Washington Mystics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washington Mystics
Conference	Eastern
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	1998; 27 years ago (1998)
History	Washington Mystics 1998–present
Arena	Entertainment and Sports Arena
Location	Washington, D.C.
Team colors	Red, navy blue, silver, white
Main sponsor	GEICO
President	Michael Winger
Assistant(s)	LaToya Sanders (Associate HC) Shelley Patterson Ashlee McGee
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). The Mystics are part of the league's Eastern Conference.

The team started in 1998. It is owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment. This company also owns the Washington Wizards, the Mystics' male NBA team. The Mystics play their home games at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.

The Mystics have made it to the WNBA Playoffs many times. They have been home to amazing players like two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne. Other great players include Chamique Holdsclaw, Alana Beard, and Crystal Langhorne. 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. Then, in 2019, they won their first championship!

Team History

Early Years (1998–2004)

Logo from 1998 to 2010

The Washington Mystics were one of the first new teams in the WNBA. In their first year, 1998, they had a tough start. They finished with only 3 wins and 27 losses. This was the worst record in the WNBA that year. Even with Olympian Nikki McCray on the team, they didn't make the playoffs.

In 1999, the team hoped for better results. They drafted Chamique Holdsclaw, a star player from the University of Tennessee. Washington improved their record to 12 wins and 20 losses. But they still missed the playoffs. Holdsclaw led the team to the playoffs in 2000. They had a 14–18 record but lost to the New York Liberty in the first round.

After a tough 2001 season (10–22 record), the coach and general manager left. Marianne Stanley became the new head coach. With Holdsclaw and rookie Stacey Dales-Schuman, the Mystics made the playoffs in 2002. They had a 17–15 record. They beat the Charlotte Sting in the first round. But they lost to New York again in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was the only time they won a playoff series until 2017.

In 2003, the Mystics had another difficult season. They finished with only 9 wins and 25 losses. This was one of their worst records ever.

In 2004, there were rumors that Chamique Holdsclaw was unhappy. She was sidelined with depression. Even without their star, rookie Alana Beard led the team to the playoffs. They finished 17–17. But they lost in the first round to the Connecticut Sun.

Changes and Challenges (2005–2007)

Big changes happened for the Mystics in 2005. Chamique Holdsclaw left to join another team. The team was also sold to Ted Leonsis. In 2005, the Mystics finished with 16 wins and 18 losses. They did not make the playoffs.

In 2006, the Mystics did better with an 18–16 record. Star guard Alana Beard was a key player. They entered the playoffs as the 4th seed. But they were swept by the top-seeded Connecticut Sun in the first round.

The Mystics finished 2007 with a 16–18 record. They had the same record as the New York Liberty. But because New York won more games against them during the season, the Mystics missed the playoffs.

Building for the Future (2008–2012)

Crystal Langhorne in 2011

In 2008, the Mystics hoped to improve. They drafted Crystal Langhorne from Maryland. But the team continued to struggle with coaching changes. They had 10 different coaches in 11 years! The Mystics finished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The team decided they needed to make big changes to their coaching and management.

In 2009, new leaders were brought in. The Mystics drafted new players like Matee Ajavon and Marissa Coleman. They started the season surprisingly well, winning their first three games. They finished with a 16–18 record, good enough for the playoffs. However, they were swept by 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. Led by Lindsey Harding, Katie Smith, and Crystal Langhorne, they finished first in the East with a 22–12 record. But they were swept again in the first round by the Atlanta Dream.

Before the 2011 season, more big changes happened. The general manager left, and the head coach also departed. Trudi Lacey took over both roles. Key players like Harding and Smith were traded. Monique Currie was injured. As a result, the Mystics' record dropped sharply to 6–28 in 2011. Alana Beard also left the team.

After an even worse season in 2012 (5–29), Trudi Lacey was fired. The Mystics had a chance to get a top draft pick in 2013 but ended up with the 4th pick. They missed out on drafting highly-rated players like Brittney Griner and Elena Delle Donne.

A Bright Future (2013–2016)

Even without a top-3 pick, the Mystics stayed positive. They continued to rebuild their team. They drafted Tayler Hill and Emma Meesseman in 2013. They also hired Mike Thibault as their new head coach and general manager.

In the 2013 season, the Mystics finished 17–17 and made the playoffs. But they lost in the first round.

In 2014, they drafted Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson. Meesseman became a starting player. They finished 16–18 and made the playoffs again, but lost in the first round.

For the 2015 season, 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 and made the playoffs, but were eliminated in the first round once more.

In 2016, the Mystics kept adding young talent. They drafted Kahleah Copper. Tayler Hill had a great season, leading the team in scoring. Meesseman also continued to improve. The team didn't make the playoffs, finishing 13–21. However, they showed signs of future success. On September 7, 2016, the Mystics scored a team record 118 points in a game!

The Delle Donne Era and Championship (2017–2023)

During the 2016–17 off-season, the Mystics made big moves. They traded for Elena Delle Donne, the 2015 league MVP. They also signed Kristi Toliver, a great three-point shooter who had just won a championship. These additions made the Mystics a championship contender.

In 2017, the Mystics finished 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. This was the first time in team history they advanced past the second round! Kristi Toliver made 9 three-pointers in that game. In the semifinals, they lost to the Minnesota Lynx, who went on to win the championship.

In 2018, Emma Meesseman missed some games. The Mystics traded Tayler Hill for Aerial Powers. The team finished as the #3 seed with a 22–12 record. They beat the Los Angeles Sparks in the second round. Then, they won an exciting five-game series against the Atlanta Dream. This sent them to the WNBA Finals for the first time ever! 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 season. Her return helped the Mystics have an amazing regular season. They finished with a 26–8 record, the best in the league! They were determined to win the championship. In the semifinals, they beat the Las Vegas Aces.

Then, the Mystics faced the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA Finals. It was an intense series that went to five games. Elena Delle Donne's health was very important. The Mystics finally won their first-ever championship! They came back from being behind in the final game. Emma Meesseman was named the Finals MVP.

Elena Delle Donne did not play in the 2024 season. As of October 2024, she has not said if she will return for the 2025 season.

Team Uniforms

• 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 showed the Inova Health System name.
• 2013–2014: A new number style was used. Inova was still a jersey sponsor.
• 2015–present: The Inova sponsorship ended. The team name (home jerseys) and city name (road jerseys) returned.
• 2016: For the league's 20th season, all games featured colorful uniforms. The Mystics wore a red jersey instead of white at home. They kept their blue jersey for away games.

Fan Attendance

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

The Washington Mystics led the WNBA in home attendance several times. This happened in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2009. To celebrate their fans, six banners were hung in the Verizon Center. These banners celebrated each year the Mystics were "Attendance Champions."

However, these banners were later taken down. In 2010, the team owner, Ted Leonsis, said that "the only banners we should display revolve around winning a division or conference or league championship."

The Mystics now play in the Entertainment and Sports Arena. This arena holds only 4,200 people. It was the smallest arena in the WNBA in 2019. Because of this, the Mystics are not likely to lead the league in attendance anymore.

Players

Current Roster

Notable Former Players

• Alana Beard (2004–2011)
• Chamique Holdsclaw (1999–2004)
• Crystal Langhorne (2008–2013)
• Nikki McCray (1998–2001)
• Kristi Toliver (2017–2019)

Coaches and Staff

Owners

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

Assistant Coaches

Team Statistics

The Mystics have had many great players and teams. Here are some of their top players in different categories over the years:

Media Coverage

All Mystics games are shown on Monumental Sports Network. You can watch them online too. The main broadcasters for Mystics games are Meghan McPeak and Christy Winters Scott.

Some Mystics games are also shown on national TV channels. These include 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