Only a few weeks left before 2020 concludes. With the Women's National Basketball League (WNBA) closing the curtain for this season, today's review will be a majestic wrap-up of the Washington Mystics for the 2020 WNBA Season. Let's take a look at what happened this year.
Season Recap
The Washington Mystics had all the talents that they could recruit. The addition of seven-time All-Star Tina Charles was Mystics' biggest off-season move.
Together with 2019 MVPs in regular season and finals, Elena Donne and Emma Meeseeman, and defensive, undersized center LaToya Sanders, the Washington Mystics were expected to be a wrecking ball from the get-go. WNBA Community Leadership Award winner Natasha Cloud joined the Mystics' playoff campaign.
The expectation was topsy-turvy. The Washington Mystics' four cornerstones passed up playing for the 2020 season. The main reasons include social injustice advocacies, coronavirus concerns, time for families, and other personal reasons.
To sum it up, the Washington Mystics still had a nice playoff run, ending the season with a 9-13 win-loss record, despite missing key players in the team.
The 'Mystical' Standouts
Emma Meesseman
No one can doubt how Emma Meesseman carried the Mystics in 2019. Her finals MVP got her in the limelight, and Coach Mike Thibault praised her for her tenacity in playing.
The Belgian player missed the midseason due to injuries. In November, she tested positive for COVID-19 during the bubble match with the Belgium national team for the 2021 European Championships. There is no final date for her return.
Emma Meesseman averaged 13 points, 4.5 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game for this season. Her most notable play for 2020 includes a double-double 24-point and 13-rebound production in a loss against Las Vegas Aces in August.
Meesseman is expected to find her groove next season when WNBA stars Delle Donne, and Tina Charles return.
Myisha Hines-Allen
Myisha Hines-Allen stood out as a replacement for the Mystics stars who missed the games. She proved to be an efficient scorer for the handicapped team, scoring career-high 35 points and career-high rebounds for this season.
Hines-Allen enjoyed a season-average of 17 markers and 8.9 boards per game. She was much better than last year when they won the WNBA Championship. She only averaged 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds, a huge gap for her performance in 2019.
Coach Thibault entrusted Hines-Allen into multiple team-play runs despite her short stature for her position. Her versatility on both ends put her among the league's best players for 2020.
Hines-Allen had improved a lot. With her rising player efficiency, she would become a go-to player for the Mystics when Donne, Charles, and Meesseman are reunited.
Ariel Atkins
Ariel Atkins was a bench player for the Washington Mystics, yet when the team looked for someone to rely on, she did not disappoint the team.
She has been noticed for her concerns against social injustice. Her post-game idiosyncrasy denoted her to be a strong advocate of the issue. Her teammate Natasha Cloud inspired her to wear the same 'social' suit.
Atkins made an impact in and out of the game. Inside the court, she finished 14.6 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, her career-highs in three stats. Outside the court, she vocalized humanity messages on social media.
She believes that her small voice could be one of many voices to impact the police brutality that is hounding the country at present.
As support for the 'black lives matter,' the WNBA decided to postpone all games on August 26. Atkins did not waste any time and use this moment to convey her message for a deep-sought justice of the black victims at the hands of inhumane police attacks
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Best Moments of the Season
From Proxies to Risers
Ariel Atkins and Myisha Hines-Allen exceeded their potential coming from the starting lineup. Atkins received the 2020 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team award. It was her third straight recognition, following a crafty finish at third place in steal leaders at 1.8 steals per game.
Hines-Allen, on the other hand, jumped to the 2020 All-WNBA Second Team. Hines-Allen was a substitute-turned starter as she closed the season for 12th place in scoring and 6th place in rebounds.
Chasing the Last Train for the Playoffs
Washington Mystics played on handicap during the 2020 season. The only thing to do is to keep winning, and that is what the Mystics did after a slow 4-12 start. With only six games before the playoffs, the Mystics dashed to the contending line to obtain five wins out of six games.
Hines-Allen posted a double-double average of 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game with three other players who churned out double-digit scores in the final six games.
Natasha Cloud Took a Break to Pursue her Advocacy
Natasha Cloud did one of the rarest things that an athlete can do. She was not after the games this season, but she pushed for another soul-searching - a long time to campaign for social injustice.
Cloud solidified her commitment to the movement when she began campaigning in her hometown in Broomall, Pennsylvania, en route to Washington D.C. She also participated in the More Than A Vote organization led by fellow basketball athlete LeBron James.
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