In a whirlwind season full of ups and downs, the Washington Mystics concluded their 2024 run with a bang—defeating the Caitlin Clark-led Indiana Fever 92-91 at Capital One Arena and setting the all-time WNBA single game attendance record with 20,711 fans.
Though they wrapped on a high note, such an exhilarating result was unimaginable earlier in the season. The Mystics stumbled out of the gate with a 0-12 start. To their credit, however, the team clawed their way through regular season drudgery to land themselves in playoff contention and remained hopeful about their chances until the closing moments of the season. The team ultimately missed the mark by just one game, ending with a 14-26 record and squandering the final playoff spot to the Atlanta Dream (15-25).
The Mystics have a long and storied history, coming into the WNBA fray 26 years ago during the 1998 season. Accruing 15 total playoff appearances, the Mystics claimed the top prize — the WNBA championship — in 2019. The likes of Chamique Holdsclaw, Elena Delle Donne and Emma Meesseman, star players in their own right, have played for the team. Delle Donne in particular led the team to enviable success from 2017-2023, scoring a MVP and four all-star game appearances in the process.
Since their last championship, the Mystics have endeavored to find a new identity, transitioning from the end of Delle Donne’s prime to the next generation of players. Their growing pains have certainly played out in full view of the public, but the team has also given fans much to cheer for, developing several promising young talents.
In this year’s WNBA Draft, the Mystics took former UConn star forward Aaliyah Edwards 6th overall to complement their other recent top pick, former Ole Miss star center Shakira Austin, who the team drafted 3rd overall in the 2022 WNBA draft. Edwards’ around-the-court dominance and Austin’s versatile offensive game point to a potential turnaround in the near future.
Adding to the excitement, the Mystics — in failing to make the playoffs — will have the opportunity to add yet another top pick to their roster when the 2025 draft rolls around. Current mock drafts have the Mystics drafting another UConn star, one of Edwards’ former teammates, shooting guard Azzi Fudd, at 4th overall next February. They also have a second, albeit lower, first rounder that should also bolster available talent.
The infusion of youth into the team mirrors an overall trend across the league of high-profile women’s college players bringing the spotlight with them when they join the WNBA, leading to higher television ratings and therefore higher salaries. For a team like the Mystics, a youthful roster composed of college stars bodes well for not just the team’s future, but also the future of women’s professional basketball. Especially with the team’s central location and promising prospects, the Mystics have the potential to raise the profile of the WNBA even more in coming years.
There’s no question that the Mystics will need to make aggressive moves over the offseason to improve their team. They have a budding young core surrounded by a solid veteran supporting cast, but the team will need to chase down free agents who can increase their offensive firepower and further develop in-house talent. Another priority will be for injured players to get healthy, especially guard Brittney Sykes, who suffered a high ankle sprain in just the second game of the season this year. The coaching team has a strong foundation to work with, but for things to significantly turn around, all of these pieces need to fall in place.
Nevertheless, the Mystics’ progression from a team with the fourth-worst start in WNBA history to a respectable underdog in the race for the playoffs at the tail end of this season offers plenty to be excited about. But even more encouraging is the overall elevation of women’s professional basketball into the public consciousness, which will allow players around the league to move closer to receiving all the attention, compensation and praise they deserve. Maybe, just maybe, the Mystics might even make a permanent move from the Entertainment & Sports Arena to Capital One?