<p><strong>WASHINGTON, D.C. – </strong>Washington Mystics forward <strong>LaToya Sanders</strong> announced her retirement from the WNBA.  Sanders last played for the Mystics during the team’s 2019 Championship season and sat out the 2020 season taking place in the WNBA bubble. Sanders will join Monumental Sports &amp; Entertainment Player Development group.</p>
<p>“LaToya has meant so much to our success and championship culture. As one of the premier defensive players in the WNBA, she set a tone for our growth, improvement, and maturity as a team over the past several years,” said General Manager and Head Coach Mike Thibault. “She has had to work so hard on and off the court to be physically ready to play each game. I think only her husband Byron, our staff, and her teammates can really appreciate what she has done to be prepared each and every day and she has been a shining example for what it’s like to be a true professional.”</p>
<p>“While we are sad that she is retiring as a player, we are thrilled that she is beginning the next phase of her professional life as a member of our staff,” continued Thibault. “She will continue to be a great mentor for her former teammates as part of our on-court player development, but will also join our off court efforts in the areas of community relations, social justice initiatives, youth programs, and marketing, among others. We look forward to LaToya continuing to make her mark with the Mystics family.”</p>
<p>In five seasons with Washington, Sanders has averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 89 total games.</p>
<p>“I am excited for the next chapter and I am grateful to Monumental Sports &amp; Entertainment, Coach T and the entire staff for this opportunity,” said Sanders. “After sitting out the 2020 season and speaking to my family, I felt that retirement was the best option for me, and I look forward to helping our players develop on and off the court.”</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Washington originally acquired Sanders prior to the 2012 season. Due to her overseas commitment, Washington kept her rights until she was able to join the team in 2015, proving to be instrumental to the team’s success. During Washington’s championship season, she averaged 6.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and started every regular season and playoffs games. She has set numerous milestones with Washington, including recording 48 blocks in a season in 2015 (second in franchise history for the most blocks in a single season) and shooting .607 from the field during the 2018 season, the highest percentage in franchise history.</p>


latoya-sanders-announces-retirement

LaToya Sanders Announces Retirement

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<p><em>As the end of 2020 draws near, WNBA.com is wrapping up this historic season by reviewing each team’s season. Take a look back at notable contributors and season highlights with the 2020 Season In Review. Next up is the Washington Mystics.</em></p>
<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>During last offseason the Mystics acquired 7x All-Star Tina Charles. Charles was expected to add talent and depth to the already dominant frontcourt of 2019 MVP Elena Delle Donne, 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman and LaToya Sanders. Delle Donne, Charles and Sanders, however, all did not play during the 2020 season. In addition, guard Natasha Cloud &#8211; a key piece during the Mystics’ 2019 championship run &#8211; sat out this season to focus on social justice initiatives. This left the Mystics without some of their most prominent players and leaders. Despite these losses, Washington still qualified for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season while finishing with a 9-13 record.</p>
<h2>Top Contributors</h2>
<h3>Myisha Hines-Allen</h3>
<p>With Delle Donne, Charles and Sanders all sitting out, Myisha Hines-Allen was thrust into the Mystics’ starting lineup &#8211; and she proved ready. Hines-Allen recorded her first career start on opening weekend and dropped a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. The forward would go on to set new career-highs in every category including single-game scoring with 35 points (Aug. 21) and again with 13 rebounds on three separate occasions (Aug. 23; Aug. 30; Sep. 6).</p>
<p>“This was a great opportunity for her to make a statement about her game and where she is, and how she can help this team,” said Head Coach Mike Thibault.</p>
<p>Hines-Allen finished the season averaging a team-high 17 PPG, 8.9 RPG and 29.9 MPG. For reference, in 2019 she averaged 2.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 7.8 MPG. In just one year Hines-Allen increased her scoring output 14.7 PPG and became a go-to player for the Mystics.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-132135 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2020/09/GettyImages-1228473482.jpg" alt="" width="594" height="396" /></p>
<p>“You’re talking about somebody who’s an undersized post player who’s learned to be a ballhandler, a three-point shooter, a post-up player,&#8221; Thibault said. &#8220;That’s pretty versatile to do all of those things in the course of a year.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;It was hard for her to sit last year behind all of those great players. She was relishing the opportunity to get minutes this summer and prove that she can be a factor for us in the future.”</p>
<p>With Charles, Cloud, Delle Donne and Sanders all back in the mix in 2021, Washington has plenty to be excited about &#8211; and could be a serious championship contender again.</p>
<h3>Ariel Atkins</h3>
<p>Like Hines-Allen, teammate Ariel Atkins was also thrust into a new role in 2020. Last year, the backcourt leaned on vocal veteran Cloud. This year, Atkins was tasked with that role &#8211; and not only did she lead the team on the court, but she was one of the leading voices when it came to social justice initiatives.</p>
<p>Every game Atkins would post the story of a victim of police brutality on her social media.</p>
<p>“I feel obligated because I do have a platform,” Atkins said. “I’m not a very vocal person all the time, but when I do have a chance to speak, I like to make sure what comes out of my mouth does good to the world and gives justice to those who deserve justice.”</p>
<p>On August 26th the WNBA postponed games. Ariel Atkins used her platform to deliver a message on behalf of the Mystics that evening.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ariel Atkins delivers a message for the <a href="https://twitter.com/WashMystics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WashMystics</a> players. <a href="https://t.co/tz5ojpo30A">pic.twitter.com/tz5ojpo30A</a></p>
<p>&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1298780713978867720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;We need to understand that these moments are so much bigger than us.&quot;</p>
<p>&#8211; Ariel Atkins <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MondayMotivation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MondayMotivation</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfeR0AP5iA">pic.twitter.com/LfeR0AP5iA</a></p>
<p>&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1300417806169640960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The third-year player continued to push social justice initiatives all while averaging a career-high 14.6 PPG, 2.4 APG and 1.8 SPG. Though this was a new role for Atkins, she took it in stride &#8211; making an impact both on and off the court.</p>
<h3>Emma Meesseman</h3>
<p>The 2019 Finals MVP is known for her efficiency and consistency. This remained true in 2020. As one of the more experienced players on the Mystics, Meesseman was someone Coach Thibault could rely on night in and night out.</p>
<p>Meesseman finished the season averaging a solid 13 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 4.5 APG. On August 5th, the forward dropped a season-high 24 points and tied a career-high of 13 rebounds. She scored in double-digits in all but four games.</p>
<p>The Mystics’ frontcourt will be one to watch next year as Delle Donne and Meesseman reunite along with Charles.</p>
<h2>Season Highlights:</h2>
<h3><a href="http://wnba.com/awards">WNBA Awards</a></h3>
<h4>Ariel Atkins</h4>
<p>For the third consecutive season, Ariel Atkins was named to the 2020 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team. The guard finished third in steals, snatching 1.8 SPG.</p>
<h4>Myisha Hines-Allen</h4>
<p>After her breakout season, Hines-Allen was named to the 2020 All-WNBA Second Team. The forward ranked 6th in rebounds and 12th in scoring.</p>
<h3>Mystics&#8217; Late Season Run</h3>
<p>The Mystics sat at 4-12 with six games left in the regular season. In need of some victories, Washington secured a playoff spot going 5-1 over that last stretch. Four players averaged double-digits over the last six games, including Hines-Allen, who averaged a double-double with 22.7 PPG and 10.2 RPG.</p>
<h3>Natasha Cloud&#8217;s Social Justice Initiatives</h3>
<p>Having always been an outspoken player &#8211; speaking most notably previously out about gun violence &#8211; Cloud, among others, took a stand this season. In June, Cloud announced she would forgo the 2020 WNBA season and instead focus on social justice initiatives.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-134439" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2020/12/GettyImages-1221104840.jpg" alt="" width="2500" height="1667" /></p>
<p>“In this very moment, there’s never been this much momentum and this much leverage behind Black Lives Matter,” Cloud said. “So you have to capitalize on that. Going into a bubble, being off the front lines, being out of my community, that’s not capitalizing, personally, for me. Capitalizing is forgoing a three-month season.”</p>
<p>Cloud made an impact in Washington D.C. and her hometown of Broomall, PA. The guard worked with When We All Vote and More Than A Vote to register voters. In addition, Cloud helped ensure that the Entertainment and Sports Arena (the Mystics’ arena) would be used as a voting site.</p>


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Season In Review: Washington Mystics

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				Shatori Walker-Kimbrough reacts to a play during a game against the Phoenix Mercury.
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				LaToya Sanders shoots the ball against the Phoenix Mercury.
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				Elena Delle Donne, Captain of Team Delle Donne, gets introduced before the game during the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game 2019.
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				Kristi Toliver of Team Delle Donne shoots the ball against Team Wilson during the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game 2019.
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				Natasha Cloud and Head Coach Mike Thibault hug after Game Five of the 2019 WNBA Finals.
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				The Washington Mystics pose for a photo with the WNBA Championship Trophy after Game Five of the 2019 WNBA Finals.
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				Emma Meesseman of the Washington Mystics receives the WNBA Finals MVP from WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert after Game Five of the 2019 WNBA Finals.
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Best Of: Washington Mystics (2019)

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<p>For the Washington Mystics, the 2019 WNBA season ended in confetti and celebration on their home court after winning their first title in franchise history. How they got there was no surprise. During the entire course of the season, the Mystics dominated while statistically boasting one of the greatest offenses in WNBA history. During the season, they averaged the most points, field goals made, <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-finals-film-study-washingtons-3-point-shooting/">three-pointers made</a> (including a single-game record with 18) and assists per game, while also leading the league in field goal and free throw percentage. This offensive output helped the Mystics finish with a franchise-best 26-8 record, which earned them the No. 1 seed in the Playoffs. Once in the Playoffs, the Mystics bested the Aces in the Semifinals and advanced to the WNBA Finals for a second consecutive year. After losing to the Storm on the big stage last year, the Mystics avenged their prior loss and defeated the Sun 3-2 in an exhilarating five-game series that came down to the wire.</p>
<p>Considering this, let&#8217;s take a look back at the Mystics&#8217; championship season.</p>
<p><strong>Record: </strong>26-8</p>
<p><strong>Finish: </strong>1st</p>
<p><strong>Leaders: </strong>Points (Delle Donne, 19.5); Rebounds (Delle Donne, 8.3); Assists (Toliver, 6); Steals (Atkins, 1.5); Blocks (Sanders, 1.4)</p>
<h2><strong>Storylines</strong></h2>
<h3>Run It Back</h3>
<p>After being swept 3-0 by the Storm in the 2018 WNBA Finals, the Mystics did not dwell on the past. Instead, the team rallied around a slogan that emerged from the loss, &#8220;Run it Back.&#8221; For the Mystics, this slogan kept them on track towards their ultimate goal, winning a title. From the moment this slogan was announced, the Mystics showed the league that they meant business. During the 2019 season, the Mystics quickly established themselves as one of the best teams in the league. Led by MVP Elena Delle Donne and an impressive cast of players like Emma Meesseman, Kristi Toliver, Ariel Atkins and Natasha Cloud, the Mystics not only posted their best regular-season record in franchise history but also one of the greatest seasons of all time. <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-stats-washingtons-historic-offense/">Washington finished the regular season with the WNBA&#8217;s highest offensive rating ever at 112.9</a><strong>.</strong> They entered the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league, boasting a 17-2 record in their final 19 games.  The Mystics did not play in Rounds 1 or 2 due to securing the No. 1 seed and faced their first Playoff matchup in the Semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces. They continued to impress, defeating the Aces 3-1, and setting up for a WNBA Finals matchup against the No. 2 seed Connecticut Sun. In a back-and-forth battle, one in which MVP Elena Delle Donne spent time on and off the court battling through multiple herniated discs, the Mystics came out on top in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. Continuing their strong offensive output from the regular season, the Mystics posted a 114.2 offensive rating in the postseason. It was the icing on the cake for an already magical season, and was even more special for longtime WNBA head coach Mike Thibault. Already the winningest coach in league history, Thibault was able to add to his resume the one thing he&#8217;d been missing, a championship. From start to finish, the objective for the Mystics was very simple, run it back.</p>
<p>In 2019, they did just that.</p>
<h3>EDD&#8217;s Historic Season</h3>
<p>Already one of the most accomplished and dominant players in the league, Elena Delle Donne took her game to a new level in 2019. During the regular season, Delle Donne had yet another stellar season, averaging 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Although this stat line looks on par with her year-by-year production throughout her career, a deeper look into her statistics shows how historic of a season 2019 was for her. In 2019, Delle Donne shot 51.5% from the field, 43% from three-point range and 97.4% from the charity stripe. These impressive shooting percentages put Delle Donne in the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-stats-50-40-90-is-the-icing-on-edds-historic-season/">50-40-90 club</a>, making her the only WNBA player to join a list of eight NBA in the exclusive club. Delle Donne went on to earn her second MVP award and later secured her first-ever WNBA championship. Between joining the 50-40-90 club, receiving the MVP award and winning her first title, 2019 was a season to remember for EDD.</p>
<h3>EM-V-P</h3>
<p>After sitting out the entire 2018 WNBA season to play for Belgium in the 2018 FIBA Women&#8217;s Basketball World Cup tournament, Emma Meesseman returned to the Mystics in 2019. During the regular season, Meesseman largely served a bench role and averaged 13.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Once the WNBA Playoffs came around, however, Meesseman turned into a completely different player. In the first two Semifinals games against the Aces, Meesseman led the Mystics to victory behind 27-point and 30-point outings, while shooting above 57% from the field during the two-game stretch. After defeating the Aces in the Semifinals, Meesseman continued to shine on the biggest stage, surpassing 20 points in three of the five Finals games, including a clutch Game 5 performance in which she recorded a team-high 22 points and hit big shots down the stretch en route to the Mystics&#8217; title victory. <a href="https://www.wnba.com/video/best-of-emma-meesseman-wnba-finals-2019/">On the series</a>, Meesseman averaged 17.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and became the first reserve player in league history to win <a href="https://www.wnba.com/video/emma-meessemans-mvp-award-presentation/">WNBA Finals MVP</a>. Although Meesseman&#8217;s breakout performance in the playoffs may have come as a surprise to many, it did not shock head coach Mike Thibault, who multiple times cited Meesseman as the missing piece.</p>
<h2><strong>Looking Forward</strong></h2>
<p>On the heels of their first title in franchise history, the future is bright as ever for the Washington Mystics. Boasting one of the most impressive rosters in the league, the Mystics are set to return much of the same lineup as their championship-winning team in 2019. After dealing with multiple herniated discs in her back and playing through the injury in the Finals, Delle Donne will have the entire offseason to recover and heal from the injury. With the 2019 MVP hopefully fully healthy in 2020, the Mystics will yet again be led by one of the best players in the league. Outside of Delle Donne, the Mystics have a variety of young talent that continues to develop, including WNBA Finals 2019 MVP Emma Meesseman and 2018 first-round pick Ariel Atkins. Along with returning a roster that produced the best offensive rating in WNBA history, the Mystics have the No. 12 pick in the WNBA Draft and could still look to improve via free agency. Although they already ran it back this past season, the Mystics could be in line to do it again in 2020.</p>


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2019 Season Review: Washington Mystics

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Top Steals of the Day, 10/10/2019

<p>The Sun even things up at a game apiece in the WNBA Finals after a 99-87 win over the Mystics. Jonquel Jones stuffed the stat sheet with 32 points and 18 rebounds in the win. WNBA MVP, Elena Delle Donne, left in the first quarter with a back injury and did not return for Washington.</p>


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GAME RECAP: Sun 99, Mystics 87

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Top Steals of the Day, 10/01/2019

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Washington Mystics Top Plays vs. Connecticut Sun

<p>Behind a career-high 31 points from Emma Meesseman, the Mystics take a 2-0 series lead over the Aces after a 103-91 win.</p>


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GAME RECAP: Mystics 103, Aces 91

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Washington Mystics vs. Las Vegas Aces - Game Highlights

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LaToya Sanders

<p>LaToya Pringle (born September 11, 1986) is a forward for the Washington Mystics. She played college basketball at North Carolina.</p>
