Kiki Iriafen: HC Lindsay Gottlieb impressed with ex-USC star Kiki Iriafen’s rim run in Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun

Kiki Iriafen played a pivotal role in Sunday's matchup between her Washington Mystics and the Connecticut Sun, and USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was impressed. The Trojans alum was great in the Mystics' 90-85 win, and the WNBA highlighted her performance on Instagram.

Gottlieb shared the post on her Instagram story and hyped up her former player's impressive rim run. She wrote on her Instagram story:

"Those first 3 steps (and next 3 too) @kikiiriafen Omg ... next level rim run!"

USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb praises former Trojans star Kiki Iriafen's WNBA performance

Iriafen was drafted No. 4 overall to the Mystics in last month's WNBA draft and proved she was a solid selection over the opening weekend. The forward has started in both of Washington's matchups so far this season and has demonstrated the skill set that made her so successful at USC.

In Sunday's win over the Suns, Iriafen led the Mystics in rebounds with 14. She added 17 points and shot 7 of 10 from the field. Over Washington's two games thus far this season, the forward is averaging a team-best 9.0 rpg with 15.5 ppg.

Iriafen is making her mark on the WNBA in her rookie season, and Gottlieb is showing her support.

WNBA: Washington Mystics at Connecticut Sun - Source: Imagn

Kiki Iriafen's lone season at Lindsay Gottlieb's USC

After beginning her college career with three seasons at Stanford, Iriafen honed her skill set further with a season at USC. The forward was an essential piece of Gottlieb's squad's success last season.

In her sole season with the Trojans, Iriafen averaged 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. She highlighted her defensive depth with 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. Iriafen knocked down 49.0% of her shots, including 28.6% from beyond the arc.

WNBA: Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics - Source: Imagn

Iriafen's 8.4 rpg were tied for team best and she was second on the squad in scoring behind star guard JuJu Watkins. The forward helped lead the Trojans to a No. 1 seed in March Madness and a run to the Elite Eight, even without Watkins, whose season ended when she tore her ACL in the Round of 32.

Gottlieb helped develop Iriafen into a player who was prepared to thrive at the professional level. Now, Iriafen is showing off her talents in her WNBA rookie season with Washington and has her USC coach's support.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman