Washington Mystics is an American pro basketball team, based out of Washington, D.C. They compete in Eastern Conference and are a member o the Women's National Basketball Association. The team was created in 1997 and named after Alana Beard (a female basketball player). The Mystics won their first WNBA Championship in 2010. Below are some details about the team.
Alana Beard
Alana Beard, a rookie to the WNBA, received the second overall selection in the 2004 WNBA Draft. With a record of 9-25, the Mystics finished the Eastern Conference's 2003 season last. Beard was recruited to the team with the hope of turning things around. Beard expressed her appreciation for her teammates, and the relationship she had with them. Her performance in the WNBA was a reflection of this.
Changes to the team
The Washington Mystics made many controversial changes before the 2011 season. The team didn't have the strongest season in franchise history despite finishing it. The Mystics traded Skylar and Courtney Smith, who were star forwards, to Angela Taylor, the general manager and head coach. New head coach Trudi Lacey was named to replace Taylor.
First ever WNBA Finals
Washington Mysoltics had a thrilling WNBA Finals. After going down 2-0 in Game 1 they made a remarkable comeback. Elena Delle Donne scored 22 of the Mystics' points in Game 5. The six-foot-five forward won the MVP award and became the first WNBA player ever to take the MVP award from the bench. The team also had two star players, Emma Meesseman (and Andre Iguodala) who each scored at least 20. The team was voted best in the finals.
Organizational changes
The Mystics made several controversial changes to their organization before the 2011 season. Angela Taylor, assistant coach was dismissed after the owners failed to agree to a new contract. Head coach Julie Plank declined to handle GM and coaching duties. Trudi Lacey was chosen GM. Sheila Johnson, owner of the Mystics, refused to comment on Taylor's departure citing ongoing human resource issues.
Modifications of the uniforms
The Washington Mystics are currently undergoing a major overhaul of their uniforms. The previous uniforms were white with gold and black outline. 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 will now display the team name and the city logo. The Mystics went all in on the matchups in 2016, making the jerseys even more colorful.