Washington Mystics

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Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics logo
Conference Eastern Conference
Founded 1998
Arena Verizon Center
City Washington, D.C.
Team Colors Blue, Black, Bronze
Owner Ted Leonsis
General Manager Linda Hargrove
Head Coach Richie Adubato
WNBA Championships None
Conference Titles None
Mascot Pax

The Washington Mystics is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. They started play in 1998, the second year of the WNBA and are one of the WNBA's first expansion franchises. Although the Mystics have had women's basketball legends Nikki McCray and Chamique Holdsclaw on their roster in the past, the franchise has had mixed success.

The "Mystics" are the WNBA counterpart to the Washington Wizards, but as of 2005 the two franchises are owned by different companies. The Mystics are owned by Ted Leonsis, majority owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals.

The president of the team is Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and ex-wife of Charlotte Sting owner Robert L. Johnson. [1]


Uniforms:

  • On the road, deep blue with black and gold trim and white "Mystics" logo text on the chest. At home, white with gold and light blue trim and light blue "Mystics" logo text. The Mystics logo is on the right leg of the shorts.


Contents

[edit] Franchise history

The Washington Mystics were one of the first WNBA expansion franchises to be established. In 1998, their first season, they were led by Olympian Nikki McCray. Although they did not make the playoffs that year, the team had high expectations after drafting University of Tennessee star Chamique Holdsclaw in 1999. Holdsclaw would lead the team to the playoffs in 2000.

After being tied for the worst record in the WNBA in 2001, coach Tom Maher and General Manager Melissa McFerrin both resigned. With the future of the franchise up in the air, Mystics assistant coach Marianne Stanley took over as head coach and with the duo of Holdsclaw and rookie guard Stacey Dales-Schuman, the Mystics made the playoffs in 2002. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost 2 games to 1 to the New York Liberty.

Rumors of Holdsclaw being unhappy playing in Washington came to a head in 2004 when the Mystics star was sidelined with an unspecified ailment, later revealed to be a bout with depression. With their all-star out, rookie and Duke University standout Alana Beard led a depleted Mystics team to a surprising playoff appearance, the second playoff appearance in Mystics history.

2005 saw deep changes in the Mystics organization. Former star Chamique Holdsclaw joined the Los Angeles Sparks and the team was sold by Washington Sports and Entertainment to Lincoln Holdings LLC, lead by Ted Leonsis. [2] In 2005, the team finished the regular season with a win/loss record of 16-18 and failed to make the playoffs.

[edit] "Attendance Champions"

The Washington Mystics led the WNBA in home attendance from 1998 through 2000 and from 2002 through 2004. To celebrate the fans turning out for games, they have hung six banners from the Verizon Center rafters celebrating each year the Mystics were "Attendance Champions."

The banners have been the focal point of much criticism over the years. With many people believing that the rafters are reserved for achievements in sports and not by the fans and thinking it is insulting to have banners for championships (such as the '84 Georgetown Hoyas and the '78 Washington Bullets) and retired numbers (for the Washington Wizards and the Washington Capitals) hang next to "attendance champion" banners.

Members of the press have addressed this controversy many times. Washington City Paper has called them "embarrassing" [3], a 2005 ESPN.com article by Todd Wright had Wright commenting " it's time to lose those Mystics attendance banners hanging from the rafters" [4], the Sports Road Trip website mocked the banners by stating "Oh... Mystics... WNBA "attendance champions" in '98 and '99. "Wheeeeeeee!" [5]. When Washington Post writer Jon Gallo was asked about the banners, he stated "The attendance banners were largely achieved because the Mystics gave away approximately 30 percent of their tickets before Sheila Johnson took over the team. If the Mystics had made everyone pay for a ticket, then they would not have had the best attendance in the league." [6].

[edit] Season-by-Season Records

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Win-Loss %

Season W L % Playoffs Results
Washington Mystics
1998 3 27 .100
1999 12 20 .375
2000 14 18 .438 Lost First Round New York 2, Washington 0
2001 10 22 .313
2002 17 15 .531 Won First Round
Lost Conference Finals		 Washington 2, Charlotte 0
New York 2, Washington 1
2003 9 25 .265
2004 17 17 .500 Lost First Round Connecticut 2, Washington 1
2005 16 18 .471
2006 18 16 .529 Lost First Round Connecticut 2, Washington 0
Totals 116 178 .395
Playoffs 4 8 .333

Stats updated August 20, 2006

[edit] Players of note

[edit] Hall of Famers

none

[edit] Retired numbers

none

[edit] Not to be forgotten

[edit] Current Roster

Washington Mystics
Current Roster
Head Coach: Richie Adubato Edit
Pos. No. Player College
G 20 Alana Beard Duke
G 19 Nikki Blue UCLA
F 00 Latasha Byears DePaul
G 2 Tamara James Miami
G 12 Laurie Koehn Kansas State
C-F 44 Chasity Melvin North Carolina State
G 9 Coco Miller Georgia
C 31 Teana Miller Tulane
F 3 DeLisha Milton-Jones Florida
F 17 Crystal Robinson SE Oklahoma State
F-C 43 Nakia Sanford Kansas
G 42 Nikki Teasley North Carolina
C 43 Zane Teilane Western Illinois
(IL) - Inactive List

[edit] Coaches and others

Head Coaches:

  • Jim Lewis (1998)
  • Cathy Parson (1999)
  • Darrell Walker (2000)
  • Tom Maher (2001)
  • Marianne Stanley (2002-2003), now an Assistant Coach with the New York Liberty
  • Michael Adams (2004)
  • Richie Adubato (2005-present)

[edit] External links

Women's National Basketball Association
Eastern Conference Western Conference
Chicago Sky | Connecticut Sun | Detroit Shock | Indiana Fever | New York Liberty | Washington Mystics Houston Comets | Los Angeles Sparks | Minnesota Lynx | Phoenix Mercury | Sacramento Monarchs | San Antonio Silver Stars | Seattle Storm
Defunct teams: Charlotte Sting | Cleveland Rockers | Miami Sol | Portland Fire
Media: WNBA on ESPN | List of WNBA Finals broadcasters
Other Women's Leagues: National Women's Basketball League | Women's National Basketball League (Australia)

Head Athletic Trainer 2006-Present Navin Hettiarachchi

Navin Hettiarachchi begins his second season with the Washington Mystics as the team's Head Athletic Trainer. He is responsible for the day-to-day health care of the players, the evaluation and rehabilitation therapy of athletic injuries.

Navin is a certified athletic trainer (ATC/L), certified in strength and conditioning (CSCS). He is also a performance enhancement specialist (PES) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2000 and is currently working toward his MS/Doctor of Sport Management through United States Sports Academy University in Alabama.

For the past 6 years he as been working as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation (STAR) clinic in Washington DC treating athletic and non- athletic injuries. From 2001-2003, Navin worked with the Washington Redskins during their mini-camps and pre-season training as well provided services during their home games. Since 2003 Navin has been working with the Washington Wizards as an assistant athletic trainer providing treatment to injured non-traveling athletes and home games.

Navin has also worked for the Jordan All-American games for the past 3 years and the Aflac All-American Baseball classic. He loves playing and watching sports specially cricket, football, rugby, and basketball. He was born and raised in Sri-Lanka.


http://www.wvwc.edu/alu2/publications/sundialArchives/SUNDIAL.pdf

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