Washington Mystics sign free agent guard Kristi Toliver
From the Mystics:
Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault announced today the team has signed free agent guard Kristi Toliver. Toliver averaged 14.8 points and 4.1 assists while leading the Los Angeles Sparks to the WNBA Championship last season.
“Adding Kristi Toliver to our team is another banner day in the reconstruction of our team,” said Thibault. “We are excited for everything that Kristi brings to the Mystics, on and off the court. She is a proven championship winner at both the WNBA and collegiate level. Her point guard skills and leadership will be invaluable as we try to reach our goal of becoming an elite team. I’m sure our fans will be excited by the energy and effort she brings to the court every day.”
A 5-7 guard from the University of Maryland, Toliver was selected in the first round (third overall) of the 2009 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky after helping the Terrapins win the 2006 NCAA Championship, the first for the women’s program. Following her rookie season, she was traded to the Sparks where spent the last seven years and helped the team make five consecutive playoff appearances before the winning the championship in 2016. She has compiled career averages of 13.2 points per game and 3.7 assists per game.
“It excites me to have the opportunity to help create a winning culture with the Mystics,” said Toliver. “I’ve had great memories of the Washington, D.C. area, and I look forward to the challenge of being successful again and rejoining this community. There’s no place like home.”
In 2012, following a season where she averaged 20.0 points per game and 5.6 assists per game, Toliver was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year and earn All-WNBA Second Team honors. The following year, Toliver was named to the 2013 WNBA All-Star team. During her career with the Sparks, she set the franchise record for three-point field goal percentage and free-throw percentage.
The Washington Mystics will open the season on Sunday, May 14, at 3:00 p.m. against the San Antonio Stars.
