Despite only winning 14 games in the 2024 season, the Washington Mystics came close to securing a playoff spot. Ultimately, they finished the season in ninth place, just one game behind the Atlanta Dream, and in the draft lottery. That is not a bad position to be in for a young team, though.
The Mystics have plenty of young players, most notably Shakira Austin, Aaliyah Edwards, Emily Engstler, and Jade Melbourne. Edwards and Austin are currently playing well in Unrivaled, but being a serious playoff team still seems rather far away for the Mystics, especially after they traded Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky.
Because of that deal, the Mystics now have several high picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft. They will get to make selections at numbers three, four, and six. Given how many picks they have, the Mystics should have an obvious strategy in the draft.
The Mystics should focus on amassing as much young talent as possible
The Mystics have some interesting young players, but they do not have a clear direction or identity at the moment. So, their priority in the next few seasons should be to gather and develop as much young talent as possible. The 2025 Draft offers the perfect opportunity to get started on that.
The Mystics could try to move up in the draft, but it seems unlikely that the Wings or Storm would want to give up the opportunities to draft Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles. Plus, landing several young players instead of just one may have some benefits for the Mystics.
The 2025 Draft is packed with young talent, even if some players might not be quite ready to come to the WNBA just yet. With three picks, the Mystics could, for example, draft Sonia Citron, Dominique Malonga, and Justé Jocyté. Adding three young players like that would give the Mystics a great foundation to build for the future—whether that means developing all of their young players and building a contender that way or using some of them in trades to bring in stars once they are ready to compete again.
Gathering a significant group of young talent may be the best option for the Mystics right now simply because of the various opportunities it offers them for the long-term future. Considering the players who will be available in future drafts, now is the perfect time to focus on developing young players rather than winning games.
With how many draft assets the Mystics have, they are certainly well set up for the future.