2020 Mystics Player Evaluations: Sug Sutton’s efficiency must improve before next season

In the 2020 WNBA draft, the Washington Mystics selected Alecia “Sug” Sutton out of University of Texas with the 36th overall and final pick in the third round. The Longhorn, who played two seasons with Ariel Atkins, came out of college averaging 10.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game in her senior season. Coach Mike Thibault drafted the guard so that she could compete with the veteran guards.

“We felt that we wanted to see a good point guard come into our camp and compete with our veterans for a spot,” he said in a press release following the draft. “Sug pushes the tempo and knows how to distribute the ball.”

Sutton’s rookie season didn’t go as expected. The 5-8 guard was released on May 25. And because of coronavirus restrictions, she never had the opportunity to practice with the team before the decision was made.

Sutton got a second chance with the Mystics when they released Essence Carson to make room for her on August 19. The 21-year-old saw action in 12 games, averaging 9.4 minutes. The rookie had a season-high 8 points against the Mercury in her fourth game with the team.

But from there, the Sutton wasn’t able to produce standout numbers. She concluded the season averaging 2.8 points, 1 assist, and 0.8 rebounds per game. From the field Sutton had 33 total attempts, making just 36.4 of them. From beyond the arc, Sutton averaged 29.4 percent and from the free-throw line the rookie averaged 71.4 percent.

Sutton will have a lot to prove in order to make it on a final roster next season. The guard is spending her WNBA offseason playing with Ślęza Wrocław, a Polish professional basketball club. Sutton is a starter on her team and is currently putting up 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. Her season overseas should have a positive impact on her game and confidence when she returns next season.