Answers from Angela Taylor

Hey Mystics Fans,

Thanks for sending in some very interesting questions. Many of you obviously have a vast amount of knowledge of the WNBA and the Mystics. I took the liberty to have a little fun with some of the questions, so hope you enjoy!

Happy Halloween,
Angela


Ms. Taylor:
Welcome! So glad you have come to the team. Will you please get Lindsay Harding as guard? We need her!
Thanks again, and GO MYSTICS!
Diana M. Arnold (Bowie, MD)

Angela Taylor: Hey Diana, thanks. I am really excited to be here. This is certainly going to be an exciting off-season for us, as we get ready to hire our head coach and then collaborate on how we will improve our roster so that we can compete for an Eastern Conference Championship in the next few years. While it is too early to get into any specifics about our plan, we will spend a considerable amount of time assessing the free agent pool, potential trades, and this year�s college seniors as we put together a roster of players who fit into our blue collar system.


What will be your draft priority be this year? I hope a dominating center; the Mystics always draft forwards at least 90 percent of the time. We need a dominating center like Miss Fowles.

Angela Taylor: Last year�s draft was certainly solid from top to bottom with many players who made an immediate impact on their teams. At this time, we are keeping our options open in the draft. First and foremost, we are hoping that the ping-pong balls bounce the Mystics� way when the WNBA League Office conducts the 2009 Draft Lottery, so that we receive a top pick in the upcoming draft. Keep your fingers crossed for us! With a total of 5 picks in the upcoming draft, we will do a considerable amount of evaluation of the prospects to see who fits into our system and who complements the veterans on our roster. A quick assessment of the top 10-15 prospects shows that there will be quality players at every position for us to select from, but there are about 5 seniors who I feel could come in & play significant minutes in the league. Once we enter into free agency & explore some potential trades in the upcoming months, we will have more clarity around which player(s) we�d select with our two first round picks.


Dear Angela,
As a Mystics fan from Ohio who is only able to see the Mystics in person about once a year when they play the Shock, what area do you plan to address first so the Mystics become a more competitive force in their division? Good luck in your new job as well as to the Mystics!
Bill Hasselbach

Angela Taylor: Hello Bill, it�s great to hear from one of our fans in the Buckeye state. Thanks for your long-distance support. We hope you can catch a game at the Verizon Center sometime soon. In order to compete in the east, you have to go through Detroit & Connecticut. Those two teams have separated themselves for the last few years. Two areas that must be addressed would be our post play and our defense. To alleviate some pressure from our perimeter players, we must improve our post presence on the offensive and defensive ends. Additionally, we must establish a defensive mentality. You win on the defensive end in this league. A strong defensive commitment from all of our players will allow us to get out in transition, take advantage of our athleticism, and create some easy scoring opportunities.


Ms. Taylor,
What would you be looking for in a new coach? I'm sure you have looked at our roster, what do you see in the team that we have in place, what kind of moves do you foresee in the near term? I just want the team to be a consistent play-off contender, they have been so close but personnel changes have done them in. Thanks, I look forward to seeing you work your stuff!
Maurice A. Shirley

Angela Taylor: Hey Maurice, first and foremost, in our new head coach, we are looking for a strong leader who brings a winning mentality and who will be loyal to this organization. Greg Bibb listed seven traits that they sought after when hiring me as General Manager, and it is imperative that our head coach be grounded in the same characteristics. In addition, he/she must be an exceptional teacher of the game, committed to player development, a great communicator who clearly states players roles & expectations, a strong evaluator of talent, a hard worker, a proven winner, a student of the game (among others). Ultimately, they must find a way to put the team & each individual player in a possession to be successful. Along with some of the roster moves that we make, finding someone who possesses these qualities will initiate our journey to becoming the consistent playoff contender that you & I both would like to see here in DC.


Welcome aboard! What managing style do you bring to the Mystics? Is it your philosophy to let the coaches "coach" and pick the players or will you pick and trade the players without the knowledge or consent of the coaches?

Angela Taylor: Thanks, glad to be onboard here in DC. My style is to foster a collaborative environment where the entire staff is on the same page where personnel decisions and strategic direction are concerned. Therefore, it is critical that we put together a staff that understands the nuances of being on a team & how effective teams (or staffs) work, which is through honest feedback, collaborative efforts, and hard work.


Hi, can the Mystics trade for a true center, we have too many small forward on the team, and no true point guard who can pass the ball , we have to many players than can shoot the ball every night. I love to hear back from you. Your fan, Victor

Angela Taylor: Hey Victor! We will spend a considerable amount of time evaluating our current roster & determining what we need to do to improve. Our goal will be to put together a well-balanced roster full of players who complement one another and who fit the characteristics of the system that the coaching staff will implement.


How will she measure success on the court this season?

Angela Taylor: It would be so easy (and somewhat unfair) to simply judge our season by wins and losses. However, we aren�t in this for the quick fix. We are committed to building & sustaining a winning organization. Therefore, we will measure success in a variety of ways including the buy-in & commitment to our new system by the players. We also are going to be committed to player development this off-season, so I will be happy if we see improvement from each player in the areas we have stressed with them. In addition, great teams continue to improve throughout the season, so we expect to continue to grow & improve on a day-to-day and game-by-game basis. In the end, we want to compete and have a chance to win every game. That starts with the belief going in to every game, that we are in it to win it.


Do you think there are any point guards in the upcoming WNBA Draft that would be good enough to come in and start for the Mystics and possibly solve the point guard issue for the team, or would you look for someone in a trade first?

Angela Taylor: Whether you�re talking about the WNBA or NBA, the point guard position is the hardest position to find someone who fits the bill of the prototypical point guard (which has changed from someone who simply distributes the ball to someone who makes his/her teammates better but still has the ability to score as well). While I do think there are a few college seniors who will have the opportunity to come into the WNBA and either start or play significant minutes, one thing that is difficult for a rookie point guard is to take on a leadership role when you are surrounded by players who may be 5-6 years older than you are.


In your years with the league, how have you seen the game change?

Angela Taylor: The game has changed so much over the course of the last 12 seasons. Here are three areas of growth that stand out for me. First, the caliber of player that is coming out of college these days is just incredible. These players grew up watching the WNBA & aspiring to be in the league, so they are so much more prepared (physically & mentally) to play the game of basketball at this level. There is no doubt that the WNBA�s existence has led to a huge increase in the percentage of young girls participating in basketball & that has had a direct impact on the amount of time these young ladies are spending in the gym working on their game.

Secondly, the global exposure of the WNBA & NBA has led to increased international competition as was witnessed recently in the World Championships and Olympics with Russia, Australia, and China competing at such high levels. Because our schedule conflicts with international competitions like World Championships, we haven�t seen all of the international players come through the WNBA, but there are some very talented players around the world.

And finally, you see players like Candace Parker, Lauren Jackson, Diana Taurasi, Alana Beard, Seimone Augustus�and the list could go on & on whose skills transcend the game of basketball. The versatility that we are now witnessing with post players who can handle the ball or shoot the long-range jumper as well as the big guards who are running our teams is extraordinary.


In your eyes, what is missing most from the Mystics team?

Angela Taylor: While there is no doubt that we must enhance our roster by improving specific positions and providing depth at each spot, I think one of the key things we will focus on adding to the roster is the winning mentality. Winning is an attitude & winning is contagious, so we will foster that belief in the players on our roster & will seek to add players who want to be successful.


Who would you put on the floor as the starting 5 of your dream team (past and/or present players)?

Angela Taylor: Wow, this is a great question. Before I answer your question, let me preface it by stating that as the youngest child (and my brothers will attest), I often humor myself by making up my own rules. So in answering your question & putting together my WNBA Dream Team, I have opted to use a lifeline (my biggest fan � my mother). My mother actually has extensive knowledge of the women�s game, as you will see by her first team. As she confidently listed her top 7-8, she also identified those players who she �just had to mention too�, so I allowed her to list a 2nd team as well (packed with some of her all-time favorite players). So here goes:

Mom�s DREAM TEAM
1 � Dawn Staley
2 � Cynthia Cooper (I think I recall my mom raising the roof on numerous occasions in the late 90�s)
3 � Katie Smith
4 � Tina Thompson
5 � Lisa Leslie

Mom�s �Please let me mention these players too� TEAM
1 � Teresa Edwards
2 � Diana Taurasi
3 � Seimone Augustus
4 � Tamika Catchings
5 � Yolanda Griffith
*Special mentions went out to Sheryl Swoopes, Lauren Jackson, Deanna Nolan, Spoon, and Sue Bird.


Is there a current (or former) WNBA player that you would liken your playing style to?

Angela Taylor:There are so many current players & WNBA legends whom I have a lot of respect for and who I would love to have our team emulate. The first person who comes to mind is Tamika Catchings. Tamika is a wonderful person & role model who is so gifted, but she doesn�t just rely on her physical gifts. She is one of the hardest workers I have been around and give 110% all of the time. That is what I desire our team to mimic. A talented team that plays hard (that blue collar attitude) all of the time & appreciates the fact that we are blessed to play this game we love in front of friends and family.


If you could create �the perfect� player, what attributes from various Mystics players would you use to build her?

Angela Taylor:If I were to look into the Mystics Cupboard to conjure up a nice recipe for the perfect player, I�d combine these attributes: Crystal Smith�s speed/quickness, CoCo�s work ethic, Laurie�s long-range accuracy, Shay�s ability to rebound the ball from the perimeter (and her singing ability), AB�s defensive prowess & �Kobe-like� scoring ability, Tasha�s versatility & instincts for the game, Monique�s pro-style body & ability to finish with contact, Nikki�s charisma, Bernice�s ability to slash, Nakia�s physical presence on the low block, Lang�s efficiency & uncanny ability to get her shot off against bigger players, Andrea�s rebounding, and Vaughn�s defense.


I enjoyed the questions and look forward to sharing the vision with you as we continue to build a championship organization.

Go Mystics,
Angela