A West Coast road trip would make most Eastern Conference players feel homesick. But when the Washington Mystics take the floor against the Los Angeles Sparks Saturday night at Staples Center, several Mystics players will be in familiar surroundings.
Mystics Latasha Byears, Nikki Blue and Nikki Teasley played in Los Angeles during either their collegiate or professional careers, and a fourth — DeLisha Milton-Jones, who is inactive due to a sprained MCL in her left knee — also has Los Angeles roots.
Milton-Jones was the second-leading scorer and Byears was the fifth on the Sparks’ 2001 championship team. The Sparks drafted Teasley, the next season, which paid off when she hit the game-winning three-pointer that earned Los Angeles the second of back-to-back titles.
Milton-Jones came to Washington in the 2005 trade for forward Chamique Holdsclaw. And having already returned to play against the Sparks last season, Jones knows what the new Mystics should expect on Saturday.
“I would tell them to expect a lot of emotions when they step onto that court,” Milton-Jones said. “They’re going to remember a lot of good times, special times we had with that team. And they have to go through [those emotions] to get through it and be able to play a great game.”
Byears and Teasley were both acquired this past off-season. Byears signed as a free agent and Teasley was part of a trade that sent rookie-of-the-year Temeka Johnson and longtime Mystics forward Murriel Page to the Sparks.
“I think I’ll get a pretty good reception there,” Teasley said. “I always had a good relationship with the fans and I’m sure they respect what I brought to their team when I played there.”
Byears’ acrimonious end in Los Angeles included a lawsuit she brought against the Sparks’ organization that was settled out of court. But Byears looks forward to returning to where she won two WNBA championships.
“It’s exciting to go back and play in a city that you’ve considered home,” Byears said. “I’ll get to see lots of friends and it will be a good game.”
While Blue is new to the WNBA, the rookie point guard’s roots in Los Angeles run even deeper. Blue grew up in Bakersfield and made her mark at UCLA. Twice named an honorable mention All-American, Blue ranks fifth on the Bruins all-time scoring list. Forty of her friends and family have asked for tickets to the game.
“It’sgoing to be my homecoming and I can’t wait,” Blue said. “I’m excited that I get to play at the Staples Center where I’ve watched the Lakers and Sparks play for years.”
Despite the emotions sure to surface, players know their focus must be on the game.
“The veterans talked to the whole team,” Blue said. “They told us that we already have the skill and talent, now all we need to do is show the heart and we’ll get some of these wins on the road.”
Washington Mystics (8-7) at Los Angeles Sparks (11-4)
» Where: Staples Center
» When: Tonight at 10:30
» TV: NBA TV
» Radio: WWRC-1260
