Draft is a time to look forward to new beginnings. But for the Washington Mystics, new beginning began in November 2022, when Eric Thibault and Maria Giovannetti were elevated to Head Coach and SVP of Strategy and Vision & Assistant General Manager, respectively.  

With a veteran roster in place – highlighted by 2x WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, 2x WNBA All-Star Ariel Atkins, and league assist leader Natasha Cloud, the Mystics brain trust elected to trade the 4th picks in the 2023 WNBA Draft to the Dallas Wings for a second-round pick in 2024 and Atlanta’s first round pick in 2025.  

Former coach and current GM, Mike Thibault stated “The 2025 draft has the potential to be a very significant draft, coming after the end of the extra Covid year that college players were granted the past several years.”  

🗣️ @coachthibault breaks down the decision to acquire additional draft picks.

🔗 https://t.co/4syjIAN9zt pic.twitter.com/Qhkn0xth6p

— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) April 11, 2023

With the pieces currently in place, Washington is focusing on winning a championship this season. During the 2022 offseason, Coach Eric Thibault said, “I am going to do everything I can, to help us win another WNBA Championship.” 

New Assistant General Manager Maria Giovannetti says she is “committed to the Mystics, as the best culture in the WNBA.” The picks and decisions from this draft indicate that maintaining the team culture in DC is key. Washington has a great culture and every move made by GM Thibault, aligns with the team-first culture established by the staff. 

With the second round, Washington selected Elena Tsineke from the University of South Florida (USF). This young guard is originally from Thessaloniki, Greece and moved to the States for college. She earned numerous honors, including AAC Freshman of the Year, and two consecutive All-Conference First Team honors while at USF.  

With the No.20 pick, we select @ETsineke! pic.twitter.com/0pSZ3A1cdt

— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) April 11, 2023

In our last pick of the night, Washington selected Txell Alarcon from Spain. During her last season, for Araski, Txell shot 37.3% from the three-point line. Adding shooting to our roster will benefit us on the offensive end of the floor.  

With the No.32 pick, we select Txell Alarcón! pic.twitter.com/080CAWSl0M

— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) April 11, 2023

The 2023 WNBA season promises to be a great one for Washington as players and coaches look forward to a championship year.