2023 Washington Mystics season

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2023 Washington Mystics season
Head Coach Eric Thibault
Arena Entertainment and Sports Arena
Attendance 4,391 per game
Results
Record 19–21
(.475)
Place T-3rd (Eastern)
Playoff Finish 7th seed; Lost 1st Round 0–2 to New York
Team Leaders
Points Elena Delle Donne – 16.7 ppg
Rebounds Shakira Austin – 7.0 rpg
Assists Natasha Cloud – 6.2 apg
Washington Mystics seasons
< 2022 2024 >

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.

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

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See also: 2023 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

Roster

2023 Washington Mystics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 7 United States Atkins, Ariel Injured 5' 8" (1.73m) 167 lb (76kg) 1996-07-30 Texas 5
F/C 0 United States Austin, Shakira 6' 5" (1.96m) 190 lb (86kg) 2000-07-25 Mississippi 1
G 9 United States Cloud, Natasha 5' 9" (1.75m) 160 lb (73kg) 1992-02-22 Saint Joseph's 7
G/F 11 United States Delle Donne, Elena Injured 6' 5" (1.96m) 187 lb (85kg) 1989-09-05 Delaware 9
F/C 4 United States Egbo, Queen 6' 4" (1.93m) 190 lb (86kg) 06-29-2000 Baylor 1
F 21 United States Hawkins, Tianna 6' 3" (1.91m) 186 lb (84kg) 1991-03-02 Maryland 9
F 2 United States Hines-Allen, Myisha 6' 1" (1.85m) 200 lb (91kg) 1996-05-30 Louisville 5
F 3 China Meng, Li 6' 0" (1.83m) 198 lb (90kg) 01-02-1995 China R
G 15 United States Sykes, Brittney 5' 9" (1.75m) 154 lb (70kg) 1994-02-07 Syracuse 6
G 20 United States Toliver, Kristi Injured 5' 7" (1.7m) 130 lb (59kg) 01-27-1987 Maryland 13
G 32 United States Walker-Kimbrough, Shatori 5' 9" (1.75m) 140 lb (64kg) 1995-05-18 Maryland 6
Head coach
United States Eric Thibault (Missouri)
Assistant coaches
United States LaToya Sanders (North Carolina)
United States Shelley Patterson (Washington State)
United States Ashlee McGee (Austin Peay)
Athletic trainer
United States Chrisitna Kennedy
Strength and conditioning coach

Vacant

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Depth

Pos. Starter Bench
PG Natasha Cloud Kristi ToliverCruz Roja.svg
SG Ariel Atkins Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
SF Brittney Sykes Li Meng
PF Elena Delle DonneCruz Roja.svg Myisha Hines-Allen
Tianna Hawkins
C Shakira Austin Queen Egbo

Schedule

Preseason

2023 pre-season game log
2023 pre-season schedule

Regular Season

2023 game log
2023 season schedule

Playoffs

2023 playoff game log
First Round vs. New York
Lost Series: 0–2
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 September 15 @ New York L 75–90 Myisha Hines-Allen (21) Hines-Allen
Cloud (8)		 Natasha Cloud (8) Barclays Center
8,789		 0–1
2 September 19 @ New York L 85–90 (OT) Natasha Cloud (33) Brittney Sykes (12) Natasha Cloud (9) Barclays Center
9,256		 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

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See also: 2023 WNBA Playoffs
Round One:
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

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]

References

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External links

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