2023 Washington Mystics season
WNBA team season
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The 2023 Washington Mystics season was the franchise's 26th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and their first season under head coach Eric Thibault.
| 2023 Washington Mystics season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Eric Thibault |
| Arena | Entertainment and Sports Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 19–21 (.475) |
| Place | T-3rd (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | 7th seed; Lost 1st Round 0–2 to New York |
On November 15, 2022, the Mystics announced that former head coach Mike Thibault would be retiring from the coaching side of basketball. He would still retain his General Manager title. They also announced that assistant coach Eric Thibault would be promoted to head coach for the Mystics.[1]
The Mystics earned the fourth overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft through the Draft Lottery system. They entered the lottery with the third best odds, but fell one spot.[2]
The Mystics started the season off with a win, but then lost their next two games, which were both against Connecticut. After winning their final game, they finished May with a 2–2 record. June began with the Mystics winning three of the first four games. The lost a game before going on a three-game winning streak. They finished the season losing two of their last three games and ended June with a 7–4 record. The team lost two of their first four games in July, before losing five of their last six. They finished July with a 3–7 record. They won their first game in August before a three-game losing streak. They won their next two, but then lost to games, before winning two more games. A loss in the final game of August saw the team finish with a 5–6 record in the month. The Mystics entered September in the hunt for one of the final playoff spots. They began September with a loss, but secured their playoff spot with a win on September 5. They lost their penultimate game of the season, but won their final game to secure the seventh seed.
As the seventh seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs they faced off against the second seed New York Liberty. In the first game, New York won by fifteen points, 90–75. Needed to win to keep the series alive, the Mystics forced overtime in New York, but were unable to finish with a win, and lost 85–90 to end their season. This was the second straight season qualifying for the playoffs, and the sixth playoff appearance in seven years for the Mystics.
Transactions
WNBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Stephanie Soares |  Brazil |
Iowa State |
| 2 | 20 | Elena Tsineke |  Greece |
South Florida |
| 3 | 32 | Txell Alarcón |  Spain |
Araski AES |
- Soares was traded on Draft Day to the Dallas Wings in exchange for a future 2024 second-round pick and 2025 first-round draft pick (via Atlanta)[3]
Transactions
| Date | Transaction | |
|---|---|---|
| November 15, 2022 | Head coach Mike Thibault retires from coaching. Thibault will stay on as General Manager.[4] | |
| Hired Eric Thibault as Head Coach | ||
| Promoted LaToya Sanders to Associate Head Coach | ||
| Promoted Maria Giovannetti to Assistant General Manager/Senior Vice President of Strategy and Vision | ||
| January 13, 2023 | Extended Qualifying Offers to Rui Machida, Jazmine Jones, and Evina Westbrook[5] | |
| January 20, 2023 | Signed Evina Westbrook to her Qualifying Offer - Training Camp Contract[6] | |
| January 23, 2023 | Signed Jazmine Jones to a Qualifying Offer - Training Camp Contract[7] | |
| February 1, 2023 | Signed Brittney Sykes to a 3-Year Deal[8] | |
| Signed Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a 2-Year Deal[9] | ||
| Rescinded Qualifying Offer to Rui Machida | ||
| February 2, 2023 | Signed Tianna Hawkins to a Training Camp Contract[10] | |
| Signed Alisia Jenkins to a Training Camp Contract[11] | ||
| February 5, 2023 | Traded a Second-Round Pick in the 2024 and 2025 WNBA Drafts to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for the negotiating rights to Amanda Zahui B[12] | |
| February 6, 2023 | Signed Stephanie Jones to a Training Camp Contract[13] | |
| February 7, 2023 | Signed Amanda Zahui B to a Training Camp Contract[14] | |
| March 13, 2023 | Signed Li Meng to a Training Camp Contract[15] | |
| March 21, 2023 | Hired Ashlee McGee as Assistant Coach[16] | |
| April 10, 2023 | Traded the draft rights to Stephanie Soares to the Dallas Wings in exchange for Dallas's 2024 Second Round Pick and Atlanta's 2025 First Round Pick[17] | |
| April 13, 2023 | Signed Elena Tsineke to a Rookie Scale Contract | |
| April 25, 2023 | Signed Kristi Toliver[18] | |
| May 1, 2023 | Signed Emily Engstler to a Training Camp Contract[19] | |
| May 7, 2023 | Waived Evina Westbrook and Alisia Jenkins[20] | |
| May 14, 2023 | Waived Stephanie Jones and Elena Tsineke[21] | |
| May 17, 2023 | Waived Jazmine Jones and Emily Engstler[22] | |
| June 19, 2023 | Temporarily suspend the contract of Li Meng due to Overseas Commitments | |
| June 20, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a Hardship Contract[23] | |
| June 30, 2023 | Signed Linnae Harper to a Hardship Contract[24] | |
| July 4, 2023 | Released Abby Meyers and Linnae Harper from their Hardship Contracts[25] | |
| Traded Amanda Zahui B to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Queen Egbo[26] | ||
| July 5, 2023 | Activated the temporarily suspended contract of Li Meng due to Overseas Commitments | |
| Signed Linnae Harper to a Hardship Contract[27] | ||
| July 12, 2023 | Signed Cyesha Goree to a Hardship Contract[28] | |
| July 21, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a 7-Day Contract[29] | |
| July 28, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a 2nd 7-Day Contract | |
| August 4, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a 3rd 7-Day Contract | |
| August 7, 2023 | Released Abby Meyers from the 7-Day Contract[30] | |
| August 12, 2023 | Released Linnae Harper from the Hardship Contract | |
| August 13, 2023 | Signed Jennie Simms to a 7-Day Contract[31] | |
| August 14, 2023 | Released Cyesha Goree from the Hardship Contract[32] | |
| August 15, 2023 | Signed Ariel Atkins to a Contract Extension[33] | |
Roster Changes
Additions
|
Subtractions
|
Roster
| 2023 Washington Mystics roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth
Schedule
Preseason
| 2023 pre-season game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1)
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| 2023 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
Playoffs
| 2023 playoff game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Round vs. New York Lost Series: 0–2
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 playoff schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Standings
| # | Team |
W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 34 | 6 | .850 | – | 18–2 | 19–1 | 15–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | 2 | 16–4 | 15–5 | 17–3 | 7–3 |
| 3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 27 | 13 | .675 | 7 | 14–6 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Dallas Wings | 22 | 18 | .550 | 12 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 6–4 |
| 5 | x – Atlanta Dream | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 8–12 | 6–4 |
| 6 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 12–8 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 5–5 |
| 7 | x – Washington Mystics | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 9–11 | 12–8 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 8 | x – Chicago Sky | 18 | 22 | .450 | 16 | 5–15 | 7–13 | 11–9 | 3–7 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 17 | 23 | .425 | 17 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 10 | e – Indiana Fever | 13 | 27 | .325 | 21 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–8 |
| 11 | e – Seattle Storm | 11 | 29 | .275 | 23 | 8–12 | 4–16 | 7–13 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Phoenix Mercury | 9 | 31 | .225 | 25 | 2–18 | 8–12 | 1–19 | 1–9 |
Notes
- (#) – League Standing
- x – Clinched playoff berth
- e – Eliminated from postseason contention
- Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Playoffs
| First round Best-of-3 | Semifinals Best-of-5 | Finals Best-of-5 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Chicago Sky | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Washington Mystics | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | New York Liberty | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Minnesota Lynx | 1 | ||||||||||||
- Bold – Series winner
- Italic – Team with home-court advantage
Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elena Delle Donne | 23 | 23 | 27.5 | .485 | .393 | .938 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 16.7 |
| Brittney Sykes | 40 | 40 | 31.3 | .439 | .350 | .797 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 15.9 |
| Natasha Cloud | 37 | 37 | 32.4 | .377 | .298 | .900 | 3.7 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 12.7 |
| Ariel Atkins | 27 | 27 | 25.1 | .414 | .339 | .897 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 11.5 |
| Shakira Austin | 19 | 17 | 23.2 | .500 | .000 | .610 | 7.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 10.0 |
| Tianna Hawkins | 40 | 21 | 23.1 | .491 | .333 | .750 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 8.2 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 40 | 15 | 24.8 | .429 | .390 | .936 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 6.3 |
| Queen Egbo≠ | 21 | 0 | 15.8 | .544 | .000 | .633 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 6.2 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | 35 | 18 | 17.6 | .340 | .273 | .717 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.6 |
| Li Meng | 34 | 1 | 15.9 | .378 | .364 | .846 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 5.6 |
| Cyesha Goree‡ | 10 | 0 | 11.6 | .469 | .214 | .857 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 3.9 |
| Kristi Toliver | 11 | 0 | 9.0 | .333 | .357 | .800 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.6 |
| Amanda Zahui B.† | 12 | 1 | 7.8 | .250 | .214 | .750 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2.0 |
| Linnae Harper‡ | 14 | 0 | 5.2 | .308 | .364 | .000 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Abby Meyers‡ | 9 | 0 | 4.0 | .385 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 |
‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natasha Cloud | 2 | 2 | 37.0 | .433 | .500 | 1.000 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 18.5 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | 2 | 2 | 29.5 | .636 | .333 | .500 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.5 |
| Brittney Sykes | 2 | 2 | 39.0 | .414 | .222 | .500 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 15.0 |
| Ariel Atkins | 2 | 2 | 33.5 | .345 | .250 | 1.000 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 13.5 |
| Elena Delle Donne | 2 | 2 | 36.5 | .321 | .000 | 1.000 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 11.0 |
| Tianna Hawkins | 2 | 0 | 14.5 | .400 | .500 | .000 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 2 | 0 | 11.0 | .400 | .000 | .500 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Li Meng | 2 | 0 | 7.0 | .200 | .250 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Queen Egbo | 2 | 0 | 4.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elena Delle Donne | WNBA All-Star | July 1 | [34] |
| Brittney Sykes | All-Defensive First Team | September 22 | [35] |
| Li Meng | WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 2 | [36] |