Washington Mystics: An American professional basketball league based in Washington D.C., the Washington Mystics. They compete in the Eastern Conference as a member of Women's National Basketball Association. The team was founded 1997, and its name is Alana Beard. The Mystics are currently the defending champions after winning their first WNBA title in 2010. 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 the 2003 season last in the Eastern Conference with a 9-25 record. Beard was hired to help the team. Beard said that she valued her teammates as well as her relationships with them. This was evident in Beard's performance in WNBA.
Changes to the team
Prior to the 2011 season, Washington Mystics made some controversial changes. The team was not as strong after finishing the greatest season in franchise history. 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
After being down 2-0 in Game 1, the Washington Mysoltics made a dramatic comeback and reached the WNBA Finals. Elena Delle Donne scored 22 of the Mystics' 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. Additionally, Andre Iguodala and Emma Meesseman, two of the team's star players, each scored at minimum 20 points. As a result, they were voted the best team in the finals.
Organizational changes
The Mystics made several controversial changes to their organization 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, the head coach, refused to accept GM or 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.
Uniform changes
Current changes to the uniforms of Washington Mystics players are underway. The team previously wore white jerseys, with black and golden outlines. The Mystics switched over to dark blue jerseys in 2010 and 2011. 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 took a bolder approach to matchups in 2016, and the jerseys became more colorful.