Washington Mystics is an American professional basketball team that is based in Washington, D.C. They are a member of the Women's National Basketball Association and compete in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1997. It was named after Alana Beard, a former female basketball player. Their first-ever WNBA championship came in 2010 and the Mystics are the defending champions. Here are some things you should know about the team.
Alana Beard
WNBA rookie Alana Beard was selected with the second overall pick in the 2004 WNBA draft. The Mystics finished last in the Eastern Conference's 2003 season with a record of 9-25. Beard joined the team in the hopes of helping the team. Beard said she valued her teammates and her relationship with them. Her performance in the WNBA was a reflection of this.
Team changes
Before the 2011 season, Washington Mystics made several controversial changes. The team was not as strong after finishing the greatest season in franchise history. The Mystics drafted Skylar Smith and Courtney Harding as star forwards and relieved Angela Taylor, general manager and head coach, of her duties. Taylor was succeeded by Trudi lacey, who became the new head coach.
First-ever WNBA Finals
Washington Mysoltics' first WNBA Finals was thrilling. The team came back from being down 2-0 after Game 1. The Mystics were led by Elena Delle Donne's 22 points in Game 5. The six-foot-five forward also grabbed the game's MVP award, becoming the first WNBA player to win the MVP award off the bench. Emma Meesseman was the other team star, while Andre Iguodala was also a part of the winning team. They each scored at most 20 points. As a result, they were voted the best team in the finals.
Organisational changes
The Mystics made several controversial changes to their organization before the 2011 season. Angela Taylor, the assistant coach, was terminated after failing to reach a deal with the owners for a new contract. Head coach Julie Plank declined to handle GM and coaching duties. Trudi Lacey was appointed GM. Sheila Johnson, owner of the Mystics, refused to comment on Taylor's departure citing ongoing human resource issues.
Modifications to the uniforms
The Washington Mystics are currently undergoing a major overhaul of their uniforms. The uniforms of the Washington Mystics were previously white with black and gold outlines. The Mystics switched from white jerseys to dark blue jerseys for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. In 2013, Inova was the jersey sponsor of the team, but it ended its partnership in 2015. The jerseys now include the team name, city and logo. The jerseys were made more colorful in 2016, when the Mystics went all-in on the matchups.