Washington Mystics 2024-25 Season Preview (5-4-24)
By: Jaden Golding
Headline Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA Today
Washington D.C.- Entering the new 2024 season, the Washington Mystics are looking for a fresh new start and look to the team. The big headline surrounding the squad will be all-star forward Elena Delle Donne stepping away from basketball and will be missing the entire season. Now the question that remains to be seen is can second-year head coach Eric Thibault help this young core develop and lead them into the postseason once again.
The 2023 season saw Washington finish 19-21 and fell to the New York Liberty 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. It was a tough overall season that saw the team deal with various injuries to Delle Donne, Shakira Austin, Ariel Atkins, Kristi Toliver, and others not being able to have a healthy overall roster for the majority of the season. The addition of veteran guard Brittney Skyes provided wonders for the team as she averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and most importantly started all 40 games. Washington will look for that production from her this season as well.
Key Additions:
Guards Karlie Samuelson and Julie Valvloo
Forward Aaliyah Edwards, Emily Engstler, and Didi Richards
Center Stefanie Dolson
Key Departures:
Guards Natasha Cloud and Kristi Toliver
Forward Tianna Hawkins
Last Year’s Stats:
Teams points per game- 80.5 (8th)
Opp points per game- 80.9 (5th)
Offensive Rating- 101.5 (7th)
Defensive Rating- 102.0 (4th)
2p%- .476 (8th)
3p%- .336 (8th)
Ft- .823 (3rd)
Turnovers- 12.2 (2nd)
Player Points per game leader- (Brittney Skyes) 15.9
Player Assists per game leader- (Natasha Cloud) 6.2
Player Rebounds per game leader- (Tianna Hawkins) 5.0
Player Steals per game leader- (Brittney Skyes) 2.1
Expectations
The style of play will look different without previous main contributors Della Donne and Cloud. I expect the Mystics to play more of a multiple contributors type style, getting scoring from everyone. The young players will look to veteran players who’ve established themselves here such as Atkins, Skyes, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, and Myshia Hines-Allen as the leaders on the team. They have a lot of players who can space the floor with at least 7 players on the roster who shot at 35% or higher from beyond the arc. Expect third-year center Shakira Austin to leap in her production, due to injuries she was held to only 17 games last season, when healthy she helps clog up the paint against opposing offenses, can score inside, and provides the Mystics with a good rebounding presence. Rookie Aaliyah Edwards can bring another great post presence as the Mystics struggled in rebounding finishing tenth in the league last year and forms a young dynamic 1-2 punch down low with Austin. Edwards was highly efficient in the paint in college, can pop a 15-20 foot jumper, and can pass the ball well at her position. Overall, this is a different Mystics team than we’ve seen in recent years, with younger players and ladies who are looking to let their games do the talking on the court. There will be many players who will step up into more expanded roles looking to establish themselves.
The Mystics’ first regular season game kicks off at home on May 14th in a rematch of the first round of the playoffs from last season against the Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart-led New York Liberty at 7 p.m.
