The Washington Mystics didn’t last long in the playoffs. The Atlanta Dream swept them in two games. However, just making the playoffs was a massive win for the Mystics—the whole season was, really.
They entered the season with the youngest roster in the WNBA, relying heavily on several first- and second-year players around Shakira Austin and Michaela Onyenwere. Despite their youth and inexperience, the Mystics were right there with more veteran teams. They finished higher in the standings than the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Dallas Wings—and still got a lottery pick, courtesy of Jeff Pagliocca and the Chicago Sky.
The Mystics’ future is incredibly bright, and the Golden State Valkyries’ championship should give them even more confidence. The Valkyries proved that defense does indeed win championships, even when the offense isn’t quite where you would like it to be.
Sydney Johnson implemented a strong defensive identity in Washington. His team might be young, but his players are big, physical, and fearless. As a result, the Mystics finished the regular season with the second-best defensive rating in the W. Their offense may still need some work, but they already have the defensive part of building a championship contender figured out. Plus, now their young core finally has some playoff experience.
The Mystics still have a lot of room to grow offensively
None of the Mystics’ young players are finished products yet. Even Shakira Austin, who just finished her fifth season, only now entered the All-WNBA territory. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will get better, growing into the stars they have already shown signs of being.
Moreover, Georgia Amoore just played her first WNBA season after suffering an ACL tear before her rookie year. She will be better next season and beyond. Lauren Betts is playing for EuroLeague powerhouse Fenerbahce this offseason, competing alongside established veterans such as Emma Meesseman and Julie Allemand. It should do wonders for her development.
The Mystics will get a lot better with internal improvements, but they can also bring in outside help. They will have a chance to draft someone like Hannah Hidalgo to boost their point guard rotation, and they could go star-chasing in free agency. Since they have such a young team, the Mystics have a cheap roster and a ton of cap space to explore luring Kelsey Mitchell or Kelsey Plum to Washington.
It might not happen immediately, but the Mystics have the potential to become just as good offensively as they already are defensively.
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