The Washington Mystics was one of the WNBA's first expansion teams, joining the league in its second year. They are owned by Sheila Johnson, this country's first black billionaire. She is also the ex-wife of Robert Johnson, the owner of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats.
The Mystics are currently undergoing yet another coaching change. The team recently fired head coach Wayne "Tree" Rollins, a former NBA center. The Mystics are now under the guidance of interim coach, Jessie Kenlaw, who was an assistant under Rollins. One of the reasons for Rollins' firing was the perception that the team was uninspired and did not put forth a competitive effort. Their current record is 10-16. They are fifth in the division and six games behind the Connecticut Sun. Despite their record, the Mystics believe that they can still make the playoffs. They have made changes toward this goal by trading Taj McWilliams for Franklin. They received Tasha Humphrey and Shay Murphy with a 2009 second round draft pick. These two should compliment players Alana Beard, Monique Curry and Crystal Langhorne well.
The WNBA is on hiatus while members of the league compete in the Olympics. They will return to play at the end of August. The Mystics have eight games left in the regular season, two against second place Detroit and one against the Sun. If the team pulls together and plays for Coach Kenlaw, it have an outside chance of making the playoffs. However, the front office must resolve the issue of obtaining a permanent head coach who will motivate the team to play up to their potential.
