The Washington Mystics employed Jamila Wideman because the franchise’s new normal supervisor and Sydney Johnson because the staff’s coach on Monday.
Wideman joins the Mystics after spending six years on the NBA league workplace, the place she most lately served as senior vice chairman of participant growth. Johnson has labored with USA Basketball over the previous 5 years and was an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky final season.
“Jamila’s breadth of expertise, vary of core competencies, and keenness for growing the entire athlete, makes her the perfect particular person to usher within the new period of Mystics Basketball,” staff president Michael Winger stated. “Equally, Sydney brings an distinctive mixture of acumen, tenacity and empathy that may elevate our play and provoke the staff across the new route for this championship franchise.”
Wideman was a part of the inaugural WNBA draft class, going to the Los Angeles Sparks with the third choose. She additionally performed with the Portland Fireplace and Cleveland Rockers.
“I’ve sturdy roots within the WNBA and have had the privilege of taking part in with, working alongside, and witnessing the unbelievable people who find themselves the athletes on the heart of the sport,” she stated. “The perfect I’ve seen share some core qualities: curiosity, humility, and creativeness. I stay up for constructing a Mystics staff in partnership with the gamers, coaches, and workers that displays this core.”
Wideman helped oversee the NBA’s participant growth initiatives, managed relationships with exterior organizations and spearheaded the league’s psychological well being and wellness platform.
Johnson began his teaching profession as an assistant coach at Georgetown College and went on to function head coach at his alma mater, Princeton College, the place he earned consecutive Ivy League Coach of the Yr Honors (2008-09, 2009-10). He spent his childhood within the Baltimore space and attended Towson Catholic Excessive College.
He was then head coach at Fairfield from 2011-19.
“In the present day’s appointments of Jamila and Sydney symbolize a pivotal second for the Mystics and our followers — the very best followers within the WNBA,” stated Ted Leonsis, the Washington Mystics proprietor and Monumental Sports activities & Leisure chairman and CEO. “As I commemorate 20 years as proprietor of the Mystics in 2025, I’m energized by the imaginative and prescient Michael, Jamila, and Sydney have for instilling and driving a tradition of efficiency, achievement, empathy, and innovation for a few years to come back.”
They change Mike Thibault and Eric Thibault as GM and coach. The Mystics completed this season 14-26, simply lacking the playoffs. Washington began the 12 months with 12 straight losses and handled accidents to Shakira Austin and Brittney Sykes. The staff additionally underwent main modifications this offseason with Elena Delle Donne sitting out and Natasha Cloud leaving for Phoenix.
With the hiring of Johnson, all seven of the vacant teaching openings have been crammed.