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 created in 1997 and named after Alana Beard (a female basketball player). Their first WNBA championship took place in 2010 and the Mystics now hold the title. The following information is intended to provide some background on the team.
Alana Beard
Alana Beard a rookie in WNBA was selected as the second overall pick in 2004 WNBA draft. The Mystics finished 2003's Eastern Conference season last with a record that was 9-25. Beard was brought into the organization with the hope that she could help turn things around for the team. Beard said that she valued her teammates as well as her relationships with them. Her performance in the WNBA was a reflection of this.
Changes to team
The Washington Mystics made a series of controversial changes prior to the 2011 season. Despite finishing the best season in franchise history, the team hasn't been as strong as fans hoped. The Mystics traded Skylar and Courtney Smith, who were star forwards, to Angela Taylor, the general manager and head coach. Taylor was succeeded by Trudi lacey, who became the new head coach.
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 points for the Mystics in Game 5. The six-foot-five forward, who is 6'5" and five feet tall, won the MVP Award. This was the first time that a WNBA player has been awarded the MVP. 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. The team was voted best in the finals.
Modifications to the organization
The Mystics made controversial changes in their organization prior to 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 was not available to take over GM/coaching duties. Trudi Lacey was appointed GM. Mystics owner Sheila Johnson would not comment on Taylor's departure, citing ongoing human resources issues.
Uniform changes
Current changes to the uniforms of Washington Mystics players are underway. The uniforms of the Washington Mystics were previously white with black and gold outlines. The Mystics switched to dark-blue jerseys in the 2010 and 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 added more color to the jerseys in 2016 when they went all-in on matchups.