Washington Mystics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washington Mystics
Conference	Eastern
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	November 11, 1997; 27 years ago (1997-11-11)
History	Washington Mystics 1998–present
Arena	CareFirst Arena
Location	Washington, D.C.
Team colors	Red, navy blue, silver, white
Main sponsor	GEICO
President	Michael Winger
General manager	Jamila Wideman
Head coach	Sydney Johnson
Assistant(s)	Jessie Miller Emre Vatansever
Ownership	Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Ted Leonsis)
Championships	1 (2019)
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The Washington Mystics are a professional basketball team from Washington, D.C. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as part of the Eastern Conference. The team started playing in 1998. Ted Leonsis owns the team through Monumental Sports & Entertainment. This company also owns the Washington Wizards, which is the Mystics' male counterpart in the NBA. The Mystics play their home games at the CareFirst Arena in Washington D.C.

The Mystics have made it to the WNBA Playoffs many times, qualifying in 13 of their 23 seasons. Famous players like two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, Tennessee star Chamique Holdsclaw, and talented shooting guard Alana Beard have played for the team. For a long time, the Mystics were the only WNBA team that had never reached the WNBA Finals. They finally made it to the Finals in 2018 and then won their first championship in 2019.

Team History: The Early Years (1998–2004)

Logo from 1998 to 2010

Washington, D.C. was chosen for a new WNBA team on October 1, 1997. The team officially started on November 11, 1997, and began playing in the 1998 WNBA season. On December 16, 1997, Abe Pollin, who owned the team, announced they would be called the Washington Mystics. This name fit with the "magic" theme of the city's NBA team, the Washington Wizards.

In their first season (1998), the Mystics had a tough start, finishing with only 3 wins and 27 losses. Even with Olympian Nikki McCray on the team, they didn't make the playoffs. In 1999, they drafted University of Tennessee star Chamique Holdsclaw. The team improved to 12 wins and 20 losses but still missed the playoffs. Holdsclaw helped them reach the playoffs in 2000 with a 14–18 record, but they lost to the New York Liberty in the first round.

After a difficult 2001 season with a 10–22 record, coach Tom Maher and General Manager Melissa McFerrin left. Assistant coach Marianne Stanley took over as head coach. With Holdsclaw and rookie guard Stacey Dales-Schuman, the Mystics made the playoffs in 2002 with 17 wins and 15 losses. They beat the Charlotte Sting in the first round but lost to New York in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was their only playoff series win until 2017.

The 2003 season was tough, with the Mystics finishing last in the Eastern Conference with only 9 wins and 25 losses. In 2004, Holdsclaw faced health issues. Rookie Alana Beard from Duke University stepped up. She led the team to a surprising playoff spot with a 17–17 record. However, they lost in the first round to the Connecticut Sun.

Changes and Challenges (2005–2012)

In 2005, big changes happened for the Mystics. Holdsclaw left to join the Los Angeles Sparks. The team was also sold to Ted Leonsis. In 2005, the team finished with 16 wins and 18 losses and didn't make the playoffs.

In 2006, the Mystics had a good season with 18 wins and 16 losses, led by star guard Alana Beard. They entered the playoffs as the 4th seed but were swept by the top-seeded Connecticut Sun. In 2007, they finished 16–18, missing the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with the New York Liberty.

The 2008 season was another struggle. The Mystics drafted Crystal Langhorne from Maryland. However, they finished near the bottom of the East. The team had many coaching changes, with 10 coaches in 11 years. The front office decided to make big changes to the coaching and management staff.

More changes came between 2008 and 2012. The Mystics got new management and players like Matee Ajavon and Marissa Coleman. In 2009, they surprisingly started 3–0 and finished 16–18, making the playoffs. They lost to the Indiana Fever in the first round. This was Alana Beard's last season playing for the Mystics due to injuries.

The Mystics had their best season ever in 2010, finishing first in the East with 22 wins and 12 losses. Led by Lindsey Harding, Katie Smith, and Crystal Langhorne, they were expected to do well in the playoffs. However, they were swept in the first round by the Atlanta Dream.

After their best season, the Mystics made some surprising changes before the 2011 season. The general manager left, and assistant coach Trudi Lacey became both coach and GM. Key players like Harding and Smith were traded. Monique Currie was injured. As a result, the Mystics' record dropped to 6 wins and 28 losses in 2011. Alana Beard also left. The 2012 season was even worse, with only 5 wins and 29 losses. Trudi Lacey was then fired.

Building for the Future (2013–2016)

Even though they missed out on a top draft pick in 2013, the Mystics stayed positive and continued to rebuild their team. They drafted young talents like Tayler Hill and Emma Meesseman. Mike Thibault was hired as the new head coach and GM. In 2013, the Mystics finished 17–17 and made the playoffs, but lost in the first round.

Before the 2014 season, they drafted Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson. Meesseman became the starting center. They finished 16–18 and again lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2015, Dolson played center and Meesseman played power forward. Both players had great seasons and were chosen for the 2015 WNBA All-Star Game. The Mystics finished 18–16 but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs once more.

In 2016, the Mystics continued to add young talent, drafting Kahleah Copper. Tayler Hill had a breakout season, leading the team in scoring. The Mystics didn't make the playoffs, finishing 13–21, but showed signs of future promise. Meesseman also continued to improve. On September 7, 2016, the Mystics set a team record by scoring 118 points in a game. They also got the second overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft.

The Elena Delle Donne Era (2017–2023)

The Mystics were very active in trades during the 2016–17 off-season. They made a big trade on February 2, 2017, sending players and a draft pick to the Chicago Sky to get Elena Delle Donne, who was the league MVP in 2015. They also signed three-point specialist Kristi Toliver. These moves made the Mystics a championship contender.

In 2017, even with some players missing games due to other commitments or injuries, the Mystics finished as the #6 seed with an 18–16 record. They won their first-round playoff game against the Dallas Wings. Then, they beat the New York Liberty in the second round, advancing past the second round for the first time ever. Kristi Toliver had an amazing game, making 9 three-pointers. In the semifinals, they were swept by the Minnesota Lynx, who went on to win the championship.

In the 2018 WNBA season, the Mystics played without Emma Meesseman for part of the season. They traded Tayler Hill for Aerial Powers, which helped their team. The Mystics finished as the #3 seed with 22 wins and 12 losses. They beat the Los Angeles Sparks in the second round, reaching the semifinals again. In an exciting five-game series, they defeated the Atlanta Dream to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time in team history. However, they were swept by the Seattle Storm in the Finals.

The Mystics moved to the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast D.C. in 2019.

Meesseman returned for the 2019 WNBA season. Her return helped the Mystics have an amazing regular season, finishing with a league-best 26 wins and 8 losses. This earned them the top spot in the playoffs. They were determined to win the championship. They beat the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. Then, they faced the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA Finals. The series was very intense and went to five games. The health of Elena Delle Donne, who was named the playoffs MVP, was very important. The Mystics finally won their first-ever championship by winning the final game 89–78. Meesseman was named the Finals MVP.

Elena Delle Donne did not play during the 2024 season. On April 4, 2025, she announced her retirement from professional basketball.

Team Uniforms

The Mystics have changed their uniforms several times over the years:

• 1998–2010: White with black and gold at home, dark blue with black and gold on the road.
• 2011–2012: White with red and blue at home, red with white and blue on the road. Both jerseys had the Inova Health System name on the front.
• 2013–2014: A new number style was used, and Inova remained a sponsor.
• 2015–present: The Inova sponsorship ended. The team name returned to home jerseys, and the city name returned to road jerseys.
• 2016: For the league's 20th season, all games featured colored uniforms. The Mystics wore a red jersey instead of white, keeping blue as their dark uniform.

Home Arenas and Fan Support

Capital One Arena, former home of the Mystics, photographed in 2007

The Washington Mystics led the WNBA in home attendance in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2009. To celebrate their fans, six banners were hung in the Verizon Center (their former home) for each year they were "Attendance Champions."

However, these banners were sometimes made fun of. In 2010, Ted Leonsis, the team owner, announced that the banners would be taken down. He said that only banners for winning a division, conference, or league championship should be displayed.

The Mystics now play most of their home games at the CareFirst Arena, which seats 4,200 people. This is the smallest home venue in the WNBA since 2019. In 2024, the Mystics played 16 of their 20 home games at CareFirst Arena and 4 games at the larger Capital One Arena, which can hold over 20,000 fans.

Season Records

Current Players

Former Players

Many talented players have been part of the Washington Mystics team:

• Nicky Anosike (2011)
• Alana Beard (2004–2011)
• Kiesha Brown (2002–2005)
• Vicky Bullett (2000–2002)
• Keri Chaconas (1998)
• Marissa Coleman (2009–2011)
• Kahleah Copper (2016)
• Monique Currie (2007–2014)
• Stacey Dales (2002–2004)
• Stefanie Dolson (2014–2016)
• Lindsey Harding (2009–2010)
• Bria Hartley (2014–2016)
• Chamique Holdsclaw (1999–2004)
• Asjha Jones (2002–2003)
• Zuzana Žirková (2003)
• Crystal Langhorne (2008–2013)
• Kara Lawson (2014–2015)
• Nikki McCray (1998–2001)
• Taj McWilliams-Franklin (2008)
• Chasity Melvin (2004–2007, 2009–2010)
• Coco Miller (2001–2008)
• DeLisha Milton-Jones (2005–2007)
• Murriel Page (1998–2005)
• Nakia Sanford (2003–2010)
• Katie Smith (2010)
• Nikki Teasley (2006–2007)
• Kristi Toliver (2017–2019)
• Kia Vaughn (2013–2016)

Coaches and Staff

Team Owners

• Abe Pollin, owner of the Washington Wizards (1998–2005)
• Monumental Sports & Entertainment/Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Wizards (2005–present)

Head Coaches

General Managers

• Melissa McFerrin (1998–2001)
• Judy Holland-Burton (2002–2005)
• Linda Hargrove (2005–2008)
• Angela Taylor (2009–2010)
• Trudi Lacey (2011–2012)
• Mike Thibault (2013–2024)
• Jamila Wideman (2025–)

Assistant Coaches

Media Coverage

All Mystics games are shown on Monumental Sports Network and online. The main broadcasters for Mystics games are Meghan McPeak and Christy Winters Scott. Some Mystics games are also shown on national TV channels like ESPN, ESPN2, Ion Television, CBS, CBS Sports Network, and ABC.

Hall of Famers

FIBA Hall of Famers

See also

In Spanish: Washington Mystics para niños

• Sports in Washington, D.C.