# 2023 Washington Mystics season

The 2023 Washington Mystics season was the franchise's 26th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and their first season under head coach Eric Thibault.
On November 15, 2022, the Mystics announced that former head coach Mike Thibault would be retiring from the coaching side of basketball. He would still retain his General Manager title. They also announced that assistant coach Eric Thibault would be promoted to head coach for the Mystics.
The Mystics earned the fourth overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft through the Draft Lottery system. They entered the lottery with the third best odds, but fell one spot.
The Mystics started the season off with a win, but then lost their next two games, which were both against Connecticut. After winning their final game, they finished May with a 2–2 record. June began with the Mystics winning three of the first four games. The lost a game before going on a three-game winning streak. They finished the season losing two of their last three games and ended June with a 7–4 record. The team lost two of their first four games in July, before losing five of their last six. They finished July with a 3–7 record. They won their first game in August before a three-game losing streak. They won their next two, but then lost to games, before winning two more games. A loss in the final game of August saw the team finish with a 5–6 record in the month. The Mystics entered September in the hunt for one of the final playoff spots. They began September with a loss, but secured their playoff spot with a win on September 5. They lost their penultimate game of the season, but won their final game to secure the seventh seed.
As the seventh seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs they faced off against the second seed New York Liberty. In the first game, New York won by fifteen points, 90–75. Needed to win to keep the series alive, the Mystics forced overtime in New York, but were unable to finish with a win, and lost 85–90 to end their season. This was the second straight season qualifying for the playoffs, and the sixth playoff appearance in seven years for the Mystics.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
| 1 | 4 | Stephanie Soares | Brazil | Iowa State |
| 2 | 20 | Elena Tsineke | Greece | South Florida |
| 3 | 32 | Txell Alarcón | Spain | Araski AES |
* Soares was traded on Draft Day to the Dallas Wings in exchange for a future 2024 second-round pick and 2025 first-round draft pick (via Atlanta)

### Transactions

| Date | Transaction |
| November 15, 2022 | Head Coach Mike Thibault retires from coaching. Thibault will stay on as General Manager. |
| November 15, 2022 | Hired Eric Thibault as Head Coach |
| November 15, 2022 | Promoted LaToya Sanders to Associate Head Coach |
| November 15, 2022 | Promoted Maria Giovannetti to Assistant General Manager/Senior Vice President of Strategy and Vision |
| January 13, 2023 | Extended Qualifying Offers to Rui Machida, Jazmine Jones, and Evina Westbrook |
| January 20, 2023 | Signed Evina Westbrook to her Qualifying Offer - Training Camp Contract |
| January 23, 2023 | Signed Jazmine Jones to a Qualifying Offer - Training Camp Contract |
| February 1, 2023 | Signed Brittney Sykes to a 3-Year Deal |
| February 1, 2023 | Signed Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a 2-Year Deal |
| February 1, 2023 | Rescinded Qualifying Offer to Rui Machida |
| February 2, 2023 | Signed Tianna Hawkins to a Training Camp Contract |
| February 2, 2023 | Signed Alisia Jenkins to a Training Camp Contract |
| February 5, 2023 | Traded a Second-Round Pick in the 2024 and 2025 WNBA Drafts to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for the negotiating rights to Amanda Zahui B |
| February 6, 2023 | Signed Stephanie Jones to a Training Camp Contract |
| February 7, 2023 | Signed Amanda Zahui B to a Training Camp Contract |
| March 13, 2023 | Signed Li Meng to a Training Camp Contract |
| March 21, 2023 | Hired Ashlee McGee as Assistant Coach |
| April 10, 2023 | Traded the draft rights to Stephanie Soares to the Dallas Wings in exchange for Dallas's 2024 Second Round Pick and Atlanta's 2025 First Round Pick |
| April 13, 2023 | Signed Elena Tsineke to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| April 25, 2023 | Signed Kristi Toliver |
| May 1, 2023 | Signed Emily Engstler to a Training Camp Contract |
| May 7, 2023 | Waived Evina Westbrook and Alisia Jenkins |
| May 14, 2023 | Waived Stephanie Jones and Elena Tsineke |
| May 17, 2023 | Waived Jazmine Jones and Emily Engstler |
| June 19, 2023 | Temporarily suspend the contract of Li Meng due to Overseas Commitments |
| June 20, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a Hardship Contract |
| June 30, 2023 | Signed Linnae Harper to a Hardship Contract |
| July 4, 2023 | Released Abby Meyers and Linnae Harper from their Hardship Contracts |
| July 4, 2023 | Traded Amanda Zahui B to the Indiana Fever in exchange for Queen Egbo |
| July 5, 2023 | Activated the temporarily suspended contract of Li Meng due to Overseas Commitments |
| July 5, 2023 | Signed Linnae Harper to a Hardship Contract |
| July 12, 2023 | Signed Cyesha Goree to a Hardship Contract |
| July 21, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a 7-Day Contract |
| July 28, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a 2nd 7-Day Contract |
| August 4, 2023 | Signed Abby Meyers to a 3rd 7-Day Contract |
| August 7, 2023 | Released Abby Meyers from the 7-Day Contract |
| August 12, 2023 | Released Linnae Harper from the Hardship Contract |
| August 13, 2023 | Signed Jennie Simms to a 7-Day Contract |
| August 14, 2023 | Released Cyesha Goree from the Hardship Contract |
| August 15, 2023 | Signed Ariel Atkins to a Contract Extension |

### Roster Changes
## Roster
### Depth

| Pos. | Starter | Bench |
| PG | Natasha Cloud | Kristi Toliver |
| SG | Ariel Atkins | Shatori Walker-Kimbrough |
| SF | Brittney Sykes | Li Meng |
| PF | Elena Delle Donne | Myisha Hines-Allen Tianna Hawkins |
| C | Shakira Austin | Queen Egbo |

## Schedule
### Preseason

2023 pre-season game log Total: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1) :
May: 1–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 5
@ Minnesota
69–72
Tianna Hawkins (14)
Stephanie Jones (9)
Natasha Cloud (7)
Target Center 5,001
0–1
2
May 10
Atlanta
W 88–76
Elena Delle Donne (17)
Tianna Hawkins (10)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,612
1–1 :
2023 pre-season schedule :

### Regular Season

2023 game log Total: 19–21 (Home: 12–8; Road: 7–13) :
May: 2–2 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 19
New York
W 80–64
Atkins Cloud (14)
Brittney Sykes (9)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
1–0
2
May 21
@ Connecticut
L 74–80
Shakira Austin (21)
Austin Delle Donne (11)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Mohegan Sun Arena 7,048
1–1
3
May 23
Connecticut
L 81–88
Elena Delle Donne (27)
Shakira Austin (8)
Delle Donne Sykes (4)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,383
1–2
4
May 26
@ Chicago
W 71–69
Elena Delle Donne (25)
Shakira Austin (10)
Natasha Cloud (7)
Wintrust Arena 7,304
2–2 :
June
: 7–4 (Home: 4–1; Road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
5
June 2
Dallas
W 75–74
Elena Delle Donne (23)
Shakira Austin (11)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,294
3–2
6
June 3
Minnesota
L 78–80
Ariel Atkins (18)
Shakira Austin (10)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,534
3–3
7
June 9
@ Seattle
W 73–66
Brittney Sykes (18)
Shakira Austin (11)
Ariel Atkins (6)
Climate Pledge Arena 8,397
4–3
8
June 11
@ Seattle
W 71–65
Natasha Cloud (19)
Shakira Austin (9)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Climate Pledge Arena 13,213
5–3
9
June 13
@ Indiana
L 66–87
Elena Delle Donne (17)
Delle Donne Sykes (6)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Gainbridge Fieldhouse 3,005
5–4
10
June 16
Phoenix
W 88–69
Elena Delle Donne (17)
Tianna Hawkins (8)
Ariel Atkins (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
6–4
11
June 18
Chicago
W 77–69
Elena Delle Donne (20)
Delle Donne Sykes (6)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,009
7–4
12
June 22
@ Chicago
W 80–59
Elena Delle Donne (18)
Brittney Sykes (11)
Brittney Sykes (5)
Wintrust Arena 6,158
8–4
13
June 25
@ New York
L 88–89 (OT)
Ariel Atkins (24)
Cloud Delle Donne (6)
Natasha Cloud (11)
Barclays Center 7,285
8–5
14
June 28
Atlanta
W 109–86
Elena Delle Donne (25)
Tianna Hawkins (11)
Brittney Sykes (10)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,624
9–5
15
June 30
@ Atlanta
L 89–94
Elena Delle Donne (31)
Brittney Sykes (6)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Gateway Center Arena 3,209
9–6 :
July
: 3–7 (Home: 3–2; Road: 0–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
July 2
@ Dallas
L 72–89
Ariel Atkins (20)
Tianna Hawkins (11)
Natasha Cloud (6)
College Park Center 4,544
9–7
17
July 7
Indiana
W 96–88
Brittney Sykes (29)
Ariel Atkins (10)
Tianna Hawkins (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
10–7
18
July 9
@ Connecticut
L 84–92
Tianna Hawkins (24)
Queen Egbo (7)
Brittney Sykes (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 6,558
10–8
19
July 11
Seattle
W 93–86
Brittney Sykes (26)
Queen Egbo (8)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,571
11–8
20
July 19
Indiana
L 76–82
Natasha Cloud (19)
Tianna Hawkins (9)
Brittney Sykes (7)
Capital One Arena 14,406
11–9
21
July 21
New York
L 87–96
Brittney Sykes (29)
Brittney Sykes (10)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
11–10
22
July 23
Phoenix
W 84–69
Cloud Sykes (23)
Egbo Hawkins (7)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
12–10
23
July 26
@ Minnesota
L 92–97
Natasha Cloud (24)
Egbo Hines-Allen (7)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Target Center 7,024
12–11
24
July 28
@ Dallas
62–90
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (14)
Brittney Sykes (5)
Brittney Sykes (4)
College Park Center 4,048
12–12
25
July 30
@ Atlanta
L 73–80
Brittney Sykes (25)
Tianna Hawkins (10)
Natasha Cloud (4)
Gateway Center Arena 3,209
12–13 :
August
: 5–6 (Home: 4–3; Road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26
August 4
Los Angeles
W 79–77
Tianna Hawkins (17)
Egbo Hines-Allen (9)
Brittney Sykes (8)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,747
13–13
27
August 6
Los Angeles
L 83–91
Tianna Hawkins (23)
Natasha Cloud (6)
Natasha Cloud (7)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,073
13–14
28
August 8
@ Phoenix
L 72–91
Brittney Sykes (24)
Queen Egbo (6)
Myisha Hines-Allen (7)
Footprint Center 6,610
13–15
29
August 11
@ Las Vegas
L 89–113
Natasha Cloud (21)
Tianna Hawkins (10)
Cloud Skyes (6)
Michelob Ultra Arena 9,364
13–16
30
August 13
Chicago
L 76–83
Brittney Sykes (30)
Cloud Hawkins (6)
Cloud Sykes (6)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,796
14–16
31
August 18
@ Indiana
W 83–79
Brittney Sykes (30)
Myisha Hines-Allen (6)
Brittney Sykes (4)
Gainbridge Fieldhouse 3,506
15–16
32
August 20
Dallas
L 84–97
Natasha Cloud (22)
Myisha Hines-Allen (8)
Myisha Hines-Allen (6)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
15–17
33
August 22
Connecticut
L 64–68
Natasha Cloud (19)
Queen Egbo (8)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,058
15–18
34
August 26
Las Vegas
W 78–62
Elena Delle Donne (21)
Austin Delle Donne Hawkins (7)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200
16–18
35
August 29
Minnesota
W 83–72
Brittney Sykes (21)
Brittney Sykes (8)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 3,708
17–18
36
August 31
@ Las Vegas
L 75–84
Elena Delle Donne (17)
Hines-Allen Sykes (7)
Cloud Sykes (5)
Michelob Ultra Arena 8,619
17–19 :
September
: 2–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
37
September 3
@ Los Angeles
L 64–72
Brittney Sykes (14)
Hawkins Hines-Allen (7)
Natasha Cloud (5)
Crypto.com Arena 4,284
17–20
38
September 5
@ Phoenix
W 100–77
Natasha Cloud (20)
Myisha Hines-Allen (8)
Natasha Cloud (10)
Footprint Center 7,038
18–20
39
September 8
Atlanta
L 75–80
Brittney Sykes (27)
Myisha Hines-Allen (7)
Natasha Cloud (15)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,210
18–21
40
September 10
@ New York
W 90–88
Brittney Sykes (20)
Brittney Sykes (7)
Brittney Sykes (6)
Barclays Center 8,306
19–21 :
2023 season schedule :

### Playoffs

2023 playoff game log :
First Round vs. New York Lost Series: 0–2
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
September 15
@ New York
L 75–90
Myisha Hines-Allen (21)
Hines-Allen Cloud (8)
Natasha Cloud (8)
Barclays Center 8,789
0–1
2
September 19
@ New York
L 85–90 (OT)
Natasha Cloud (33)
Brittney Sykes (12)
Natasha Cloud (9)
Barclays Center 9,256
0–2 :
2023 playoff schedule :

## Standings

| # | Team vte | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
| 1 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 34 | 6 | .850 | – | 18–2 | 19–1 | 15–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | 2 | 16–4 | 15–5 | 17–3 | 7–3 |
| 3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 27 | 13 | .675 | 7 | 14–6 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Dallas Wings | 22 | 18 | .550 | 12 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 6–4 |
| 5 | x – Atlanta Dream | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 11–9 | 11–9 | 8–12 | 6–4 |
| 6 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 12–8 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 5–5 |
| 7 | x – Washington Mystics | 19 | 21 | .475 | 15 | 9–11 | 12–8 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 8 | x – Chicago Sky | 18 | 22 | .450 | 16 | 5–15 | 7–13 | 11–9 | 3–7 |
| 9 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 17 | 23 | .425 | 17 | 9–11 | 10–10 | 7–13 | 5–5 |
| 10 | e – Indiana Fever | 13 | 27 | .325 | 21 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–8 |
| 11 | e – Seattle Storm | 11 | 29 | .275 | 23 | 8–12 | 4–16 | 7–13 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Phoenix Mercury | 9 | 31 | .225 | 25 | 2–18 | 8–12 | 1–19 | 1–9 |
Notes
    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from postseason contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

## Playoffs

| Round One: Best-of-3 | Round One: Best-of-3 | Round One: Best-of-3 | Semifinals: Best-of-5 | Semifinals: Best-of-5 | Semifinals: Best-of-5 | Finals: Best-of-5 | Finals: Best-of-5 | Finals: Best-of-5 |
| 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 2 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Chicago Sky | 0 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Chicago Sky | 0 | 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Dallas Wings | 0 | | | |
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 2 | 4 | Dallas Wings | 0 | | | |
| 5 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | | | | 1 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 |
| | | | | | | 2 | New York Liberty | 1 |
| 2 | New York Liberty | 2 | | | | | | | 2 | New York Liberty | 1 |
| 7 | Washington Mystics | 0 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Washington Mystics | 0 | 2 | New York Liberty | 3 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Connecticut Sun | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 2 | 3 | Connecticut Sun | 1 | | | |
| 6 | Minnesota Lynx | 1 | | | | | | |
Bold Series winner

## Statistics
### Regular Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Elena Delle Donne | 23 | 23 | 27.5 | .485 | .393 | .938 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 16.7 |
| Brittney Sykes | 40 | 40 | 31.3 | .439 | .350 | .797 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 15.9 |
| Natasha Cloud | 37 | 37 | 32.4 | .377 | .298 | .900 | 3.7 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 12.7 |
| Ariel Atkins | 27 | 27 | 25.1 | .414 | .339 | .897 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 11.5 |
| Shakira Austin | 19 | 17 | 23.2 | .500 | .000 | .610 | 7.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 10.0 |
| Tianna Hawkins | 40 | 21 | 23.1 | .491 | .333 | .750 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 8.2 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 40 | 15 | 24.8 | .429 | .390 | .936 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 6.3 |
| Queen Egbo$^≠$ | 21 | 0 | 15.8 | .544 | .000 | .633 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 6.2 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | 35 | 18 | 17.6 | .340 | .273 | .717 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.6 |
| Li Meng | 34 | 1 | 15.9 | .378 | .364 | .846 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 5.6 |
| Cyesha Goree$^‡$ | 10 | 0 | 11.6 | .469 | .214 | .857 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 3.9 |
| Kristi Toliver | 11 | 0 | 9.0 | .333 | .357 | .800 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.6 |
| Amanda Zahui B.$^†$ | 12 | 1 | 7.8 | .250 | .214 | .750 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2.0 |
| Linnae Harper$^‡$ | 14 | 0 | 5.2 | .308 | .364 | .000 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Abby Meyers$^‡$ | 9 | 0 | 4.0 | .385 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 |
$^‡$Waived/Released during the season $^†$Traded during the season $^≠$Acquired during the season

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Natasha Cloud | 2 | 2 | 37.0 | .433 | .500 | 1.000 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 18.5 |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | 2 | 2 | 29.5 | .636 | .333 | .500 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.5 |
| Brittney Sykes | 2 | 2 | 39.0 | .414 | .222 | .500 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 15.0 |
| Ariel Atkins | 2 | 2 | 33.5 | .345 | .250 | 1.000 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 13.5 |
| Elena Delle Donne | 2 | 2 | 36.5 | .321 | .000 | 1.000 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 11.0 |
| Tianna Hawkins | 2 | 0 | 14.5 | .400 | .500 | .000 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | 2 | 0 | 11.0 | .400 | .000 | .500 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Li Meng | 2 | 0 | 7.0 | .200 | .250 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Queen Egbo | 2 | 0 | 4.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date awarded |
| Elena Delle Donne | WNBA All-Star | July 1 |
| Brittney Sykes | All-Defensive First Team | September 22 |
| Li Meng | WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 2 |