The last time that Capital One Arena hosted the Washington Mystics, Aaliyah Edwards was playing for Crestwood Prep in Toronto, Ontario, just one month removed from her 16th birthday. She hadn’t committed to college yet, and while her future was promising, dreams of playing professional basketball were far from certain.
Since that August night in 2018, both Edwards and the Mystics have been through what seems like a lifetime of experiences.
Edwards won high-school championships, was named Basketball Without Borders Global MVP, etched her name in the University of Connecticut record books, and even made an Olympic appearance for her home country of Canada.
The Mystics won their first WNBA Championship, played in the “Wubble”, underwent countless roster changes, and said goodbye to their longest-tenured head coach, Mike Thibault, after a decade-long run in the capital city.
10,000 fans attending the game Thursday night served as a powerful testament to both histories.
It can’t be denied that a large portion of the sellout crowd came to see Angel Reese. The LSU-made, Chicago-paid star has swiftly cemented herself as one of basketball’s biggest icons. An equally large portion of Mystics fans have loudly criticized the franchise for passing on Reese, a Maryland native, in the 2024 WNBA draft.
Reese was selected seventh by the Sky. The Mystics picked Edwards sixth.
Unavoidable criticisms over the decision likely fueled Edwards going into Thursday night’s matchup. Not only did she have the chance to validate the organization’s trust in her, but she had an audience bigger than any Mystics home crowd in half a decade.
Aaliyah Edwards and Her History-Making Night
At just 21 years of age, Edwards put on a show.
Thursday marked her fourth start, and Edwards set a new career high in nearly every major stat. 23 points. 14 rebounds. 4 blocks. She became the sixth rookie in WNBA history to record that stat line (or better) in a game. Lingering questions about the Mystics pick were resoundingly answered.
Edwards came out blazing, going 7-7 from the field en route to 16 first-half points. Chicago (4-5) was paced by Chennedy Carter, who notched 10 through the first two periods.
The Mystics have shown an inability to build on leads. However, they thwarted potential runs from the Sky in an uncharacteristically strong second quarter. Carrying a 44-35 lead into the half, Washington was impressing the Capital One crowd early.
A crafty back-cut layup from Ariel Atkins three minutes into the second half peaked the Mystics lead at 13. Unfortunately for Washington, the Sky refused to lay down. Chicago ended the third quarter on a dominant 25-6 run, and the Mystics returned to harsh reality in the final period, unable to regain a lead.
Angel Reese and the Sky departed from D.C. with a 79-71 victory in their pocket, and Aaliyah Edwards’ memorable night was left without its storybook conclusion.
(Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun)
The Mystics, still winless through ten games, couldn’t muster any firepower behind their rookie. Edwards made 10 field goals. No one else made more than 4. Edwards shot 83.3% from the floor. No one else shot over 50%.
Rough Start to the WNBA Season for the Mystics
The success of Aaliyah Edwards may lessen the blow of the loss, but not much redemption can be found as the Mystics extend their worst start in franchise history.
Through ten games, different players have inherited the lead role for the Mystics on different nights. On paper, they have a formidable supporting cast, but consistency has been absent. Injuries haven’t helped either, as the team has been without star Brittney Sykes since week one and has periodically missed starting forward Shakira Austin.
Until the team regroups at full strength, games may continue to feel more like experiments than competitions. Rotations are constantly changing. The roles of players like DiDi Richards and Emily Engslter are cloudy. Head coach Eric Thibault may not yet be on the hot seat. Nonetheless, the team has too much young talent to waste, and D.C. needs to fall in love with the Mystics again.
A matchup with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever (2-9) on Friday, once again set under the bright lights of Capital One Arena, could relieve the tribulations of the Mystics. “Easy” games don’t exist for a struggling team, and while Indiana is just as hungry as Washington, the Fever may be the best shot at the win column that the Mystics get.
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