cap. Having left a strong imprint on coach Gottlieb's program, she will be a fantastic representative of USCWBB at the next level every time she sets foot on the court as a pro.

Taking place in New York City, the forward had to wait her turn a little bit. It wasn't for too long, however, as the Washington Mystics selected Iriafen with the fourth overall pick of the WNBA Draft. She will join a frontcourt that already has Shakira Austin and Aaliyah Edwards. Brittney Sykes is someone she will quickly get familiar with, as the guard will have a lot of pick-and-roll as well as give-and-go opportunities with the new Mystics player soon.

Collegiate tests to help former USC women's basketball forward

Having already experienced the change from Stanford to USC women's basketball and now experiencing the coast-to-coast move to the East Coast, Iriafen is prepared and will be excited to take on this new challenge.

Iriafen has proven herself and her ability to overcome adversity. The Mystics are coming off a 14-26 season. Knowing what the former Trojan can bring and the confidence she has in her game, an increased turnaround and improvement push are likely with the incoming rookie. As shown while playing for the USC women's basketball team, the nation's capital is getting a fantastic addition to their team.