Busy May Days

It is good to be back after a little bit of a break. Here at the Wizards and Mystics, we are preparing to turn the page on April and welcome May, which promises to be an exciting month. To start, the Wizards will unveil the team’s new look on Tuesday May 10 during a press conference at Verizon Center. During this special event, the organization will introduce new team uniforms and several new logos featuring a red, white and blue color scheme. There will be a few very special guests in attendance and a couple of surprises during the presentation. Be sure to watch it all unfold live on WashingtonWizards.com.

Just five days later, on Sunday, May 15, the Mystics open training camp. Led by General Manager and Head Coach Trudi Lacey, the Mystics will welcome back Alana Beard and say hello to a host of new players. This list includes WNBA All-Star Nicky Anosike and 2011 first round draft picks Ta’Shia Phillips and Victoria Dunlap.

Two days into Mystics camp, on May 17, the focus swings back to the Wizards as the team participates in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery. During this event, Washington will find out where the team will pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 23. The Wizards could win the lottery and pick first, or pick as low as seventh. Will history repeat itself from last year when the lottery gods smiled on DC and John Wall headed to town, or will our luck run out? We will have to wait and see.

Finally, on Thursday, May 26, the Mystics will host the team’s lone home pre-season game when the Chicago Sky comes to town. Tip-off for the annual School Day Game, presented by Inova Health System, is 11:30am. For tickets, give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1, or visit WashingtonMystics.com.

May promises to be fun. Be sure to follow us all month long on Facebook and Twitter.

A New Look

Speaking of our web properties, both the Wizards and Mystics sites will have new looks in the next month or so. The Wizards site will re-launch with a brand new look in conjunction with the May 10 unveiling mentioned above. The Mystics re-design is more structural in nature and will occur sometime in late May or early June, in advance of the June 4 season opener at Connecticut. Both launches will feature online enhancements for our fans.

A Fun Time of Year

With Mystics training camp just days away, the returning vets are starting to log some time on the Verizon Center practice court. Check out pictures of Alana and Marissa Coleman getting in a workout with assistant coach Laurie Byrd here.

Stat of the Week

Former Bullet great Elvin Hayes ranks fourth on the NBA’s all-time rebounding list. “The Big E” grabbed 16,279 boards during his Hall of Fame career.

Let’s Go Caps!

Congrats to the Washington Capitals for advancing to the second round of the NHL Playoffs. Good luck against the Tampa Bay Lighting.

Smile for the Camera

Want to take a stroll down memory lane? Check out these pictures from John Wall’s rookie campaign. It was quite the year for a special player. Enjoy.

Rolling at the White House

Tara and I were fortunate enough to take Adelyn and Caden to the White House Egg Roll on Monday. The kids had a blast rolling eggs, visiting the Easter bunny, running through the obstacle course and listening to the music. What a great event. It’s just another reason why living in Washington, D.C. is such a privilege.

Quote of the Week

“People support what they create.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· Thoughts and prayers to all of the folks who have been impacted by the recent severe weather.

· Happy Birthday to Josh Howard who celebrated his special day on April 28. Birthday wishes to Mystic’s assistant coach Marianne Stanley as well who celebrated a birthday on April 29

· Is it me, or are the NBA Playoffs at a new level of excitement and intrigue this season?

· How good of a job has the NFL done in turning the League’s draft into a year-round initiative? Amazing.

· Have you renewed your Mystics season tickets yet?

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!