Jade Melbourne to tip off another season with the Washington Mystics
Jade Melbourne has swapped one capital city for another and is gearing up for an exciting WNBA season ahead with the Washington Mystics.
About to enter her third season in the league, Jade has been in preseason training camp for the last three weeks and is happy to be back with the Mystics.
“We made lots of changes over the off season from players to coaching staff so, it’s been cool getting to know everyone on and off the court. I’m surrounded by lots of great people which has made training camp really enjoyable,” she said.
The Mystics got to test their new changes during two preseason games and have since locked in their final playing roster.
Jade averaged 22 minutes in those matches and says the Mystics are shaping up to be an exciting team to watch this season.
“You can expect a very fast style of play which I love. You can expect to see us pushing the ball every chance we get.
“We’re a super smart team so we’re combining athleticism with IQ to play a really fast but free style of basketball. It’s been really fun learning everyone’s strengths and seeing the style come to life over the last few weeks,” Jade said.
This will be Jade’s second season with the Mystics, after being traded from the Seattle Storm at the end of her rookie year – a move which has seen her game grow from strength to strength.
Jade will play a different role for the Mystics than the one we’re use to seeing her play in Australia, but the competitiveness of the WNBA provides her the opportunity to keep honing her own skills.
“My individual goals for the season are just to continue to build my consistency in this league and help the team in any way I can that contributes to winning.
“Last season I was good some games and average in others so just continuing to build confidence in myself, so the team knows what they are getting for me every game,” she said.
The Mystics only narrowly missed out on a playoffs berth last season finishing 9th overall, and will be looking to go one better as they chase their second championship after securing their maiden title in 2019.
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The WNBA saw a host of player movement during the offseason, with many teams coming out with a new look roster this season.
Despite the changes, each team is set to be a challenge and Jade is looking forward to every match up.
“Playing in the WNBA is incredible because every game is a challenge and every game is tough. The opportunity to play against the best players in the world is amazing.
“The games I circle though are definitely the ones against another Aussie, which is a lot this year. I love getting to see a familiar face and the opportunity to catch up for dinner or coffee is always a highlight,” she said.
Seven other Aussies have secured final roster spots across the league, and Jade will have a familiar face with her in DC as fellow Victorian, Georgia Amoore, was drafted to the Mystics.
Unfortunately, Amoore won’t hit the court this season after suffering an ACL injury during training camp but has remained signed to the Mystics final roster.
Caps fans tuning in will also recognise another familiar face with Canberra alum, Brittney Sykes, suiting up in the #20 jersey alongside Jade.
Jade and the Mystics will begin their WNBA campaign with a home game opener against the Atlanta Dream tomorrow, Saturday 17 March at 9:30am AEST.
Check out our full guide on the WNBA and how to watch below.
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WHO
The WNBA is made up of 13 teams spread across the Continental United States.
The New York Liberty (led by Australian Opals Head Coach, Sandy Brondello) are the reigning champions, and this will be the inaugural season for the Golden State Valkyries who are the newest expansion team.
The full list of teams and their Aussie signings are:
Washington Mystics – Jade Melbourne & Georgia Amoore
Chicago Sky – Bec Allen
Golden State Valkyries – Steph Talbot
Minnesota Lynx – Alanna Smith
Phoenix Mercury – Sami Whitcomb
Seattle Storm – Ezi Magbegor
WHEN
The WNBA regular season starts on the 16th of May and runs for just under 4 months until the 11th of September.
At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams then qualify for the playoffs. A best-of-three game series decides the first-round matchups, followed by a best-of-five game series for both the semifinals and the finals with the season wrapping up by the 17th of October.
The Mystics will play 44 regular season games, with an even split of home and away matches. 18 of their home games will be played at the 4,200-seat CareFirst Arena in Washington DC, 2 games at the 10,000-seat EagleBank Arena in Virginia, and 2 games at the 11,000-seast CFG Bank Arena in Maryland.
The Mystics sold-out all of their home games last season and with the city’s larger venue, Capital One Arena, currently under renovations, the club relocated several of their games to bring the WNBA experience to more people in the region.
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HOW TO WATCH
In Australia, a WNBA League Pass subscription is the best way to keep up with Jade and the Mystics this season.
With an annual fee of $52.99 AUD, you can catch every out-of-market game live and enjoy full length replays of every game all in the one place.
Can’t decide if League Pass is for you? The WNBA are offering free League Pass preview this week for 12 of the first 14 games. That means you can watch Jade’s first three games of the season for free!
Kayo Sports also offer a set amount of WNBA games streamed lived through ESPN, while Prime Video will broadcast 21 exclusive games.
Cover photo credit: Washington Mystics