MYSTICS SIGN VETERAN ESSENCE CARSON

The Washington Mystics announced today that they have signed guard/forward Essence Carson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are excited to add Essence to our team,” stated Head Coach and General Manager Mike Thibault. “Her ability to play several positions and her veteran leadership will be a great addition. Above all, she’s a proven winner.”

Carson (6-0, 163) holds career averages of 7.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 346 career games (195 starts) over 12 WNBA seasons with New York (2008-2015), Los Angeles (2016-2018) and Phoenix (2019). She averaged 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 23 games (13 starts) for the Mercury during the 2019 season.

The former All-Star (2011) won her first WNBA Championship with the Sparks in 2016 and has made two WNBA Finals appearances (2016-2017). Carson has made the playoffs the past five consecutive seasons (2015-2019) and has reached the postseason nine times in her career. The 12-year pro made a career-best 39 three-pointers during the 2018 season and totaled 37 free-throw attempts in 2019, the most she has attempted in a single season since 2016.

A native of Paterson, New Jersey, Carson was selected with the seventh overall pick out of Rutgers University by the New York Liberty in the 2008 WNBA draft. The Rutgers product was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2005-2008) and has played overseas in Turkey, Italy, Spain, France and Hungary during the WNBA off seasons.