2021 Washington Mystics season explained

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.^[1]

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

See also: 2021 WNBA draft.

Due to a trade in 2020 for C Tina Charles, the Mystics did not make a selection in the 2021 Draft.^[2]

Trades and roster changes

Date	Details
December 28, 2020	Exercised Team Option on G Kiara Leslie^[3]
January 4, 2021	Extended Qualifying Offers to G Stella Johnson, G Jacki Gemelos, and G Sug Sutton^[4]
January 8, 2021	Re-Signed G Stella Johnson, G Jacki Gemelos, and G Sug Sutton^[5]
February 1, 2021	Signed F Alysha Clark^[6]
February 2, 2021	Re-Signed F LaToya Sanders^[7]
February 5, 2021	Re-Signed C Tina Charles^[8]
	Acquired F Erica McCall from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for the Mystic's third round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft.^[9]
February 26, 2021	Signed G Ariel Atkins to a Contract Extension^[10]
March 8, 2021	F LaToya Sanders retires.^[11]
	Signed F Theresa Plaisance^[12]
March 10, 2021	Re-Signed G Natasha Cloud^[13]
March 16, 2021	Signed F Aislinn Konig to a Training Camp Contract^[14]
March 19, 2021	G Jacki Gemelos retires^[15]
March 31, 2021	Signed G Shavonte Zellous^[16]
April 16, 2021	Signed F G'mrice Davis to a Training Camp Contract^[17]
April 18, 2021	Signed F Tyra Whitehead, F Blanca Millán, and G Pre Stanley to Training Camp Contracts^[18]
April 20, 2021	Full Season Suspend F Alysha Clark due to Overseas Injury^[19]
April 30, 2021	Signed G Klara Lundquist to a Training Camp Contract^[20]
May 2, 2021	Waived F Tyra Whitehead^[21]
May 5, 2021	Full Season Suspend G Klara Lundquist^[22]
	Waived F Blanca Millan
May 10, 2021	Waived G Pre Stanley and G Aislinn Konig^[23]
May 11, 2021	Waived F G'mrice Davis^[24]
May 12, 2021	Temporarily Suspend F Myisha Hines-Allen due to Overseas Commitment^[25]
May 13, 2021	Waived G Sug Sutton^[26]
	Traded a 2022 2nd Round Pick to Los Angeles in exchange for G Sydney Wiese^[27]
May 22, 2021	Activate F Myisha Hines-Allen from Temporary Suspension List^[28]
	Waived F Jillian Alleyne
June 21, 2021	Signed F Megan Gustafson to a Hardship Contract^[29]
June 28, 2021	Waived F Megan Gustafson, G Stella Johnson, and G Kiara Leslie^[30]
July 1, 2021	Signed F Megan Gustafson and G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to 7-Day Contracts^[31]
July 8, 2021	Signed F Megan Gustafson and G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a 2nd 7-Day Contracts^[32]
August 18, 2021	Signed G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to a Rest-Of-Season Contract^[33]
	Signed F Megan Gustafson to a 3rd 7-Day Contract
August 25, 2021	Signed F Megan Gustafson to a Rest-Of-Season Contract^[34]

Game log

Preseason

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 5| Atlanta| L 80–87| Tina Charles (18)| Jillian Alleyne (12)| Natasha Cloud (3)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
0| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 8| @ Minnesota| L 68–79| Tina Charles (18)| Jillian Alleyne (8)| Natasha Cloud (4)| Target Center
No Fans| 0–2

Regular season

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 15| Chicago| L 56–70| Tina Charles (14)| Erica McCall (9)| Cloud
Mitchell (3)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
1,050| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 18| Phoenix| L 70–91| Tina Charles (22)| Tina Charles (12)| Leilani Mitchell (7)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
1,050| 0–2|- style="background:#cfc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| May 23| @ Indiana| L 77–89| Tina Charles (31)| Charles
McCall (9)| Ariel Atkins (4)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
No Fans| 1–3|- style="background:#cfc;"| 5| May 25| @ Indiana| W 85–69| Tina Charles (30)| Myisha Hines-Allen (10)| Natasha Cloud (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
No Fans| 2–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#cfc;"| 8| June 8| Minnesota| W 85–81| Tina Charles (31)| Tina Charles (8)| Natasha Cloud (8)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,100| 3–5|- style="background:#cfc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 10| June 13| @ Atlanta| L 78–101| Myisha Hines-Allen (16)| Charles
Leslie (7)| Natasha Cloud (6)| Gateway Center Arena
1,122| 4–6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 11| June 17| Atlanta| W 96–93| Ariel Atkins (32)| Natasha Cloud (9)| Natasha Cloud (11)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,100| 5–6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 12| June 19| Indiana| W 82–77| Tina Charles (30)| Tina Charles (15)| Theresa Plaisance (4)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,100| 6–6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 14| June 24| @ Los Angeles| L 82–89| Leilani Mitchell (26)| Tina Charles (10)| Ariel Atkins (7)| Los Angeles Convention Center
520| 7–7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 15| June 26| @ Dallas| L 74–85| Tina Charles (27)| Tina Charles (10)| Leilani Mitchell (7)| College Park Center
2,055| 7–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 16| June 29| Connecticut| L 71–90| Tina Charles (26)| Theresa Plaisance (7)| Ariel Atkins (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,100| 7–9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 17| July 3| @ New York| L 79–82| Tina Charles (31)| Tina Charles (16)| Shavonte Zellous (5)| Barclays Center
1,615| 7–10|- style="background:#cfc;"| 18| July 10| @ Chicago| W 89–85 (OT)| Tina Charles (34)| Tina Charles (17)| Natasha Cloud (11)| Wintrust Arena
8,331| 8–10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 20| August 17| @ Las Vegas| L 83–93| Tina Charles (30)| Tina Charles (10)| Natasha Cloud (8)| Michelob Ultra Arena
3,241| 8–12|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#cfc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#cfc;"| 25| August 28| Dallas| W 76–75| Natasha Cloud (21)| Erica McCall (8)| Natasha Cloud (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,410| 10–15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#fcc;"| 27| September 4| @ Indiana| L 75–93| Ariel Atkins (25)| Tina Charles (8)| Natasha Cloud (6)| Target Center
3,403| 10–17|- style="background:#fcc;"| 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|- style="background:#cfc;"| 29| September 10| Atlanta| W 82–74| Tina Charles (26)| Tina Charles (16)| Cloud
Plaisance (6)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,320| 11–18|- style="background:#cfc;"| 30| September 12| @ Chicago| W 79–71| Tina Charles (31)| Tina Charles (10)| Natasha Cloud (8)| Wintrust Arena
4,707| 12–18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 31| September 17| @ New York| L 80–91| Ariel Atkins (29)| Cloud
Hines-Allen (5)| Charles
Cloud (7)| Barclays Center
3,615| 12–19|- style="background:#fcc;"| 32| September 19| Minnesota| L 77–83| Natasha Cloud (22)| Tina Charles (13)| Natasha Cloud (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,854| 12–20

Statistics

Regular Season

Source:^[35]

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	Ref.
Tina Charles	Eastern Conference Player of the Week	June 14	^[36]
	Eastern Conference Player of the Month - June	July 1	^[37]
Ariel Atkins	WNBA All-Star Selection	June 30	^[38]
Tina Charles
Tina Charles	Eastern Conference Player of the Week	September 13	^[39]
Tina Charles	Peak Performer: Points	September 20	^[40]
Ariel Atkins	WNBA All-Defensive Second Team	September 26, 2021	^[41]
Tina Charles	All-WNBA Second Team	October 15	^[42]

External links

• Official website of the Washington Mystics

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2021 Washington Mystics Schedule. WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. en. April 30, 2021.
2. Web site: 2021 WNBA Draft Preview: Washington Mystics sitting this one out. swishappeal.com. Zach. Ward. April 15, 2021. April 30, 2021. SB Nation.
3. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
4. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
5. Web site: Ibrahim . Gabe . WNBA Free Agency 2020: Mystics re-sign Sug Sutton, Jacki Gemelos and Stella Johnson . bulletsforever.com . SB Nation . 3 June 2021.
6. Web site: WNBA CHAMPION ALYSHA CLARK SIGNS WITH MYSTICS. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 1, 2021. April 30, 2021.
7. Web site: SANDERS TO RETURN TO MYSTICS. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 2, 2021. April 30, 2021.
8. Web site: CHARLES RE-SIGNS WITH MYSTICS. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 5, 2021. April 30, 2021.
9. Web site: MYSTICS ACQUIRE ERICA MCCALL. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 5, 2021. April 30, 2021.
10. Web site: ARIEL ATKINS SIGNS MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 26, 2021. April 30, 2021.
11. Web site: LATOYA SANDERS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. March 8, 2021. April 30, 2021.
12. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN THERESA PLAISANCE. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. March 8, 2021. April 30, 2021.
13. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN NATASHA CLOUD TO MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. March 10, 2021. April 30, 2021.
14. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
15. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
16. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN SHAVONTE ZELLOUS. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. March 31, 2021. April 30, 2021.
17. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
18. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
19. Web site: Diaz . Greydy . Mystics announce that Alysha Clark had successful foot surgery . bulletsforever.com . SB Nation . 3 June 2021.
20. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN KLARA LUNDQUIST. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. April 30, 2021. April 30, 2021.
21. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
22. Web site: Lee . Albert . Klara Lundquist suspended for 2021 WNBA season . bulletsforever.com . SB Nation . 3 June 2021.
23. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
24. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
25. Web site: Focus TV Tweet . twitter.com . Twitter . 3 June 2021.
26. Web site: WNBA Transactions . wnba.com . WNBA . 3 June 2021.
27. Web site: Lee . Albert . Mystics acquire Sydney Wiese, waive Sug Sutton . bulletsforever.com . SB Nation . 3 June 2021.
28. Web site: Transactions – Player Movement . acrossthetimeline.com . Across The Timeline . 3 June 2021.
29. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN MEGAN GUSTAFSON . mystics.wnba.com . WNBA . 6 July 2021.
30. Web site: MYSTICS ROSTER UPDATE. mystics.wnba.com . WNBA . 6 July 2021.
31. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN GUSTAFSON AND WALKER-KIMBROUGH. mystics.wnba.com . WNBA . 6 July 2021.
32. Web site: OFFICIAL: We have signed Megan Gustafson and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough to another seven-day contract.. twitter.com . Twitter . 16 July 2021.
33. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN SHATORI WALKER-KIMBROUGH. mystics.wnba.com . WNBA . 21 August 2021.
34. Web site: MYSTICS SIGN MEGAN GUSTAFSON. mystics.wnba.com . WNBA . 30 August 2021.
35. Web site: Stats-Washington Mystics. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. September 30, 2021.
36. Web site: Breanna Stewart and Tina Charles Named Week 4 Players Of The Week. wnba.com. WNBA. June 14, 2021. June 14, 2021.
37. Web site: Tina Charles and A’ja Wilson Named Players Of The Month. wnba.com. WNBA. July 1, 2021. July 1, 2021.
38. Web site: Rosters Set for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2021 on July 14. wnba.com. WNBA. June 30, 2020. July 1, 2021.
39. Web site: WNBA Player of the Week: Tina Charles & Brittney Griner. wnba.com. WNBA. September 13, 2021. September 13, 2021.
40. Web site: 2021 WNBA Peak Performers: Tina Charles, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot. wnba.com. WNBA. September 20, 2021. September 22, 2021.
41. Web site: Minnesota Lynx star Sylvia Fowles named WNBA Defensive Player of Year for 4th time in career. ESPN. Mechelle. Voepel. September 26, 2021. September 26, 2021.
42. Web site: The 2021 All-WNBA First & Second Team Announced. wnba.com. WNBA. October 15, 2021. October 15, 2021.