If you’re a Mystics fan, it may feel like your team just can’t catch a break. In the 2020 condensed season; Elena Delle Donne was unable to play due to a medical condition—on top of being denied a medical opt-out by the WNBA—while Natasha Cloud made the admirable decision to spend the season fighting for social justice. Tina Charles and LaToya Sanders were additionally absent from the Wubble, ensuring expectations for the Mystics going into the 2020 season weren’t exactly sky-high.
Somehow, though, readjusting lineups to accommodate a limited roster didn’t hold the Mystics back nearly as much as anticipated. There’s no getting around the Mystics’ eighth seed playoff rank in the Wubble, but there’s also no denying the growth in players who wouldn’t have typically been playing so many minutes. Myisha Hines-Allen, for one, went from not starting a single game in 2019 to starting 22 games in 2020. And boy, did she earn that starting lineup slot.
The 2020 #WNBAPlayoffs Seeding is SET!
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 13, 2020
1️⃣ Las Vegas Aces
2️⃣ Seattle Storm
3️⃣ Los Angeles Sparks
4️⃣ Minnesota Lynx
5️⃣ Phoenix Mercury
6️⃣ Chicago Sky
7️⃣ Connecticut Sun
8️⃣ Washington Mystics
Hines-Allen’s overall point production in the Wubble was nothing remarkable; averaging at 6.8 field goals per game, but she had her surges. During the six games, the Mystics played from September 1st-12th, Hines-Allen 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. In those spurts, Hines-Allen showed us what she’s capable of when she’s consistently given minutes. Given the rapidity with which Hines-Allen upped her game; it’s worth considering whether those surges could become her standard level of play if she’s consistently getting minutes.
Of course, with Elena Delle Donne’s return to the Mystics alongside the addition of Alysha Clark to the team; Hines-Allen may have to work on her consistency to earn her time on the court. If head coach Mike Thibault can figure out how to balance his star players alongside emerging ones like Hines-Allen, though, the 2021 Washington Mystics will be a force to be reckoned with.
On top of Hines-Allen’s promising Wubble play; Mystics fans can look forward to watching Alysha Clark as a Mystics player this upcoming season. A two-time champion with the Seattle Storm; Clark is a tremendous defensive player who can stretch the floor with crisp passes. Though she doesn’t often rack up significant amounts of points, when she does shoot…she really shoots. With a field goal percentage of 55.8% and a 3-point shot percentage of 52.2%, Clark makes up for her lower point-production with accuracy.
Natasha Cloud’s return to the Mystics is another highlight to look forward to— and almost balances out the potential season-long absence of Emma Meesseman. After spending the 2020 season pursuing social justice, Cloud is returning to join her team. Pick No. 15 in the 2015 draft, Cloud has far exceeded expectations and is a significant addition to the Mystics. Since her rookie year, Cloud’s points all across the board have only risen. If she continues this upwards trend, big things will be in store for Cloud during the upcoming season.
The possible absence of Meesseman from the entire 2021 season is the major threat to a successful 2021 Washington Mystics campaign. Meesseman will be playing for her home country of Belgium in the 2021 Olympics, ensuring she will be away for at least some of the WNBA season.
As a dynamic player with fantastic off-ball movement, she will definitely be missed. Though there is hope she will return to the Mystics post-Olympics, she is still an unrestricted free agent…meaning there’s a chance that if she does play in the 2021 WNBA season; it’s not guaranteed it’ll be for the Mystics. The silver lining here is the cap space currently being reserved; if Meesseman returns could still be put to use later in the year; if she opts out of the WNBA season.
Combining the development that role players generated through increased minutes in the Wubble with the presence of Delle Donne and Cloud; good things very well may lie ahead for the Mystics. Whether or not Thibault proves capable of finding a way to balance the team’s confirmed key players with its developing ones might just be what determines the fate of the Mystics in the upcoming season. Either way, the 2021 Washington Mystics are bound to be a team worth tuning into this year.
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