Mystics lose forward Aaliyah Edwards for two weeks as preseason injuries pile up

The injuries are piling up for the Washington Mystics ahead of the WNBA season.

Forward Aaliyah Edwards, last year’s first-round pick, will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a lower-back bruise, the franchise said Thursday. 

The Mystics said they would reevaluate Edwards on May 15, one day before the regular-season opener at home against the Atlanta Dream. 

Thursday’s update followed an announcement this week that rookie guard Georgia Amoore suffered a knee injury during the first week of training camp. The Mystics did not provide a recovery timeline for her.

Edwards is a key building block in Washington’s rebuild. The 22-year-old averaged 7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in her first season out of UConn. 

Analysts around the league expect a Year 2 jump from her after a standout performance in the 3x3 Unrivaled league this winter. Edwards finished second in the league’s 30-player one-on-one tournament, earning an extra $50,000.

“Elements [that I gained] from the one-on-one are just my confidence,” Edwards said Monday. “Knowing that I’m capable of doing the things that I can. Knowing that I have those skill sets in my bag. When the time and place comes, I’ll be able to know I can get that fadeaway jump shot.”