Melvin Believes in Mystics' Direction

Plenty of people wondered why Chasity Melvin would return, by choice, to Washington to play for the Mystics. After all, having played here 3 1/2 seasons from 2004 to 2007, Melvin knows as well as anyone what an unsuccessful franchise it has been.

But wooed by General Manager Angela Taylor and Coach Julie Plank, Melvin, a free agent, spurned her other suitor, San Antonio, to come back to Washington because she believes in Taylor and Plank.

"I like their goals and their vision for the team," said Melvin, who plays center and forward. "I had those goals when I was here, and I felt like I wasn't able to [achieve them]. We had gotten there and then I was shipped off [to the Chicago Sky] so I had unfinished business. . . . Whether it was the greatest decision, I don't know. I made a decision. I'm happy."

Melvin wasn't the only new face at Mystics media day yesterday at Verizon Center. As usual, the Mystics have a new coach, Plank, their 11th coach in 12 seasons. Several players were wearing Mystics uniforms for the first time, including two of the team's four draft picks, Marissa Coleman and Josephine Owino. (The other two draft picks, guard Camille LeNoir and center Jelena Milovanovic, are no longer with the team. LeNoir was cut; Milovanovic has chosen to remain overseas.) Other newcomers include Lindsey Harding, Matee Ajavon, Kelly Schumacher and Kiesha Brown, who also returns for her second stint with the Mystics.

From the veterans to the newcomers, everyone seems to like what Taylor and Plank have done in their short time with the team.

"This staff reminds me a lot of the staff my freshman year at Maryland," Coleman said. "Very energetic, passionate about it, dreaming big and having high expectations and aspirations for this team to get to the playoffs and ultimately to win a championship."

Despite all the changes, four of the top five scorers are back from a team that finished 10-24 last season, including leading scorer Alana Beard. No one on the team has been through more coaching changes than Beard, who is in her sixth season with the Mystics.

"We're doing the same thing, you know," she said. "I'm changing coaches. I'm changing coaching staffs. I'm used to it, but I'd just say that I think there's a different feel to it. . . . I'm excited. I am very excited. It feels different. The energy around this arena is unbelievable, starting from the coaches."

Though she's not making any bold predictions, Melvin said the Mystics will be a better team because everyone has the same goal and knows what they want out of each other. "I can work with that," she said. "Even though people say we're starting over [and ask] why did I come back here, but I just see the vision. I believe in it, so we'll see what happens."