Earlier this week, I wrote about 4 issues we could be pleased with the Washington Mystics for within the 2024 WNBA season. At present, I’ll write about six issues that we should be involved in regards to the Mystics after the 2024 season, a few of which can nonetheless be on my thoughts in 2026. So let’s go.
The Mystics had a under common offense
Washington had the ninth greatest offensive ranking in 2024, partially as a result of they had been the worst group in turnovers with 15.1 per recreation. Julie Vanloo, Ariel Atkins and Brittney Sykes all averaged over 2 turnovers per recreation, with Vanloo having a turnover charge of 24.6 p.c. Sykes’ and Atkins’ turnover charges had been round 15 p.c.
The Mystics additionally struggled to get to the free throw line in 2024, solely making an attempt 601 such pictures, lowest within the WNBA. In the meantime, they allowed different groups to aim 800 free throws.
The Mystics had been the poorest rebounding group within the WNBA
Turnovers is one factor that drives a coach loopy, which we talked about within the earlier part.. The opposite is a scarcity of rebounds Washington averaged 31.9 rebounds within the 2024 season, worst within the WNBA, whereas giving up 35.4 themselves. It’s one factor if Washington performed at a sluggish tempo, which additionally drives stats down. Nonetheless, the Mystics had been sixth in tempo, so this additional signifies that they clearly weren’t constructed to out-rebound their opponents.
The Mystics are reliant on worldwide gamers to fill of their expertise wants in a league that isn’t so pleasant to such gamers
Basically, I would like the perfect gamers on the earth to play within the WNBA. I’m definitely within the camp that the perfect ladies’s gamers on the earth ought to be within the W. Emma Meesseman is without doubt one of the greatest European gamers in WNBA historical past and wouldn’t be a Prime 5 participant on the earth proper now if she by no means performed for the Mystics from 2013-20.
That mentioned, worldwide expertise, particularly these from Europe, are more and more fickle relating to their dedication to the WNBA, if they’ve them within the first place. The highest European leagues in Turkey, France and Russia will seemingly nonetheless pay greater than the WNBA even after 2026. And but, the Mystics appear to be trying to fill of their expertise gaps, particularly at guard with a global participant who is usually a one-and-done.
Rui Machida was on the Mystics in 2022 and didn’t do a lot contributor. Li Meng was right here in 2023 and had her moments, however she by no means performed in 2024 (and I doubt she’s going to subsequent 12 months). And this previous season, Vanloo and Jade Melbourne have had their moments, however I’m not bought on both being in Washington for very lengthy.
I don’t see Vanloo enjoying for the Mystics subsequent 12 months due to her native Belgium seemingly being in Girls’s EuroBasket. However I’d prefer to be mistaken, after all.
And although Melbourne is Australian — and Opals gamers usually are extra dedicated to the WNBA than Europeans — I’m unsure if Melbourne will nonetheless be a Mystics participant past 2025.
The WNBA is rising and that’s a great factor. Nonetheless, I don’t see the WNBA itself rising that a lot past the USA, Canada and maybe another Anglophone international locations like Australia given issues like prioritization, the basketball season calendar in many of the world and continental tournaments.
The Mystics’ progress as a enterprise this 12 months is essentially as a result of different WNBA groups and gamers, not their very own.
Within the 2024 WNBA season, Washington claimed to have bought out all of their video games on the Leisure and Sports activities Enviornment and Capital One Enviornment. That’s nice. particularly the sellouts at Capital One Enviornment on condition that it holds over 20,000 seats.
Nonetheless, the fact is that the Mystics had been a lottery group within the 2024 season and had been the one WNBA group with out an All-Star. Two of the Capital One Enviornment video games had been towards the Indiana Fever, who had been led by their franchise participant Caitlin Clark. Clark’s presence on the Fever has helped many WNBA groups promote out dwelling video games towards her group. And the Fever after all are actually promoting tickets like they haven’t earlier than on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
So let’s be sincere. The Mystics’ progress this season is essentially as a result of gamers on different groups, not the gamers they have already got. Will it at all times be this fashion? In fact not. In spite of everything, the Mystics had been a championship group simply 5 years in the past.
The Mystics are near hitting their ceiling for enterprise progress because of the Wizards and Capitals not transferring to Alexandria. That may negatively have an effect on which WNBA gamers wish to come to Washington in 2026 and past.
The Wizards’ and Capitals’ potential transfer to Alexandria was one of many largest information tales within the 2024 calendar 12 months. However the information of the groups staying at Capital One Enviornment was additionally dangerous information for the Mystics. They should keep at ESA for the foreseeable future on the expense of Wizards and Capitals followers who aren’t WNBA followers AND needed their groups to remain in Chinatown. Or extra precisely, they are going to be at ESA for the foreseeable future as a result of some politicians in Virginia and D.C. needed it that manner.
I admit that I needed the Virginia area to go, but it surely’s not due to the Wizards and Capitals transferring to the state I dwell in. Reasonably, as a result of it will permit the Mystics to develop their paid fanbase and stay aggressive towards different groups who might be in newer and larger services.
As you realize, the WNBA will add three new groups within the subsequent two years. The Golden State Valkyries open store in 2025, whereas two groups in Toronto and Portland open store in 2026 when a brand new Collective Bargaining Settlement is prone to take impact. All three of those groups are enjoying in NBA arenas full-time. In the meantime, the Mystics are within the second smallest area within the league regardless of being in on one of many bigger markets. That might ship the mistaken message to gamers who’re on the lookout for new contracts.
There’s one factor I didn’t embrace as a priority from the previous season: the Mystics’ late season playoff push. Right here’s why.
If the Mystics did an analogous push in previous seasons, I’d be involved as a result of WNBA championship groups sometimes are constructed with a number of prime draft picks. However the 2026 enlargement and new CBA will flip all of that on its head. Moreover, the Mystics are one of many solely groups to win a WNBA championship (and the one group in latest reminiscence to take action) with out counting on a homegrown lottery draft choose to be a foundational championship piece once they did so in 2019. If something, the Mystics are be higher positioned to do that than most different groups.
So how do you’re feeling in regards to the Mystics’ issues after the 2024 season? Tell us within the feedback under.