2020 Washington Mystics season

WNBA team season

2020 Washington Mystics season

Coach| Mike Thibault
Arena| Originally: St. Elizabeths East Arena
Rescheduled to: IMG Academy gymnasiums, Bradenton, Florida
Attendance| 0 per game
Results
Record| 9-13 (.409)
Place| 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finish| 8th Seed, Lost in First Round to Phoenix Mercury
Team Leaders
Points| Myisha Hines-Allen – 17.0 ppg
Rebounds| Myisha Hines-Allen – 8.9 rpg
Assists| Leilani Mitchell – 5.4 apg

← 2019 season

2021 season →

The 2020 Washington Mystics season was the franchise's 23rd season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season tipped off versus the Indiana Fever on July 25, 2020.[1]

This WNBA season will feature an all-time high 36 regular-season games.[2] However, the plan for expanded games was put on hold on April 3, when the WNBA postponed its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Under a plan approved on June 15, the league is scheduled to hold a shortened 22-game regular season at IMG Academy, without fans present, starting on July 24.[4][5]

The Mystics were without star Elena Delle Donne for the season, as she sat out due to COVID-19 concerns. Expectations were lowered when it was announced that the 2019 MVP would be out for the season. However, the Mystics defied those expectations in their first three games, winning all three. However, the season took a drastic turn for the worse after that, with the team going 1–11 in their August games. At 4–11 overall, the Mystics were on the outside looking in for the playoffs. The Mystics went 5–2 in September, including a four game win-streak to finish the season and secure the eight seed in the playoffs. As the eight seed, they lost in the first round to the Phoenix Mercury.

## Transactions

[edit]

### WNBA draft

[edit]

See also: 2020 WNBA draft

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Nationality  | School/Team/Country

|
|
|
|

2  | 24  | Jaylyn Agnew |  United States | Creighton
3  | 36  | Sug Sutton |  United States | Texas

### Trades and roster changes

[edit]

Date  | Details

|

February 11, 2020  | Re-Signed F Elena Delle Donne[6]
February 13, 2020  | Signed G Leilani Mitchell[7]
February 17, 2020  | Re-signed G Emma Meesseman[8]
April 15, 2020  | Engaged in a three team trade where they acquired Tina Charles in exchange for their first-round pick in the 2020 WNBA draft and their first, second, and third round pick in the 2021 WNBA draft and G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.[9]
June 22, 2020  | G Natasha Cloud and F/C LaToya Sanders announce they will opt out of the 2020 season.[10]
June 26, 2020  | Signed G/F Essence Carson.[11]
June 29, 2020  | Signed C Alaina Coates and G Shey Peddy.[12]

## Roster

[edit]

2020 Washington Mystics roster

Players| Coaches
| Pos.| No.| Nat.| Name| Height| Weight| DOB| From| Yrs

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

G| 7| | Atkins, Ariel| 5' 8" (1.73m)| 167 lb (76kg)| 1996-07-30| Texas| 2
C| 31| | Charles, Tina| 6' 4" (1.93m)| 192 lb (87kg)| 1988-12-05| Connecticut| 10
C| 81| | Coates, Alaina| 6' 4" (1.93m)| 225 lb (102kg)| 1995-04-07| South Carolina| 2
G/F| 11| | Delle Donne, Elena| 6' 5" (1.96m)| 187 lb (85kg)| 1989-09-05| Delaware| 7
F| 88| | Gemelos, Jacki| 6' 0" (1.83m)| 165 lb (75kg)| 1988-11-22| USC| 1
F| 21| | Hawkins, Tianna| 6' 3" (1.91m)| 186 lb (84kg)| 1991-03-02| Maryland| 6
F| 2| | Hines-Allen, Myisha| 6' 2" (1.88m)| 200 lb (91kg)| 1996-05-30| Louisville| 2
G| 4| | Johnson, Stella| 5' 10" (1.78m)| 158 lb (72kg)| 1998-07-11| Rider| R
G| 1| | Leslie, Kiara| 6' 0" (1.83m)| 175 lb (79kg)| 1995-12-06| NC State| R
F| 33| | Meesseman, Emma| 6' 4" (1.93m)| 191 lb (87kg)| 1993-05-13| Belgium| 6
G| 5| | Mitchell, Leilani| 5' 5" (1.65m)| 138 lb (63kg)| 1985-06-15| Utah| 11
G/F| 23| | Powers, Aerial| 5' 9" (1.75m)| 159 lb (72kg)| 1994-07-17| Michigan State| 4
G| 0| | Sutton, Sug| 5' 8" (1.73m)| 140 lb (64kg)| 1998-12-17| Texas| R

Head coach
Mike Thibault (Saint Martin's)
Assistant coaches
Eric Thibault (Missouri)
Asjha Jones (Connecticut)
Athletic trainer
Chalisa Fonza (Western Illinois)

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

## Game log

[edit]

### Regular season

[edit]

2020 game log
Total: 9–13

July

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | July 25  | Indiana Fever | W 101–76 | Hines-Allen (27)  | Hines-Allen (10)  | Mitchell (4)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 1–0
2  | July 28  | Connecticut Sun | W 94–89 | Powers (27)  | Hines-Allen (8)  | Meesseman (8)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 2–0
3  | July 30  | Seattle Storm | W 89–71 | Atkins (22)  | Powers (8)  | Mitchell (6)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–0

August

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

4  | August 1  | Chicago Sky | L 86–88 | Atkins (24)  | Hines-Allen (10)  | Meesseman (6)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–1
5  | August 5  | Las Vegas Aces | L 77–83 | Meesseman (24)  | Meesseman (13)  | Mitchell (4)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–2
6  | August 7  | New York Liberty | L 66–74 | Powers (20)  | Hines-Allen (8)  | Mitchell (5)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–3
7  | August 9  | Indiana Fever | L 84–91 | Meesseman (19)  | Hawkins (10)  | Mitchell (5)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–4
8  | August 11  | Minnesota Lynx | L 48–68 | Hines-Allen (12)  | 3 tied (6)  | 3 tied (3)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–5
9  | August 13  | Los Angeles Sparks | L 64–81 | Atkins (20)  | Meesseman (11)  | Tied (5)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–6
10  | August 15  | Las Vegas Aces | L 73–88 | Atkins (17)  | Meesseman (9)  | Tied (5)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 3–7
11  | August 19  | Atlanta Dream | W 98–91 | Johnson (25)  | Meesseman (6)  | Meesseman (10)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 4–7
12  | August 21  | Dallas Wings | L 92–101 (OT) | Hines-Allen (35)  | Hines-Allen (12)  | Mitchell (4)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 4–8
13  | August 23  | Phoenix Mercury | L 87–88 | Hawkins (19)  | Hines-Allen (13)  | Hines-Allen (8)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 4–9
14  | August 28  | Phoenix Mercury | L 72–94 | Mitchell (17)  | Tied (6)  | Mitchell (5)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 4–10
15  | August 30  | Connecticut Sun | L 63–76 | Tied (14)  | Hines-Allen (13)  | Hines-Allen (6)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 4–11

September

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Record

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

16  | September 2  | Seattle Storm | L 64–71 | Meesseman (17)  | Hines-Allen (6)  | Mitchell (5)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 4–12
17  | September 4  | Chicago Sky | W 79–69 | Mitchell (20)  | Hines-Allen (10)  | Mitchell (12)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 5–12
18  | September 6  | Dallas Wings | L 94–101 (OT) | Atkins (22)  | Hines-Allen (13)  | Mitchell (9)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 5–13
19  | September 8  | Minnesota Lynx | W 89–86 | Hines-Allen (26)  | Hines-Allen (9)  | Mitchell (10)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 6–13
20  | September 10  | Los Angeles Sparks | W 80–72 | Hines-Allen (30)  | Hines-Allen (8)  | Mitchell (9)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 7–13
21  | September 12  | New York Liberty | W 75–58 | Hines-Allen (25)  | Hines-Allen (11)  | Meesseman (7)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 8–13
22  | September 13  | Atlanta Dream | W 85–78 | Atkins (26)  | Hines-Allen (10)  | Tied (7)  | IMG Academy
No In-Person Attendance  | 9–13

2020 season schedule

### Playoffs

[edit]

2020 playoff game log
Total: 0–1

First Round

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | September 15  | Phoenix Mercury | L 84–85 | Mitchell (25)  | Hines-Allen (9)  | 4 tied (4)  | IMG Academy | 0–1

2020 playoff schedule

## Standings

[edit]

#  | Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Conf.

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | x – Las Vegas Aces | 18 | 4 | .818 | – | 8–2
2  | x – Seattle Storm | 18 | 4 | .818 | – | 8–2
3  | x – Los Angeles Sparks | 15 | 7 | .682 | 3 | 5–5
4  | x – Minnesota Lynx | 14 | 8 | .636 | 4 | 4–6
5  | x – Phoenix Mercury | 13 | 9 | .591 | 5 | 4–6
6  | x – Chicago Sky | 12 | 10 | .545 | 6 | 6–4
7  | x – Connecticut Sun | 10 | 12 | .455 | 8 | 7–3
8  | x – Washington Mystics | 9 | 13 | .409 | 9 | 6–4
9  | e – Dallas Wings | 8 | 14 | .364 | 10 | 1–9
10  | e – Atlanta Dream | 7 | 15 | .318 | 11 | 5–5
11  | e – Indiana Fever | 6 | 16 | .273 | 12 | 4–6
12  | e – New York Liberty | 2 | 20 | .091 | 16 | 2–8

* v
* t
* e

Notes

x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoffs
Home and Away records not shown, as all games played at a neutral location.
Updated to include results from September 13, 2020
Source

## Playoffs

[edit]

Main article: 2020 WNBA Playoffs

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| First round:
Single elimination
(September 15)| | | Second round:
Single elimination
(September 17)| | | Semifinals:
Best-of-five
(September 20–29)| | | WNBA Finals:
Best-of-five
(October 2–11)
| | | |
| | 1| Las Vegas Aces| 62| 83| 68| 84| 66
| |
| | 4| Minnesota Lynx| 80| | | 7| Connecticut Sun| 87| 75| 77| 75| 63| | |
| | | |
| 5| Phoenix Mercury| 85| | | 5| Phoenix Mercury| 79| | | | 1| Las Vegas Aces| 80| 91| 59
| | | | | | |
| 8| Washington Mystics| 84| | | | | | 2| Seattle Storm| 93| 104| 92
| | | | |
| | | 2| Seattle Storm| 88| 89| 92|
| |
| | 3| Los Angeles Sparks| 59| | | 4| Minnesota Lynx| 86| 79| 71| | |
| | | |
| 6| Chicago Sky| 81| | | 7| Connecticut Sun| 73| | | |
| | | |
| 7| Connecticut Sun| 94| | | |
| |
| | | | | | | |

Note: Teams re-seeded after each round.

## Statistics

[edit]

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

[edit]

Player  | GP  | GS  | MPG  | FG%  | 3P%  | FT%  | RPG  | APG  | SPG  | BPG  | PPG

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Myisha Hines-Allen | 22  | 22  | 30.0  | 51.0  | 42.6  | 82.8  | 8.9  | 2.6  | 1.5  | 0.2  | 17.0
Aerial Powers | 6  | 6  | 29.8  | 46.4  | 34.6  | 83.3  | 4.8  | 2.5  | 1.5  | 0  | 16.3
Ariel Atkins | 22  | 22  | 31.0  | 43.8  | 41.1  | 88.6  | 2.9  | 2.4  | 1.8  | 0.3  | 14.8
Emma Meesseman | 20  | 20  | 31.0  | 45.4  | 28.9  | 82.9  | 5.3  | 4.5  | 1.2  | 0.8  | 13.0
Leilani Mitchell | 22  | 22  | 30.6  | 40.8  | 30.5  | 87.2  | 2.8  | 5.4  | 0.8  | 0  | 9.5
Stella Johnson | 5  | 2  | 18.8  | 48.5  | 64.3  | 100  | 2.0  | 2.4  | 1.0  | 0.4  | 9.2
Tianna Hawkins | 17  | 5  | 19.4  | 40.8  | 29.8  | 84.6  | 3.5  | 1.0  | 0.8  | 0.4  | 8.5
Kiara Leslie | 19  | 10  | 21.8  | 35.2  | 36.2  | 92.3  | 3.0  | 1.1  | 0.5  | 0.4  | 5.5
Jacki Gemelos | 12  | 1  | 16.1  | 31.3  | 20.7  | 50.0  | 1.4  | 1.2  | 0.3  | 0.1  | 3.2
Sug Sutton | 12  | 0  | 9.4  | 36.4  | 29.4  | 71.4  | 0.8  | 1.0  | 0.1  | 0  | 2.8
Alaina Coates | 20  | 0  | 9.9  | 52.9  | 0  | 53.8  | 2.8  | 0.5  | 0.4  | 0.2  | 2.5

## Awards and honors

[edit]

Recipient  | Award  | Date awarded  | Ref.

|
|
|

Myisha Hines-Allen | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | August 3, 2020  | [13]
September 14, 2020  | [14]
Eastern Conference Player of the Month – September | September 15, 2020  | [15]
Ariel Atkins | 2nd Team All-Defense | September 29, 2020  | [16]
Myisha Hines-Allen | All-WNBA Second Team | October 4, 2020  | [17]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2020 Washington Mystics Schedule". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
2. ^ "Atlanta Dream Announce 2020 Schedule - Atlanta Dream". dream.wnba.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
3. ^ "WNBA Statement Regarding the Start of the 2020 Regular Season". April 3, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
4. ^ "WNBA Announces Plan To Tip Off 2020 Season". WNBA. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
5. ^ "WNBA announces plans for 2020 season to start late July in Florida". NBC Sports Washington. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
6. ^ "MYSTICS RE-SIGN REIGNING MVP ELENA DELLE DONNE". mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 11, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
7. ^ "LEILANI MITCHELL RETURNS TO MYSTICS". mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
8. ^ "MYSTICS RE-SIGN 2019 FINALS MVP EMMA MEESSEMAN". mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
9. ^ "Washington Mystics Acquire 7x All-Star Tina Charles in Three-Team Deal". wnba.com. WNBA. April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
10. ^ "CLOUD, SANDERS TO OPT OUT OF 2020 SEASON". wnba.com. WNBA. June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
11. ^ "Mystics Sign Veteran Essence Carson". wnba.com. WNBA. June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
12. ^ "MYSTICS SIGN ALAINA COATES AND SHEY PEDDY". wnba.com. WNBA. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
13. ^ "Stewart, Hines-Allen Earn First Players Of The Week Honors Of The Season". wnba.com. WNBA. August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
14. ^ "Hines-Allen, Wilson Earn Player Of The Week Honors For Week 7". wnba.com. WNBA. September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
15. ^ "WNBA Announces Players Of The Month". wnba.com. WNBA. September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
16. ^ "Two Atlanta Dream Players And Seattle Storm's Alysha Clark Headline 2020 WNBA All-Defensive Team". wnba.com. WNBA. September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
17. ^ "A'ja Wilson And Candace Parker Unanimously Selected To 2020 All-WNBA First Team". wnba.com. WNBA. October 4, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website of the Washington Mystics

* v
* t
* e

Washington Mystics

* Founded in 1998
* Based in Washington, D.C.

Franchise|

* Franchise
* Current season

Arenas|

* Capital One Arena (1998–2018)
* CareFirst Arena (2019–present)

Head coaches|

* Jim Lewis
* Cathy Parson
* Nancy Darsch
* Darrell Walker
* Tom Maher
* Marianne Stanley
* Michael Adams
* Richie Adubato
* Tree Rollins
* Jessie Kenlaw
* Julie Plank
* Trudi Lacey
* Mike Thibault
* Eric Thibault
* Sydney Johnson

Administration|

* Sponsor: Inova Health System

* Owner: Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Ted Leonsis)

* President: Michael Winger

* General manager: Melissa McFerrin
* Judy Holland-Burton
* Linda Hargrove
* Angela Taylor
* Trudi Lacey
* Mike Thibault
* Jamila Wideman

All-Stars|

* Ariel Atkins
* Alana Beard
* Tina Charles
* Monique Currie
* Stacey Dales
* Elena Delle Donne
* Stefanie Dolson
* Lindsey Harding
* Chamique Holdsclaw
* Crystal Langhorne
* Ivory Latta
* Nikki McCray
* Emma Meesseman
* DeLisha Milton-Jones
* Kristi Toliver

Culture & lore|

* "Swag Surfin"

Seasons|

* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Playoff appearances|

* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2009
* 2010
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2022
* 2023

Conference Championships|

* 2018
* 2019

WNBA Championships|

* 2019

Media|

* Monumental Sports Network

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

2020 WNBA season by team

* Draft
* Transactions
* Playoffs
* Finals

Eastern|

* Atlanta Dream
* Chicago Sky
* Connecticut Sun
* Indiana Fever
* New York Liberty
* Washington Mystics

Western|

* Dallas Wings
* Las Vegas Aces
* Los Angeles Sparks
* Minnesota Lynx
* Phoenix Mercury
* Seattle Storm

* ← 2019
* WNBA season
* 2021 →

*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[Nat.]: Nationality
*[DOB]: Date of birth
*[Yrs]: Years
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Conf. ]: Conference record
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template