Washington Mystics is an American pro basketball team, based out of Washington, D.C. They are a part of the Women's National Basketball Association. 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. Listed below are a few things to know about the team.
Alana Beard
Alana Beard, a rookie in the WNBA, was the second overall pick of the 2004 WNBA draft. The Mystics finished last in the Eastern Conference's 2003 season with a record of 9-25. Beard was introduced to the organization in the hope that her contributions could make a difference for the team. Beard said that she valued her teammates as well as her relationships with them. This was evident in her performance in WNBA.
Team changes
Before the 2011 season, Washington Mystics made several controversial changes. The team didn't have the strongest season in franchise history despite finishing it. 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 replaced by Trudi Lacey, who is now the 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 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. In addition, the team's two other star players - Emma Meesseman and Andre Iguodala - each scored at least 20 points. As a result, they were voted the best team in the finals.
Organizational changes
The Mystics made controversial changes in their organization prior to 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 named GM. Sheila Johnson (owner of Mystics) did not comment on Taylor's departure. She said that Taylor was still having issues with human resources.
Modifications to uniforms
The Washington Mystics are currently in the midst of a major change in 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, the team kept Inova as its jersey sponsor. However, the partnership ended in 2015. The jerseys have the team name and logo on them. In 2016, the Mystics made the jerseys more colorful, going all out on matchups.