2024 Washington Mystics season explained

The 2024 Washington Mystics season was the franchise's 27th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and their second season under head coach Eric Thibault.

The season tipped off on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at home against the New York Liberty.^[1] The Mystics lost the game by five-points, and the opening month of May did not improve much after that. The Mystics went on to lose all eight games they played in May, with the closest being a three-point loss to the Phoenix Mercury on May 23. The Mystics' losing streak continued through twelve games and they won their first game of the season on June 11, versus the Atlanta Dream. Including that win, the Mystics won four out of their next five games, with the only loss coming against Indiana. They lost their last two games of the month, including an overtime contest against Connecticut. They finished the month 4–7. Their fortunes did not improve in July, as they finished 2–4 before the league went into its Olympic break. The Mystics lost the first three games out of the break, but then won the next three, including a two point win at Seattle and a four-point road win over Chicago. They could not win their final game of the month and finished with a 3–4 record in August. The Mystics were a greatly improved team in September, as they won four out of their first five games of the month to draw within reaching distance of the eighth playoff seed. However, they lost the next game to fellow 8th seed contenders Atlanta, and then lost two days later to New York, a loss which allowed New York to clinch the first overall seed. The Mystics finished their season with a one-point win over Indiana. The Mystics finished ninth overall with a record of 14–26.

Transactions

WNBA draft

See also: 2024 WNBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	School/Team/Country
1	6	Aaliyah Edwards		UConn
2	21	Kaylynne Truong		Gonzaga
3	30	Nastja Claessens		Castors Braine

Transactions

Date	Transaction
January 11, 2024	Extended a Qualifying Offer to Li Meng^[2]
January 13, 2024	Cored Elena Delle Donne
February 1, 2024	Signed Karlie Samuelson^[3]
	Signed Elissa Cunane to a Training Camp Contract^[4]
	Signed Emily Engstler to a Training Camp Contract^[5]
	Signed DiDi Richards to a Training Camp Contract^[6]
	Signed Julie Vanloo to a Training Camp Contract^[7]
March 12, 2024	Signed Stefanie Dolson^[8] ^[9]
April 17, 2024	Signed Kaylynne Truong, Honesty Scott-Grayson, and Jakia Brown-Turner to Rookie Contracts
April 18, 2024	Signed Aaliyah Edwards to a Rookie Contract
April 24, 2024	Exercised Team Option on Shakira Austin^[10]
May 7, 2024	Acquired Bernadett Határ from the Connecticut Sun and the Sun's second round 2025 draft pick in exchange for Queen Egbo^[11]
May 9, 2024	Waived Honesty Scott-Grayson^[12]
May 11, 2024	Acquired Jade Melbourne from Seattle Storm in exchange for third round 2025 draft pick
May 12, 2024	Waived Jakia Brown-Turner, Elissa Cunane, and Kaylynne Truong
June 28, 2024	Signed Jakia Brown-Turner to a hardship contract^[13]
July 2, 2024	Released Jakia Brown-Turner from hardship contract^[14]
July 4, 2024	Signed Jakia Brown-Turner to a 7-day hardship contract^[15]
July 12, 2024	Signed Jakia Brown-Turner to a second 7-day contract
August 13, 2024	Released Jakia Brown-Turner from second 7-day contract^[16]
August 20, 2024	Acquired Olivia Époupa, Sika Koné, and a 2026 second round pick from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Myisha Hines-Allen^[17]
	Waived Olivia Époupa and DiDi Richards^[18]
	Acquired Sug Sutton and 2025 3rd Round Pick from the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for the rights to Klara Lundquist^[19]

Roster changes

Additions

Personnel	Signed/Trade	Former Team
Stefanie Dolson	Signed	New York Liberty
Aaliyah Edwards	Draft	Connecticut Huskies
Emily Engstler	Signed	Minnesota Lynx
Bernadett Határ	Trade	Connecticut Sun
Sika Koné	Trade	Minnesota Lynx
Jade Melbourne	Trade	Seattle Storm
DiDi Richards	Signed	—
Karlie Samuelson	Signed	Los Angeles Sparks
Sug Sutton	Trade	Phoenix Mercury
Julie Vanloo	Signed	—

Subtractions

Personnel	Reason	New Team
Natasha Cloud	Free Agency	Phoenix Mercury
Elena Delle Donne	Contract Suspended	—
Queen Egbo	Trade	Connecticut Sun
Tianna Hawkins	Free Agency	—
Myisha Hines-Allen	Trade	Minnesota Lynx
Li Meng	Free Agency	—
Kristi Toliver	Retirement

Roster

Depth

Pos.	Starter	Bench
	PG	Brittney Sykes	Julie Vanloo Jade Melbourne
	SG	Ariel Atkins	Sug Sutton
	SF	Karlie Samuelson	Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
	PF	Shakira Austin	Aaliyah Edwards Emily Engstler
	C	Stefanie Dolson	Sika Koné

Schedule

Pre-season

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 4| @ Atlanta| L 84–87| Myisha Hines-Allen (13)| Edwards, Egbo, Hines-Allen (4)| Julie Vanloo (8)| Gateway Center Arena| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 8| Minnesota| L 77–83| Ariel Atkins (20)| Myisha Hines-Allen (6)| Julie Vanloo (6)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,112| 0–2

Regular season

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| May 14| New York| L 80–85| Ariel Atkins (20) | Brittney Sykes (10)| Brittney Sykes (7)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 17| @ Connecticut| L 77–84| Karlie Samuelson (18)| Shakira Austin (9)| Julie Vanloo (8)| Mohegan Sun Arena
6,874| 0–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 3| May 19| Seattle| L 75–84| Ariel Atkins (19)| Aaliyah Edwards (11)| Julie Vanloo (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 0–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| May 21| @ Los Angeles| L 68–70| Austin, Vanloo (12)| Shakira Austin (8)| Julie Vanloo (9)| Walter Pyramid
3,627| 0–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5| May 23| @ Phoenix| L 80–83| Ariel Atkins (16)| Julie Vanloo (7)| Myisha Hines-Allen (5)| Footprint Center
7,474| 0–5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 6| May 25| @ Seattle| L 69–101| Karlie Samuelson (16)| Atkins, Edwards, Hines-Allen (5)| Hines-Allen, Vanloo (3)| Climate Pledge Arena
8,846| 0–6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 7| May 29| Atlanta| L 67–73| Ariel Atkins (21)| Shakira Austin (9)| Julie Vanloo (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 0–7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 8| May 31| @ New York| L 79–90| Ariel Atkins (15)| Atkins, Hines-Allen (7)| Julie Vanloo (7)| Barclays Center
9,878| 0–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 9| June 4| @ Connecticut| L 59–76| Aaliyah Edwards (14)| Aaliyah Edwards (9)| Julie Vanloo (5)| Mohegan Sun Arena
5,346| 0–9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 10| June 6| Chicago| L 71–79| Aaliyah Edwards (23)| Aaliyah Edwards (14)| Julie Vanloo (7)| Capital One Arena
10,000| 0–10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 11| June 7| Indiana| L 83–85| Stefanie Dolson (19)| Aaliyah Edwards (12)| Julie Vanloo (6)| Capital One Arena
20,333| 0–11|- style="background:#fcc;"| 12| June 9| @ New York| L 88–93| Jade Melbourne (21)| Myisha Hines-Allen (8)| Myisha Hines-Allen (7)| Barclays Center
12,477| 0–12|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 13| June 11| @ Atlanta| W 87–68| Atkins, Sykes (18)| Edwards, Hines-Allen, Samuelson (6)| Ariel Atkins (5)| Gateway Center Arena
3,260| 1–12|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 14| June 14| Chicago| W 83–81 | Ariel Atkins (29)| Aaliyah Edwards (9)| Stefanie Dolson (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 2–12|- style="background:#fcc;"| 15| June 19| @ Indiana| L 81–88| Ariel Atkins (27)| Stefanie Dolson (7)| Julie Vanloo (8)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
17,274| 2–13|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 16| June 22| rowspan=2| Dallas| W 97–69| Emily Engstler (23)| Stefanie Dolson (10)| Julie Vanloo (6)| rowspan=2| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 3–13|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 17| June 23| W 92–84 | Stefanie Dolson (18)| Stefanie Dolson (8)| Ariel Atkins (7)| 4–13|- style="background:#fcc;"| 18| June 27| Connecticut| L 91–94 (OT)| Myisha Hines-Allen (21)| Myisha Hines-Allen (7) | Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (6)| rowspan=2| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 4–14|- style="background:#fcc;"| 19| June 29| Las Vegas| L 77–88| Stefanie Dolson (23)| Dolson, Edwards (7)| Julie Vanloo (8)| 4–15|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 20| July 2| @ Los Angeles| W 82–80| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (17)| Stefanie Dolson (8)| Ariel Atkins (5)| Crypto.com Arena
9,164| 5–15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 21| July 4| @ Las Vegas| L 77–98| Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (19)| Emily Engstler (8)| Jade Melbourne (6)| Michelob Ultra Arena
10,376| 5–16|- style="background:#fcc;"| 22| July 6| @ Minnesota| L 67–74| Atkins, Walker-Kimbrough (15)| Myisha Hines-Allen (11)| Myisha Hines-Allen (6)| Target Center
7,610| 5–17|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 23| July 10| @ Indiana| W 89–84| Ariel Atkins (26)| Myisha Hines-Allen (9)| Stefanie Dolson (6)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
17,274| 6–17|- style="background:#fcc;"| 24| July 14| Las Vegas| L 77–89| Ariel Atkins (36)| Stefanie Dolson (6)| Julie Vanloo (7)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 6–18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 25| July 16| Phoenix| L 87–96| Myisha Hines-Allen (18)| Myisha Hines-Allen (12)| Ariel Atkins (6)| Capital One Arena
12,586| 6–19|- style="background:#fcc;" | 26| August 15| @ Minnesota| L 68–79| Ariel Atkins (12)| Shakira Austin (10)| Stefanie Dolson (4)| Target Center
7,224| 6–20|- style="background:#fcc;" | 27| August 17| Minnesota| L 83–99| Stefanie Dolson (23)| Aaliyah Edwards (7)| Brittney Sykes (7)| rowspan=2| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 6–21|- style="background:#fcc;" | 28| August 20| Seattle| L 77–83| Ariel Atkins (25)| Shakira Austin (9)| Julie Vanloo (6)| 6–22|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 29| August 23| Los Angeles| W 80–74| Brittney Sykes (28)| Shakira Austin (11)| Stefanie Dolson (8)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 7–22|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 30| August 26| @ Seattle| W 74–72| Brittney Sykes (20)| Stefanie Dolson (10)| Julie Vanloo (4)| Climate Pledge Arena
9,535| 8–22|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 31| August 28| @ Chicago| W 74–70| Stefanie Dolson (17)| Atkins, Dolson (6)| Ariel Atkins (5)| Wintrust Arena
8,763| 9–22|- style="background:#fcc;" | 32| August 31| Connecticut| L 85–96| Ariel Atkins (15)| Stefanie Dolson (7)| Karlie Samuelson (5)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 9–23|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 33| September 3| @ Dallas| W 90–86| Emily Engstler (19)| Emily Engstler (10)| 3 players (4)| College Park Center
5,129| 10–23|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 34| September 5| @ Phoenix| W 90–77| Karlie Samuelson (19)| Aaliyah Edwards (6)| Julie Vanloo (4)| Footprint Center
7,709| 11–23|- style="background:#fcc;" | 35| September 8| Minnesota| L 71–78| Brittney Sykes (13)| Stefanie Dolson (7)| Atkins, Vanloo (4)| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 11–24|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 36| September 11| @ Chicago| W 89–58| Aaliyah Edwards (15)| Aaliyah Edwards (10)| Brittney Sykes (7)| Wintrust Arena
7,948| 12–24|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 37| September 13| @ Atlanta| W 72–69| Brittney Sykes (20)| Dolson, Koné (8)| Emily Engstler (4)| Gateway Center Arena
3,260| 13–24|- style="background:#fcc;" | 38| September 15| Atlanta| L 73–76 (OT)| Ariel Atkins (16)| Stefanie Dolson (6)| Samuelson, Sykes (3)| rowspan=2| Entertainment and Sports Arena
4,200| 13–25|- style="background:#fcc;" | 39| September 17| New York| L 71–87| Ariel Atkins (22)| Emily Engstler (8)| Karlie Samuelson (4)| 13–26|- style="background:#bbffbb"| 40| September 19| Indiana| W 92–91| Sika Koné (20)| Sika Koné (7)| Emily Engstler (4)| Capital One Arena
20,711| 14–26

Statistics

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PF	PPG
	40	40	29.9	.437	.357	.848	3.4	3.1	1.5	0.4	2.3	2.8	14.9
Brittney Sykes	18	18	23.4	.405	.271	.750	4.1	3.1	0.9	0.4	2.2	1.4	12.2
Shakira Austin	12	11	19.9	.430	.250	.667	6.8	0.9	1.3	0.9	2.4	2.5	11.8
Stefanie Dolson	39	39	25.9	.475	.465	.786	4.9	2.6	0.5	0.5	1.7	2.9	9.5
Sika Koné^≠	10	0	16.0	.433	.571	.889	4.3	1.1	0.4	0.2	0.9	2.0	8.6
Karlie Samuelson	29	19	24.5	.409	.398	.923	2.6	2.1	0.9	0.0	0.9	1.7	8.4
Myisha Hines-Allen^†	27	10	19.1	.489	.359	.829	4.9	2.7	0.6	0.1	1.4	1.9	8.0
Aaliyah Edwards	34	17	21.8	.490	.000	.507	5.6	1.4	0.7	0.8	1.5	2.7	7.6
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough	40	2	22.1	.415	.330	.806	1.7	1.9	1.1	0.5	1.4	1.0	7.5
Julie Vanloo	40	34	23.2	.346	.324	.667	1.6	4.3	0.5	0.0	2.6	2.2	7.4
Emily Engstler	32	3	14.5	.490	.474	.818	4.0	1.5	0.6	0.8	0.7	1.5	6.2
Jade Melbourne	37	0	14.1	.434	.357	.714	1.5	1.6	0.6	0.1	1.7	1.5	5.4
DiDi Richards^‡	19	7	10.4	.408	.000	.429	1.5	0.7	0.1	0.2	0.4	0.8	2.4
Jakia Brown-Turner^≠ ^‡	2	0	4.0	.000	—	1.000	0.5	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0
Sug Sutton^≠	7	0	7.3	.286	.000	—	0.6	1.4	0.3	0.0	0.7	0.1	0.6

^‡Waived/Released during the season
^†Traded during the season
^≠Acquired during the season

External links

• Official website of the Washington Mystics

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024 Schedule - Washington Mystics. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. March 5, 2024.
2. Web site: WNBA Transaction . acrossthetimeline.com . Across the Timeline . 20 April 2024.
3. Web site: Mystics Sign Free Agent Karlie Samuelson. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 1, 2024. March 5, 2024.
4. Web site: Mystics Sign Elissa Cunane to Training Camp Contract. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 1, 2024. March 5, 2024.
5. Web site: Mystics Sign Emily Engstler to Training Camp Contract. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 1, 2024. March 5, 2024.
6. Web site: Mystics Sign DiDi Richards to Training Camp Contract. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 1, 2024. March 5, 2024.
7. Web site: Mystics Sign Julie Vanloo to Training Camp Contract. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. February 1, 2024. March 5, 2024.
8. Web site: 2024-02-14. Sources: Stefanie Dolson returning to Mystics on 2-year deal. 2024-02-15. ESPN. Alexa. Philippou. en.
9. Web site: Washington Mystics Sign WNBA Champion Stefanie Dolson. mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. March 12, 2024. March 12, 2024.
10. WashMystics. April 25, 2024. 1783531981029929229. We have exercised the fourth-year rookie option on Shakira Austin's contract. .
11. Web site: Connecticut Sun Acquires Queen Egbo . WNBA. May 7, 2024 .
12. Web site: Albert . Lee . Mystics waive Honesty Scott-Grayson . Bullets Forever . Vox Media, LLC.. May 9, 2024.
13. 1806698656088608905. WashMystics. June 28, 2024. June 28, 2024. We have signed Jakia Brown-Turner to a hardship contract..
14. 1808227785959186895. RotoWireWNBA. July 2, 2024. July 3, 2024. akia Brown-Turner: Waived by Mystics More Details https://www.rotowire.com/wnba/player/jakia-brown-turner-934.
15. 1808927498841043068. kareemcopeland. July 4, 2024. July 5, 2024. Mystics roster update: Jakia Brown-Turner is officially back on a 7-day contract..
16. 1823490385051554178. WashMystics. August 13, 2024. August 13, 2024. We have released Jakia Brown-Turner. Thank you, Jakia!.
17. Web site: Lynx acquire forward Myisha Hines-Allen from Mystics. espn.com. Field Level Media. August 20, 2024. August 20, 2024.
18. 1825951302544708088. WashMystics. August 20, 2024. August 20, 2024. Roster Update: We have acquired a 2026 second round draft pick, Sika Koné, and Olivia Époupa from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Myisha Hines-Allen. In a related move, Époupa and DiDi Richards have been waived..
19. 1826009734039658593. WashMystics. August 20, 2024. August 20, 2024. Trade Alert: We have acquired Sug Sutton and a 2025 third round draft pick from the Phoenix Mercury for the rights to Klara Lundquist..