Washington Mystics

Elena Delle Donne's stellar WNBA career has come to an end after 10 seasons.

The seven-time All-Star announced her retirement in a post on Instagram.

Delle Donne has been a star since 2008 when she was the top-ranked college recruit in the country. She originally committed to play for Geno Auriemma at Connecticut but withdrew from the school shortly after enrolling in summer classes due to what she said were "a lot of personal issues to fix."

The Delaware native wound up attending the University of Delaware in the fall of 2008 and joined the volleyball team as a walk-on player during her freshman year, but she didn't join the basketball team until the 2009-10 season.

Delle Donne went on to become the best basketball player in Delaware history during her four years with the program. She is the Blue Hens' all-time leader in total points (3,039), points per game (26.7), field goals (1,030), three-point field goals (206) and blocks per game (2.4).

After her college career ended, Delle Donne was the No. 2 pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She spent her first four seasons with the Sky, winning MVP in 2015 and making the All-Star team three times.

Delle Donne was traded to the Washington Mystics prior to the 2017 season. She won her second MVP award and led the Mystics to the WNBA title in 2019, defeating the Connecticut Sun in the Finals.

The 2019 campaign saw Delle Donne become the first player to have a 50-40-90 season in WNBA history (51.5/43.0/97.4).

The 2023 season turned out to be Delle Donne's final year in the WNBA. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported in February 2024 that Delle Donne was not going to sign her supermax contract with the Mystics because she wanted to take time away from basketball.

Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points on 47.5 percent shooting (39.2 percent from three) and 6.7 rebounds in 241 career WNBA games. She also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2016 Olympics.

The Washington Mystics announced their new leadership moving forward, with Sydney Johnson becoming the new head coach and Jamila Wideman taking over as general manager.

Johnson was most recently an assistant with the Chicago Sky. His coaching career includes stops at Princeton and Fairfield.

Wideman played four seasons in the WNBA and was there for the league's inaugural campaign in 1997. She became the NBA's senior vice president of player development in 2018.

"Jamila's breadth of experience, range of core competencies, and passion for developing the whole athlete, makes her the ideal person to usher in the new era of Mystics Basketball," Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger said Monday. "Together with her player connectivity, big picture vision, and intimate knowledge of the global scope of our game, we feel strongly that Jamila will be a bedrock for our athletes, coaches, and staff as they pursue another championship for the DMV."

"Similarly, Sydney brings an exceptional combination of acumen, tenacity, and empathy that will elevate our play and galvanize the team around the new direction for this championship franchise. His deep love of basketball and passion for uplifting others make him a natural fit in our greater Monumental Basketball ecosystem."

The Mystics are embarking on a new era in more ways than one.

Mike Thibault had been with the organization since 2013, first as the head coach and general manager before moving full time into the front office after the 2022 season. His son, Eric, succeeded him as coach.

The Thibaults' departures could also signal an official break with two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne as well. Washington applied the core player designation to Delle Donne last offseason, which granted the team exclusive negotiating rights with her, and it can utilize that option again after she sat out all of 2024.

Assuming Delle Donne is ready to return in 2025, retaining a 35-year-old forward who has battled persistent back trouble in recent years wouldn't make a lot of sense for a franchise that seems to be starting over.

For Johnson and Wideman, the overriding priority next season is laying the groundwork for the future while fielding a competitive squad.

Aaliyah Edwards, Sika Koné and Jade Melbourne are the only players under contract in 2026, while Shakira Austin will be a restricted free agent. The Mystics will add some more young cost-controlled talent through the 2025 WNBA draft, where their picks include No. 4 and 6 overall selections.

Wideman will have a lot of flexibility to tailor the roster for either a true rebuild or a quick turnaround in 2026, when free agency will provide teams with an abundance of ready-made talent.

Elena Delle Donne is stepping away from basketball and won't sign the one-year supermax offer she received from the Washington Mystics ahead of the 2024 season, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

It's unclear how long Delle Donne will be away from the game. She made her decision to step away this week and "needs more time to think about her future in the game," per Shelburne.

Before free agency began, Delle Donne informed the Mystics that "she was unsure about her future, in the hopes she would not interfere with the Mystics' offseason plans," Shelburne added.

Washington then placed the core designation on Delle Donne and still holds the rights to her contract.

Delle Donne has spent the last six seasons of her career in Washington after getting her start with the Chicago Sky in 2013 as the second overall pick in the WNBA draft.

The 34-year-old earned one of her two WNBA MVP awards with the Mystics and has also earned four of her seven All-Star selections in Washington. She helped the franchise win a WNBA title in 2019.

Delle Donne put together a solid 2023 season, averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23 games while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor and 39.3 percent from deep. However, the Mystics finished with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 18-22 and suffered a first-round playoff loss to the New York Liberty.

With the Mystics again not expected to contend for a title in 2024, it's no surprise Delle Donne is weighing her options.

The Mystics open the 2024 season on May 14 against the Liberty with a roster highlighted by Brittney Sykes, Ariel Atkins and Myisha Hines-Allen.

Washington Mystics star Kristi Toliver suffered a torn ACL in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Sparks and will miss the remainder of the 2023 season, head coach Eric Thibault told reporters Tuesday.

Toliver suffered the noncontact injury after notching just three points in 1:43 on the floor against the Sparks. She had to be carried off the court.

Toliver, who is in her second stint in Washington, appeared in just 11 games for the Mystics this season, averaging 3.6 points and shooting 33.3 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from deep.

The three-time WNBA All-Star spent three seasons with the Mystics from 2017-19 before returning to the team this year.

Toliver spent the first year of her career with the Chicago Sky after being selected third overall in the 2009 WNBA draft. She also played for the Sparks from 2010-15 and again from 2021-22.

Toliver is a two-time WNBA champion, winning titles with the Sparks in 2016 and the Mystics in 2019.

The Mystics, led by Elena Delle Donne, currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 17-20 record. They're slated to take on the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night.

Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne suffered a sprained left ankle during her team's road game against the Atlanta Dream on Friday.

Jenn Hatfield of The Next relayed Mystics head coach Eric Thibault's postgame comments regarding the ailment:

The injury occurred with 15 seconds remaining in the Dream's 94-89 win. Tyler Byrum of NBC Sports Washington provided more information.

Delle Donne finished with 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting. The six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time MVP entered Friday averaging 18.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Mystics, who are fourth in the league standings at 9-6.

Losing the ex-Delaware star for any amount of time is a massive blow to Washington. Delle Donne is an invaluable member of the team and one of the WNBA's greatest and most accomplished talents. Her resume also includes the 2019 WNBA title, a gold medal with Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics and four All-WNBA First Team recognitions.

The Mystics were already shorthanded before the Delle Donne injury with Shakira Austin out for three weeks with a hip strain. Austin is averaging 11.4 points and 7.8 rebounds on the season.

Now the Mystics will wait and see on Delle Donne's injury. At the very least, the Mystics only play once in the next week, perhaps giving Delle Donne enough time to return without missing much action. The All-Star break also looms ahead.

More specifically, the Mystics will face the Dallas Wings on Sunday before enjoying four full days of rest. They'll then play games every other day from July 7-11 before entering the All-Star break.

Washington starts the second half of the year on July 19 against the Indiana Fever.

The NBA's Washington Wizards and WNBA's Washington Mystics reportedly have their next leader.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Michael Winger will go from general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers to the president of Monumental Basketball. The new position gives him "full leadership" of the Wizards, Mystics and the G League's Capital City Go-Go.

Ava Wallace of the Washington Post added more context to the hiring:

The Wizards fired general manager Tommy Sheppard in April after his four seasons with the position.

Washington made the playoffs just one time during that span and finished with a losing record all four seasons. It went a combined 129-179 during the last four years and was just 35-47 in each of the last two seasons.

It didn't take the team long to find his replacement, although Wojnarowski noted New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon was also a strong candidate in the search.

Winger comes to the Wizards after stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Clippers. Wojnarowski described him as someone "with a reputation as a keen strategist, dealmaker and relationship builder" and highlighted his ability to build a contender with the Clippers.

Los Angeles added Kawhi Leonard and Paul George during his tenure and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2021. It was the only time the franchise advanced that far in the postseason in its history.

Building a contender with the Wizards will be no easy task.

ESPN's Bobby Marks provided an overlook at the franchise's current position that includes important decisions regarding the contracts of Kristaps Porziņģis and Kyle Kuzma:

Washington hasn't won a playoff series since the 2016-17 season and has struggled of late. Part of the issue has been the durability of star shooting guard Bradley Beal, who hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since the 2018-19 campaign.

Whether Winger decides to trade him to reshape the roster and facilitate a rebuild remains to be seen, but he has a no-trade clause in his contract and would need to approve such a move.

Longtime Washington Mystics head coach and general manager Mike Thibault will not walk the sidelines next season.

According to The Athletic, Thibault has retired from coaching but will remain with the franchise as GM. His son Eric, who has been an assistant on Mike's coaching staff for their entire 10-year run with Washington, has been elevated to head coach.

Mike Thibault is the winningest coach in WNBA history with a record of 379-289.

After being hired as head coach and GM in December 2012, Thibault led Washington to eight playoff appearances and the WNBA championship in 2019. The 72-year-old also coached the Connecticut Sun for 10 seasons prior to joining the Mystics and was named WNBA Coach of the Year three times (2006, 2008, 2013).

"I am proud to have been the Head Coach of the Washington Mystics the past 10 years. After 55 years in coaching (the last 20 in the WNBA), I feel like it is time to turn this team over to Eric and his coaching staff on the court. He is ready and prepared for it," Thibault stated.

Eric Thibault has spent the last four seasons as associate head coach. While working under his father, the 35-year-old handled player development duties with an emphasis on guards.

In addition to Eric Thibault's promotion to head coach, assistant general manager Maria Giovannetti was also named senior vice president of strategy and vision.

"I am looking forward to my continued role as GM, working together with the incredible energy that Maria, Eric and the rest of the staff bring in order to continue our pursuit of another WNBA Championship," Mike Thibault stated. "Maria will take on an even greater role in the development of our team on and off the court. Needless to say, we have an important off-season ahead."

Thibault was an assistant coach under Cheryl Reeve for Team USA during the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup in Sydney, helping lead the squad to its fourth straight title. He was also on the staff that coached Team USA to the women's gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The Mystics finished 22-14 last season and fell to the Seattle Storm in the first round of the playoffs.

Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault issued an apology for his comments about the Minnesota Lynx's travel issues ahead of Sunday's game.

The Lynx had issues with their flight Saturday and did not make it to Washington until around midnight ahead of Sunday's 3 p.m. ET game. WNBA teams fly commercial, rather than on charter flights, which can at times create a hectic travel schedule.

Minnesota had played back-to-back games Thursday and Friday, making the time delay with the team's flight Saturday even more of an issue. When Thibault was asked before the game about the issues facing the Lynx, he offered no sympathy.

"I'm tired of hearing about them," Thibault said. "I'm tired of hearing about it on Twitter. It happens to every team. And I get it. Every team would like to get in feeling fully refreshed. But they got here last night. They didn't play yesterday. I know it's a long day. But everybody goes through that."

The WNBA contacted the Mystics about potentially moving Sunday's game back to the evening in order to accommodate the Lynx, but Washington refused.

"We have close to a sellout today, and it's not like they were arriving this morning," Thibault said. "I know it was a long travel day; we've all had them. We really weren't in a position to accommodate them unless there was a much more mitigating circumstance than there is right now."

The Mystics earned a 70-57 victory, with the Lynx shooting just 33.3 percent from the field and making only four of their 20 three-point attempts. Minnesota's 57 points were its lowest total of the season.

Despite Thibault's harsh comments, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve responded to his Twitter apology by writing: "All good, Coach. We have years of respect behind us - this situation won't change that."

The Atlanta Dream have shaken up the first round of the 2022 WNBA draft.

The team announced Wednesday it acquired the No. 1 overall pick from the Washington Mystics in return for the No. 3 and 14 picks in this year's draft. The Mystics will also have the opportunity to swap first-rounders with what was the Los Angeles Sparks' 2023 first-round pick, which went to Atlanta in the Erica Wheeler trade.

The Dream must covet Baylor's NaLyssa Smith or Kentucky's Rhyne Howard, who are widely considered the two best players in the 2022 draft class.

Smith averaged 22.1 points and was one of the country's best rebounders. She collected 11.5 boards per game and ranked 50th in total rebounding rate, per Her Hoop Stats. Howard is a more natural scorer, averaging 20.5 points and shooting 38.3 percent on three-pointers in her senior year with the Wildcats.

Had Atlanta stayed at No. 3, there's little chance Smith or Howard would still have been available.

The Dream are a bit of a blank slate under general manager Dan Padover, who was hired last October. They didn't make any significant moves in free agency, and their biggest transaction was sending Chennedy Carter to the Los Angeles Sparks.

With only four players under contract in 2023, Padover seems to be laying the foundation for the future. To that end, either Smith or Howard would make sense.

Elizabeth Williams signed with the Mystics, so Howard would serve as a long-term replacement for the 2017 All-Star. The departures of Carter and Courtney Williams created the need for a scorer, though, and the 6'2" Howard would add size in the backcourt next to the 5'6" Aari McDonald.

Dream fans might have felt a little underwhelmed this offseason because hiring Padover, a two-time WNBA Executive of the Year, certainly sent a message. After winning 23 games over the past three years, the franchise is tired of irrelevancy.

Between having the No. 1 pick in 2022 and a ton of salary cap space in 2023, big things could be coming for Atlanta over the next few years.