2023 WNBA preview: Can Washington Mystics nonetheless contend for a title?

How far can the Washington Mystics go?

That’s the query head coach Eric Thibault and his employees are attempting to determine coming into the 2023 marketing campaign.

“We’re going to do all the pieces we will to play with the kind of fireplace and fervour that they count on they usually deserve.” Eric Thibault stated throughout his initial press conference.

The hearth and fervour had been there for the Mystics final season. That they had a profitable common season marketing campaign ending with a 22-14 file, good for the fifth seed within the WNBA, however their season ended once they misplaced to the Seattle Storm within the first spherical in a two-game sweep.

After the season, Mike Thibault retired from teaching and Eric was promoted to go coach.

The roster underwent adjustments, with former L.A. Sparks gamers Brittney Sykes, Amanda Zahui B. and Kristi Toliver becoming a member of the crew. In actual fact, coming into coaching camp with solely six contracts assured, Washington has loads of flexibility and plenty of selections to make on how they may use the remaining 5 spots (coach Thibault has already said he’ll solely be utilizing 11 spots, leaving the twelfth roster spot open to begin the season).

What’s going to the most recent iteration of the Mystics seem like in 2023? We already received a quick preview within the preseason. Washington misplaced to Minnesota 72-69 however received good performances from Elena Delle Donne, who scored 11 factors in her 12-minute shift. Tianna Hawkins had 14 factors on 6-of-8 capturing to guide all Mystics gamers. Key gamers had been out for Washington, together with Sykes, nevertheless it was nonetheless an encouraging signal for a crew seeking to make a deep playoff run. E. Thibault spoke with the media postgame about his crew’s efficiency throughout his first sport because the Mystics’ head coach.

“We had good stretches and stretches that had been a battle, we let the bench group end the sport for the final a number of eight-ten minutes, however that’s the group that additionally received us the lead within the second quarter. So, I most likely can go up and down the roster and , pull some good things and a few stuff to work on from all people however I believe the most important factor is we type of saved our minutes the place we wished them and all people received just a little sport really feel again.”

When you will have a participant like Delle Donne in your roster, you at all times have an opportunity of constructing noise. Including an elite guard defender like Brittney Sykes will undoubtedly assist and if Natasha Cloud takes one other leap in her improvement, perhaps Washington can.

It will likely be tough to win all of it although due to the superteams in Las Vegas and New York.