Not only has Taylor ushered in a new coaching staff and a number of new players, her hope is to change the culture that surrounds the Mystics, a team that has not had a winning record or a playoff berth since 2006 and has seen four coaches lead the team in the last two years.
Taylor’s first order of business was to get the coaching staff in order as interim coach Jessie Kenlaw was not retained by the club after she took over mid-season in 2008 for Tree Rollins, who was dismissed after a little over a year on the job (spanning two seasons).
Taylor, who spent the last two seasons as the vice president of business development for the Minnesota Lynx, did not have to look far to find her coach as she brought Julie Plank, an assistant with the Lynx in 2008, with her to D.C.
Plank has been an assistant coach in the WNBA for the past nine years, but this will be her first stint as a head coach. In a position that has seen so much turnover, the success of Plank will be imperative to Taylor’s goal of turning this program around. Plank plans to install an up-tempo style of offense in Washington, which should help the Mystics improve on their 69.6 points per game average from last season, which was the lowest in the league.
Not only do the Mystics have a new leader on sidelines, but they have a new leader on the floor as well with point guard Lindsey Harding coming over from the Lynx in a trade for two of the Mystics’ 2009 WNBA Draft picks. With the picks, the Lynx selected Quanitra Hollingsworth at No. 9 and Rashanda McCants at No. 15.
The Mystics did hold on to their top first round pick and selected University of Maryland standout Marissa Coleman with the No. 2 overall pick. Coleman, who many scouts and analysts think is one of the most WNBA-ready rookies, should be able to contribute right away for Washington, likely coming off of the bench to start her career.
The other new faces on the Mystics roster include sophomore Matee Ajavon, who Washington picked up on the Houston Comets Dispersal Draft, and Kristen Mann, who spent time in both Atlanta and Indiana in 2008. The Mystics also welcome back a pair of players with free agents Chasity Melvin and Kiesha Brown returning to Washington from Chicago and Los Angeles, respectively.
Taylor mentioned before the draft that the biggest needs the team needed to address during the offseason were the point guard and center positions. With the additions of Harding and Melvin, the Mystics were able to fill those needs before the draft, which allowed them to select the best player available, which is what they deemed Coleman to be.
On paper, the changes that the Mystics have made this offseason have added talent and depth to their roster. Of course, playoff berths are not captured on paper, so it will be up to holdovers like Alana Beard, Nakia Sanford and Monique Currie, as well as the new players and coaches to come together to make this work.
The No.1 overall pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft has played in only 44 games in her first two seasons in the league after suffering left knee injuries in each of the last two years.
Her rookie season was cut short when she tore her left ACL on July 10, 2007. In 20 games that season (all starts), Harding averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
After rehabbing the injury, Harding was able to get back on the court in 2008, but suffered a fracture to her left knee cap prior to the WNBA season while playing with the U.S. Senior National team in China.
Once again Harding was relegated to the training room and worked her way back to the court. She appeared in 24 games (11 starts) in 2008, but saw her numbers drop off across the board, posting averages of 6.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
The Lynx decided to move on without Harding, and traded her to Washington for two picks (No. 9 and No. 15 overall) in 2009 WNBA Draft.
Harding arrives in Washington with an opportunity for a fresh start and the comfort of familiar faces. Not only do Taylor and Plank also come over to the Mystics from the Lynx, but she reunites with Beard and Currie, her collegiate teammates at Duke.
If Harding can regain the form that made her the No. 1 overall pick just two years ago, then the Mystics will have found their long term answer at the point, which would make the trade worthwhile.
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