Four overtimes. That’s what it took for the Washington Mystics to win one of their games this season. Four overtimes, 124 points, and 45 rebounds later, Washington walked off the court with a 124–123 win over the Portland Fire. If that doesn’t tell you something about this team, I’m not sure what will.

The Mystics currently sit at the sixth seed in WNBA rankings, which is a position that should immediately make them a topic of conversation. Instead, they are at times overshadowed when so much attention is focused on the league’s “biggest” stars, such as the Minnesota Lynx, who have been dominating the rankings all season. The Washington Mystics deserve so much more credit than they are getting due to the fact that they are the youngest team in the league, average only 24 years of age, and still continue to play with a level of toughness and determination that is extremely impressive.

Although the players on the roster are incredibly talented, the thing that stands out to me the most is the effort they put into every game. Washington currently leads the WNBA in rebounding, averaging 37.6 rebounds per game. Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen contribute to this ranking by averaging 9.5 rebounds per game. Iriafen and Austin rank third in the league in rebounding, behind only a few of the league’s best rebounders, including Angel Reese at the top of the rankings.

Rebounding might not always be the flashiest stat that comes to mind regarding basketball, but I think it says a lot about this team. You can’t fake effort on the boards. It takes positioning, physicality, awareness, and a willingness to fight for every possession. The Mystics consistently show their willingness, and their effort isn’t just limited to rebounding.

The Mystics play like they have something to prove. They are not intimidated by more experienced teams, and they are not willing to give up on a game just because things aren’t going their way. Washington’s quadruple-overtime win over Portland on June 28th might be the most prominent example of their fight, but it’s also a perfect representation of what makes this team so fun to watch.

Most teams would struggle to maintain their energy through one overtime. Washington kept fighting through four. Their grit and energy are especially impressive when you consider how young their roster is. The Mystics aren’t a veteran team that has been together for years, but a young group that is still learning each other and figuring out what they can become. They’re doing all that while holding a playoff spot in one of the most talented eras of women’s basketball we’ve ever seen.

The Mystics don’t always get the same amount of attention as other teams, but if you actually watch them play, it’s hard not to notice how much this team cares. There is something really exciting about watching a young team discover what they’re capable of. Every rebound feels important. Every loose ball matters. Every game seems to come with another reminder that this team is not going to make anything easy for its opponent. The sixth seed might tell us where the Mystics are right now, but it doesn’t tell us how good they can become.

The Mystics may not be the most experienced team in the WNBA, and they may not have the biggest name in the league, but they have energy, toughness, and a whole lot of heart, which is exactly what makes them worth paying attention to.