The Washington Mystics are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. They are a part of the Women's National Basketball Association. The team was founded in 1997 and was named after a female basketball player named Alana Beard. The Mystics are currently the defending champions after winning their first WNBA title in 2010. The following information is intended to provide some background on the team.
Alana Beard
Alana Beard (WNBA rookie) was chosen with the second overall pick during the 2004 WNBA draft. The Mystics finished 2003's Eastern Conference season last with a record that was 9-25. Beard joined the team in the hopes of helping the team. Beard stated that she values her teammates and the relationships she has with them. She was able to show this in her performance at the WNBA.
Changes to team
The Washington Mystics made a series of controversial changes prior to the 2011 season. Despite having the best season in franchise-history, the team isn't as strong as it was expected. The Mystics traded Skylar and Courtney Smith, who were star forwards, to Angela Taylor, the general manager and head coach. Taylor was relieved by Trudi Lattey, the new head coach.
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's 22 point performance in Game 5 led the Mystics. The six-foot five forward was also awarded the MVP award. He became the first WNBA player in history to receive the MVP award. Emma Meesseman and Andre Iguodala, both star players on the team, scored at least 20 point. Their team was named the best in the finals.
Organisational changes
The Mystics made many controversial changes before the 2011 season. Angela Taylor, assistant coaching coach, was fired for not being able to reach an agreement on a new deal with the owners of the team. Julie Plank, head coach, declined to assume GM and coaching duties. Trudi Lacey was chosen GM. Mystics owner Sheila Johnson would not comment on Taylor's departure, citing ongoing human resources issues.
Modifications to uniforms
Current changes to the uniforms of Washington Mystics players are underway. The team used to wear white jerseys with gold and black outlines. The Mystics changed to dark blue jerseys during the 2010-2011 seasons. In 2013, Inova, the team's jersey sponsor, was retained by the Mystics, but that partnership has ended in 2015. The jerseys are now embroidered with the team's name and the logo of the city. The Mystics went all in on the matchups in 2016, making the jerseys even more colorful.