Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, May 27, 2005, Washington Post

The Score
New Mystics, Same Old Excitement

The Washington Mystics have started their season. A lot has changed since last year, when the Mystics made the Women's National Basketball Association playoffs.

Star forward Chamique Holdsclaw was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Sharp-shooting guard Stacey Dales-Schuman retired. She was only 25 but decided it would be more fun to announce games than to play in them. So she took a job as a basketball analyst with ESPN.

Forward Aiysha Smith took a leave of absence to spend more time with her family, and head coach Michael Adams left the Mystics to become an assistant to Coach Gary Williams at the University of Maryland. The Mystics have had lots of practice replacing coaches: Richie Adubato, their new head coach, is the team's eighth in eight years.

There's more: This week the Mystics got a new owner when Abe Pollin, who also owns the Washington Wizards, sold the Mystics to a group that includes Sheila Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television.

Of all the departed faces, Holdsclaw might be hardest to replace. Although she never quite became "the next Michael Jordan," as some people expected when she hit town six years ago, Holdsclaw's 18 points and nine rebounds per game will be missed.

The players the Mystics got to replace Holdsclaw, forwards DeLisha Milton-Jones and Charlotte Smith-Taylor, are solid pros. But they are not superstars who can take over a game the way Holdsclaw can.

If the Mystics are going to return to the WNBA playoffs, guard-forward Alana Beard will have to be their superstar. Beard had a terrific rookie season last year, scoring 13 points a game. She can pass, rebound and run the floor. If Beard can stay healthy, she should become one of the best players in the league.

She will get help from rookie guard Temeka Johnson. The 5-foot-3 Johnson is sure to be a fan favorite. She is lightning quick and loves to push the ball upcourt and pass.

While there have been lots of changes with the Mystics since last season, some things remain the same. Murriel Page is still on the team. Page might not be a star but she has made herself useful since the Mystics' first season (1998) by rebounding and playing tough defense.

So check out the new Mystics this year. WNBA games are fun, competitive and a lot less expensive than NBA games. That, at least, hasn't changed.