Aaliyah Edwards scouting report: Why Mystics' rookie has the ceiling of an ultimate 2-way game-changer

Too few people acknowledge Aaliyah Edwards’ rookie campaign. She’s not averaging the gaudy counting stats of her rookie peers, and her Mystics team won’t push for a playoff spot.

Despite averaging a pedestrian 7.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per night, Edwards is settling in nicely as a pro. She might not boast the star ceiling of a Caitlin Clark or even a Rickea Jackson, but her quiet value paints her as a long-term building block for a rebuilding Washington team.

Aaliyah Edwards' scouting report

Aaliyah Edwards is having a promising defensive rookie season. Even if most rookie defenders don’t always excel right away, Edwards looks the part of a future positive defender. She’s a strong defensive playmaker, posting a solid 1.7% steal rate and a great 3.3% block rate.

For a rookie, Edwards exhibits sensational versatility. She’s a competent on-ball defender for a big, sliding with opposing drivers with great lateral quickness and strength. Edwards will struggle against dominant post scorers and quicker guards, rendering her more of a three/four defender who excels on the wing and against smaller posts.

Edwards shines brightest defending off of the ball, thriving in a multitude of different roles. She’s already one of the league’s better-shot blockers as a rookie. Edwards ranks eighth in the WNBA in block rate (3.3%), only trailing Kamilla Cardoso among rookies. She’ll swoop in from the weak side to impact shots at the rim, adding important low on-the-floor defense to deter shots.

Rookies frequently question their defensive instincts, but Aaliyah Edwards displays remarkable confidence. She commits to defensive decisions, especially defending one or two passes away. Edwards juts out her arms to clog up passing lanes, disrupting easy offense with her defensive motor. She’s already impacting the game on that end in multiple ways.

She’ll need more development time on the offensive end, where Edwards plays a supporting role on an offensively challenged Mystics team. As most rookies do, Edwards is adapting to a sizable role shift from her days at UConn. After averaging nearly 18 points per game on 26.9% usage, Edwards sees a smaller 18% usage rate in the WNBA.

Edwards deserves credit for adapting to her new, pro-style role. She’s seen a major playstyle shift, moving away from a high and low post-centric approach to a screening and perimeter initiating role.

Her post-up frequency, per Synergy, dropped from 19.8% last year in college to just 6.5% in the WNBA. She’s playing as a screener/roller much more often, up to 17.6% frequency this season compared to 5.4% last season at UConn.

Aaliyah Edwards' scoring efficiency sits around the league average (52.6% true shooting) as her volume dipped. She’s slot in well as a dribble handoff initiator from the perimeter, flowing into handoffs out of pistol and slot actions before setting screens and rolling. Edwards sets big, wide screens with enough touch to score out of her rolls and enough passing aptitude to punish hard rotations toward her.

Aaliyah Edwards likely functions best as a utility piece on offense unless she can vastly improve her jumper or regain some of her college interior scoring efficiency. If there’s any avenue for creation upside, it may come as a driver.

She drives with impressive fluidity and power, moving defenders backward in her limited slashing opportunities. Posting a 41.7% free-throw rate, Edwards creates efficient offense by getting to the free-throw line. Improving her efficiency at the line — Edwards makes just 65.4% of her foul shots — will only boost her offensive value.

Aaliyah Edwards' ceiling as a 2-way player

Maintaining her defensive impact with higher responsibility will be critical. Can Aaliyah Edwards continue to disrupt offenses and lubricate offensive flow by playing a starter minute load? It’s easier to thrive on the defensive end with intense energy for about 20 minutes per game and a small offensive role than it is as a focal point and a starter.

Edwards may not evolve into a franchise-defining superstar for the Mystics. That won’t preclude her from harboring real value as Washington stacks more talent. Assuming the lottery balls bounce Washington’s way, they should be in a position to land high-usage offensive stars like Paige Bueckers and Kiki Irafen in this upcoming draft.

Great teams need low-maintenance, high-impact talents like Edwards. She may never garner the same spotlight other players will, but her impact will speak for itself. Championship cores win with two-way players like Edwards, who contribute in multiple ways.