# 2021 Washington Mystics season

The 2021 Washington Mystics season was the franchise's 24th season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season tipped off versus the Chicago Sky on May 15, 2021.
The Mystics struggled to start the season only winning two of their six games in the month of May. Their fortunes rebounded when they posted a .500 winning percentage through June and in their two games in July before the Olympic break. In closing out their pre-Olympic schedule they won in overtime versus the Chicago Sky to finish the first portion of the schedule with an 8–10 record. Coming back from the break, they faced a tough schedule and posted a 2–6 record, including losing the first four games back from the break. To close out the season, September contained two wins book marked by two losses on either side. Going into the last day of the season, the Mystics had a chance to secure a playoff spot, but lost to the Minnesota Lynx to miss the playoffs and finish with a 12–20 record. Tina Charles was a bright spot during the season, as she led the league in scoring.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

Due to a trade in 2020 for C Tina Charles, the Mystics did not make a selection in the 2021 Draft.

### Trades and roster changes

| Date | Details |
| December 28, 2020 | Exercised Team Option on G Kiara Leslie |
| January 4, 2021 | Extended Qualifying Offers to G Stella Johnson, G Jacki Gemelos, and G Sug Sutton |
| January 8, 2021 | Re-Signed G Stella Johnson, G Jacki Gemelos, and G Sug Sutton |
| February 1, 2021 | Signed F Alysha Clark |
| February 2, 2021 | Re-Signed F LaToya Sanders |
| February 5, 2021 | Re-Signed C Tina Charles |
| February 5, 2021 | Acquired F Erica McCall from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for the Mystic's third round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft. |
| February 26, 2021 | Signed G Ariel Atkins to a Contract Extension |
| March 8, 2021 | F LaToya Sanders retires. |
| March 8, 2021 | Signed F Theresa Plaisance |
| March 10, 2021 | Re-Signed G Natasha Cloud |
| March 16, 2021 | Signed F Aislinn Konig to a Training Camp Contract |
| March 19, 2021 | G Jacki Gemelos retires |
| March 31, 2021 | Signed G Shavonte Zellous |
| April 16, 2021 | Signed F G'mrice Davis to a Training Camp Contract |
| April 18, 2021 | Signed F Tyra Whitehead, F Blanca Millán, and G Pre Stanley to Training Camp Contracts |
| April 20, 2021 | Full Season Suspend F Alysha Clark due to Overseas Injury |
| April 30, 2021 | Signed G Klara Lundquist to a Training Camp Contract |
| May 2, 2021 | Waived F Tyra Whitehead |
| May 5, 2021 | Full Season Suspend G Klara Lundquist |
| May 5, 2021 | Waived F Blanca Millan |
| May 10, 2021 | Waived G Pre Stanley and G Aislinn Konig |
| May 11, 2021 | Waived F G'mrice Davis |
| May 12, 2021 | Temporarily Suspend F Myisha Hines-Allen due to Overseas Commitment |
| May 13, 2021 | Waived G Sug Sutton |
| May 13, 2021 | Traded a 2022 2nd Round Pick to Los Angeles in exchange for G Sydney Wiese |
| May 22, 2021 | Activate F Myisha Hines-Allen from Temporary Suspension List |
| May 22, 2021 | Waived F Jillian Alleyne |
| June 21, 2021 | Signed F Megan Gustafson to a Hardship Contract |
| June 28, 2021 | Waived F Megan Gustafson, G Stella Johnson, and G Kiara Leslie |
| July 1, 2021 | Signed F Megan Gustafson and G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to 7-Day Contracts |
| July 8, 2021 | Signed F Megan Gustafson and G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a 2nd 7-Day Contracts |
| August 18, 2021 | Signed G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a Rest-Of-Season Contract |
| August 18, 2021 | Signed F Megan Gustafson to a 3rd 7-Day Contract |
| August 25, 2021 | Signed F Megan Gustafson to a Rest-Of-Season Contract |

## Game log
### Preseason

2021 pre-season game log :
May: 0–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 5
Atlanta
L 80–87
Tina Charles (18)
Jillian Alleyne (12)
Natasha Cloud (3)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 0
0–1
2
May 8
@ Minnesota
L 68–79
Tina Charles (18)
Jillian Alleyne (8)
Natasha Cloud (4)
Target Center No Fans
0–2 :
2021 pre-season schedule :

### Regular season

2021 game log Total: 12–20 (Home: 8–8; Road: 4–12) :
May: 2–4 (Home: 1–2; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 15
Chicago
L 56–70
Tina Charles (14)
Erica McCall (9)
Cloud Mitchell (3)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 1,050
0–1
2
May 18
Phoenix
L 70–91
Tina Charles (22)
Tina Charles (12)
Leilani Mitchell (7)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 1,050
0–2
3
May 21
New York
W 101–72
Tina Charles (34)
Tina Charles (13)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Entertainment and Sports Arena No Fans
1–2
4
May 23
@ Indiana
L 77–89
Tina Charles (31)
Charles McCall (9)
Ariel Atkins (4)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse No Fans
1–3
5
May 25
@ Indiana
W 85–69
Tina Charles (30)
Myisha Hines-Allen (10)
Natasha Cloud (7)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse No Fans
2–3
6
May 28
@ Connecticut
L 81–86
Tina Charles (29)
Myisha Hines-Allen (10)
Charles Cloud Hines-Allen (3)
Mohegan Sun Arena 2,102
2–4 :
June
: 5–5 (Home: 4–2; Road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
7
June 5
Las Vegas
L 93–96
Myisha Hines-Allen (32)
Myisha Hines-Allen (13)
Natasha Cloud (11)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
2–5
8
June 8
Minnesota
W 85–81
Tina Charles (31)
Tina Charles (8)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
3–5
9
June 10
Los Angeles
W 89–71
Ariel Atkins (23)
Tina Charles (10)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
4–5
10
June 13
@ Atlanta
L 78–101
Myisha Hines-Allen (16)
Charles Leslie (7)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Gateway Center Arena 1,122
4–6
11
June 17
Atlanta
W 96–93
Ariel Atkins (32)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Natasha Cloud (11)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
5–6
12
June 19
Indiana
W 82–77
Tina Charles (30)
Tina Charles (15)
Theresa Plaisance (4)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
6–6
13
June 22
@ Seattle
W 87–83
Tina Charles (34)
Tina Charles (16)
Leilani Mitchell (7)
Angel of the Winds Arena 2,495
7–6
14
June 24
@ Los Angeles
L 82–89
Leilani Mitchell (26)
Tina Charles (10)
Ariel Atkins (7)
Los Angeles Convention Center 520
7–7
15
June 26
@ Dallas
L 74–85
Tina Charles (27)
Tina Charles (10)
Leilani Mitchell (7)
College Park Center 2,055
7–8
16
June 29
Connecticut
L 71–90
Tina Charles (26)
Theresa Plaisance (7)
Ariel Atkins (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
7–9 :
July
: 1–1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
17
July 3
@ New York
L 79–82
Tina Charles (31)
Tina Charles (16)
Shavonte Zellous (5)
Barclays Center 1,615
7–10
18
July 10
@ Chicago
W 89–85 (OT)
Tina Charles (34)
Tina Charles (17)
Natasha Cloud (11)
Wintrust Arena 8,331
8–10 :
August
: 2–6 (Home: 2–3; Road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
19
August 15
@ Las Vegas
L 83–84
Atkins Charles (20)
Charles Hines-Allen (8)
Natasha Cloud (10)
Michelob Ultra Arena 3,024
8–11
20
August 17
@ Las Vegas
L 83–93
Tina Charles (30)
Tina Charles (10)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Michelob Ultra Arena 3,241
8–12
21
August 19
@ Phoenix
L 64–77
Tina Charles (17)
Myisha Hines-Allen (9)
Atkins Cloud Plaisance (2)
Phoenix Suns Arena 5,113
8–13
22
August 22
Seattle
L 78–85
Tina Charles (20)
Myisha Hines-Allen (17)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,114
8–14
23
August 24
Los Angeles
W 78–68
Myisha Hines-Allen (19)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,620
9–14
24
August 26
Dallas
L 77–82
Myisha Hines-Allen (16)
Delle Donne Hines-Allen Plaisance (5)
Natasha Cloud (7)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,465
9–15
25
August 28
Dallas
W 76–75
Natasha Cloud (21)
Erica McCall (8)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,410
10–15
26
August 31
Connecticut
L 75–85
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (17)
Hines-Allen McCall (5)
Natasha Cloud (12)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,269
10–16 :
September
: 2–4 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
27
September 4
@ Indiana
L 75–93
Ariel Atkins (25)
Tina Charles (8)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Target Center 3,403
10–17
28
September 7
@ Seattle
L 71–105
Shavonte Zellous (17)
Megan Gustafson (8)
Sydney Wiese (4)
Angel of the Winds Arena 2,390
10–18
29
September 10
Atlanta
W 82–74
Tina Charles (26)
Tina Charles (16)
Cloud Plaisance (6)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,320
11–18
30
September 12
@ Chicago
W 79–71
Tina Charles (31)
Tina Charles (10)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Wintrust Arena 4,707
12–18
31
September 17
@ New York
L 80–91
Ariel Atkins (29)
Cloud Hines-Allen (5)
Charles Cloud (7)
Barclays Center 3,615
12–19
32
September 19
Minnesota
L 77–83
Natasha Cloud (22)
Tina Charles (13)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,854
12–20 :
2021 season schedule :

## Standings

| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
| 1 | x – Connecticut Sun | 26 | 6 | .813 | – | 12–3 | 15–1 | 11–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 24 | 8 | .750 | 2 | 11–4 | 13–3 | 11–5 | 6–4 |
| 3 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 22 | 10 | .688 | 4 | 10–5 | 13–3 | 9–7 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Seattle Storm | 21 | 11 | .656 | 5 | 9–6 | 11–5 | 10–6 | 8–2 |
| 5 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 13 | .594 | 7 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 12–4 | 5–5 |
| 6 | x – Chicago Sky | 16 | 16 | .500 | 10 | 10–5 | 6–10 | 10–6 | 6–4 |
| 7 | x – Dallas Wings | 14 | 18 | .438 | 12 | 7–8 | 7–9 | 7–9 | 3–7 |
| 8 | x – New York Liberty | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 5–11 | 5–5 |
| 9 | e – Washington Mystics | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 7–8 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 10 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 2–13 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 1–9 |
| 11 | e – Atlanta Dream | 8 | 24 | .250 | 18 | 6–9 | 4–12 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Indiana Fever | 6 | 26 | .188 | 20 | 4–11 | 4–12 | 2–14 | 2–8 |
* v
* t
* e
Notes
    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

## Statistics
### Regular Season

Source:
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Tina Charles | 27 | 27 | 33.3 | 44.9 | 36.5 | 82.0 | 9.6 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 23.4 |
| Ariel Atkins | 30 | 30 | 30.6 | 40.7 | 35.9 | 83.1 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 16.2 |
| Elena Delle Donne | 3 | 3 | 13.7 | 48.1 | 60.0 | 100 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 13.7 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | 18 | 17 | 25.7 | 41.4 | 31.7 | 73.2 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 12.9 |
| Natasha Cloud | 27 | 27 | 31.6 | 38.9 | 27.4 | 83.6 | 3.6 | 6.4 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 8.7 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 16 | 13 | 21.6 | 51.3 | 32.0 | 85.7 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 7.4 |
| Leilani Mitchell | 31 | 12 | 23.4 | 36.0 | 35.7 | 82.6 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 6.4 |
| Theresa Plaisance | 31 | 11 | 18.0 | 35.1 | 30.2 | 81.5 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 6.4 |
| Sydney Wiese | 27 | 8 | 21.4 | 32.3 | 29.1 | 77.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| Shavonte Zellous | 28 | 5 | 15.8 | 37.7 | 24.4 | 80.6 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 4.3 |
| Erica McCall | 23 | 6 | 15.5 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 62.5 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 4.1 |
| Megan Gustafson | 11 | 1 | 9.9 | 59.4 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 4.0 |

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date awarded |
| Tina Charles | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | June 14 |
| Tina Charles | Eastern Conference Player of the Month - June | July 1 |
| Ariel Atkins | WNBA All-Star Selection | June 30 |
| Tina Charles | WNBA All-Star Selection | June 30 |
| Tina Charles | Eastern Conference Player of the Week | September 13 |
| Tina Charles | Peak Performer: Points | September 20 |
| Ariel Atkins | WNBA All-Defensive Second Team | September 26, 2021 |
| Tina Charles | All-WNBA Second Team | October 15 |