Lucy Olsen Beats the Odds and Becomes the WNBA Rookie Everyone Is Cheering For

Lucy Olsen isn’t just another late-round WNBA draft pick. She’s fast becoming one of the league’s most inspiring underdog stories. The former Villanova University star and 2021 Miss Pennsylvania Basketball has officially made it to the big leagues with the Washington Mystics, despite every twist and turn that tried to say otherwise.

After carrying Villanova into national headlines alongside Maddy Siegrist and eventually stepping into the spotlight herself, Olsen’s collegiate career drew attention from scouts as she became the nation’s No. 3 scorer behind Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins. She was eyed as a rising star—and when Clark departed Iowa, the Hawkeyes came knocking. Olsen joined as her heir apparent.

But the transition wasn’t picture-perfect. Despite solid personal stats—17.9 points and 5.1 assists per game—Iowa’s season fell short, and with it, so did some of Olsen’s draft stock. She was selected late in the second round by the Mystics, a pick many didn’t expect to survive final roster cuts in a league with just 12 slots per team.

Then came the grind.

Washington brought in three other guards, including highly rated Sonia Citron and Kentucky’s Georgia Amoore. But when injuries and lineup shuffles came into play, Olsen did what she’s always done—worked hard, stayed positive, and delivered when it mattered most. Just days before the season opener, Olsen officially made the roster, beating the odds once again.

“Draft night I was like, OK, this is awesome I got drafted,” Olsen told reporters. “And then it’s like, well, I have to make the team.” She did—and hasn’t stopped proving she belongs.

In limited minutes across six games, Olsen has hit clutch three-pointers, energized the bench, and earned praise from teammates and coaches alike. Veteran guard Brittany Sykes called her “an amazing player” and emphasized that she’s “always ready, always positive.” No. 3 overall pick Sonia Citron added that Olsen’s “love for the game is infectious” and that she brings a “killer mid-range” to every practice and game.

Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson—a familiar name for Philadelphia basketball fans from his Princeton days—was equally impressed. “She’s a sponge,” Johnson said. “She’s as aggressive as anyone in terms of trying to get better and learn quickly.”

Olsen’s chance to square off against Caitlin Clark, the very player she once followed at Iowa, will come later this summer. But for now, Olsen is commanding the spotlight in her own right.

As the Mystics stunned Indiana in an 83–77 win recently, fans in Clark jerseys exited early, while those cheering for Washington stayed behind, applauding the team—and the tenacity of rookies like Olsen.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it,” she said post-game. “Not everyone gets this opportunity. That’s what makes it that much more special.”

From Spring-Ford High School to the national stage, Lucy Olsen’s journey is proof that grit, passion, and patience can still take you all the way—even when the world doubts you.