Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger faces his biggest test after two years overseeing the Washington Mystics.
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Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger faces his biggest test in his role as the ultimate authority over the Washington Mystics’ direction. It has been reported that he wants to build the next Mystics championship team through the draft. That sounds great on the surface, but the reality is that the WNBA as a whole will have a major free agency bonanza in 2026. And if the Mystics start that year on the wrong foot, I’m not sure how they will be perceived in the league.
Thankfully, the Mystics MAY have a cheat code in the form of their 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery pick. While the Mystics will likely pick 4th (as well as 6th with another selection), they still have a 10 percent chance at getting the No. 1 pick. That means the Mystics would be poised to get their third true franchise player in history with Paige Bueckers from Connecticut. If the Mystics get Bueckers, does that also put a wrench in Winger’s plans to “deconstruct” D.C.’s WNBA team?
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