Tuesday was a great day as we launched the Wizards new uniforms and logos. The event went smoothly and the response we have received on the new look has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, WashingtonWizards.com set a record on Tuesday by experiencing more than double the traffic generated on the previous single busiest day in franchise history with over 100,000 visits and more than 520,000 page views. Moreover, online sales of Wizards merchandise were greater than 4000% better than an average day.

I’m so proud of the Wizards/Mystics front office for their collective work on this project. Everyone contributed. Everyone played a role. I appreciate everyone’s hard work to make Tuesday great and the deliverables even better. I’m also appreciative of the Wizards fans who were patient in waiting for this day to come. You are the best of the best and your support of the team and the path we are taken is most certainly valued.

As I mentioned last week, Tuesday was not an end. Instead, it was just a beginning. Over the course of the summer, we will roll out an expanded line of merchandise, continue to build upon our new website platform and unveil our new court design. We will also play some hoops, WNBA style.

As we cleaned-up from the Wizards big day on Tuesday, we also put the final touches on the preparation for the start of Mystics training camp, which began on Sunday. I personally love the opening of training camp. It always reminds me of the first day of school. You see old faces and you meet new people. Everyone is full of hope and promise. Everything seems new and fresh. This year, these feelings are especially strong as we roll out our new red, white and blue look for the first time.

I’m excited to see what Trudi Lacey and the new-look Mystics accomplish in 2011. I think great things are on the horizon. During the team’s initial meeting on Sunday morning, Trudi informed the team that their time is now. I couldn’t agree more. I expect a winning summer from this group of outstanding young woman and as always, I’m proud to be associated with an unbelievable collection of motivated and dynamic people.

On a final note, it was wonderful to see Alana Beard back on the court, making plays. Alana has overcome yet another significant injury and looks to be in the best shape of her career. I’m excited to see her with a team that has grown so much since she last played a game for the Mystics. It should be a fun summer.

Don’t forget the regular season starts with a road date at Connecticut just two weeks from Saturday, on June 4. The home opener follows one week later on Saturday, June 11. Tip-off vs. the Chicago Sky is set for 7pm on that date. We will see you there.

Praying to the Ping Pong Ball Gods

The NBA will conduct the annual Draft Lottery on Tuesday night with the Wizards holding the fourth best chance of acquiring the top pick in the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft. Washington, which finished the season with a 23-59 record, has an 11.90% chance of landing the top pick, a 12.59% chance of getting the second pick and a 13.29% chance of acquiring the third selection. The Wizards can do no worse than seventh in the selection process. Minnesota (17-65) has the best chance of getting the top pick with a 25% shot. The Draft Lottery can be seen live on ESPN. Coverage begins at 8pm.

Freshman Honors

John Wall capped off a brilliant rookie season by being named to the T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team. The former University of Kentucky standout played in 69 games for the Wizards this past season, averaging 16.4 points, 8.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest. Wall was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in January, February, March and April, becoming the first player in franchise history to win the honor for four consecutive months. The North Carolina native also was named the MVP of the 2011 Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend and became the third youngest player ever at 20 years and 65 days old to register a triple double, recording the feat on November 10 vs. Houston.

School Day is Almost Here

The Mystics Third Annual School Day Game, presented by Inova Health System, will take place in just over a week, on Thursday, May 26. Tip-off vs. the Chicago Sky is set for 11:30am. The game combines the excitement of WNBA basketball with the fun of learning through sports. Thousands of school children will be in attendance, but the game is open to the public. Discounted tickets are available. Give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 for more information.

Kay Jewelers

We were proud to announce last week that Kay Jewelers has joined the Mystics family as the presenting partner of the Mystics Youth Summer League. The partnership, which is one of the largest in team history, provides prominent exposure for Kay through the MYSL while delivering a plethora of resources to a League focused on cultivating basketball and helping kids in our community. Kay also receives on-court brand exposure and a series of hospitality opportunities. We are excited to have such a well-regarded brand join our ranks. Thank you, Kay!

Stat of the Week

Former Washington Bullets star Elvin Hayes ranks fourth in NBA history in rebounding with 16,279 boards to his credit.

Quote of the Week

“Believe in yourself. Everyone will follow.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat on advancing to the NBA Conference Finals.

· Mystics Media Day is Wednesday. Check out the pictures from that event later on that day to see our new court design.

· Look for a new WashingtonMystics.com to launch around June 1.

· Hard to believe, but 15 years ago today I graduated college. I’m officially old.

Happy birthday to the Sports Wiz, Wizards/Mystics Website Editor Andrew Rosen. Andrew will celebrate his big day on Saturday.

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!

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