Natasha Cloud and the Phoenix Mercury defeated the Washington Mystics 97-86 on Tuesday in the guard’s first game in D.C. since leaving in free agency last offseason.
The game, Washington’s third at Capital One Arena this season, marked the Mystics’ final game before the Olympic break and a homecoming for Cloud, who played eight seasons in the District.
“We went on a journey here together for a long time,” Mystics coach Eric Thibault said. “We had a nine-year run together and a lot of great shared memories. There’s a banner hanging in this building that she’s a big part of, so I hope it’s a great homecoming.”
In her only scheduled visit to D.C. this season, Cloud recorded 12 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and countless ovations from the crowd. The response, from hugs with former teammates to a tribute video on the jumbotron, was largely positive.
“I don’t know if I knew what to expect in coming back, you get the nostalgia feeling when you come back into town,” the 2019 WNBA champion said. ”There is something about Chocolate City and being back in D.C. that feels at home for me.”
Though she’s quick to highlight the off-court work in the District, one play at Capital One Arena still stands out for Cloud: her 2018 buzzer-beater against the Los Angeles Sparks.
“She basically shut this place down,” Thibault said.
The game-winner sealed the Mystics’ final game at their old home before moving to the Entertainment and Sports Arena in 2019.
“That’s my last memory here, against L.A. That was a really cool moment for me,” Cloud said. “But more so, being back, the thing I missed most is the community.”
Washington’s fans haven’t forgotten Cloud’s impact on and off the court. Before the game, the Pennsylvania native hugged fans and took pictures courtside. She even accepted her annual Girl Scout cookie delivery.
“That was the hardest thing to leave is the community that you built here. … This community will always hold a special place in my heart,” the 32-year-old said. “It will always be a huge part of my journey and where I am today, so I’m always going to be super grateful about that.”
Even after sniffing a triple-double against the Mystics, Cloud still took the time to share words of wisdom with her former teammates, including a long embrace with forward Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.
“In that moment, she was just being who she was as a leader,” Walker-Kimbrough said. “We played with each other for a number of years and she’s continuing to give me great advice and continuing to build me up, telling me to stay positive and continue to do what I was doing.”
The Mystics and Mercury, along with the rest of the WNBA, will now embark on a month-long break as dozens of players from around the league head to Paris to compete in the Olympics.
“You always feel it going into the All-Star break, you want to get a win going into that break,” Thibault said. “But when the break’s one month long, or close to it, you really want to get a win to leave that taste in your mouth.”
The Mystics fell to 6-19 on the season after the loss. Though the squad has recorded a 6-7 record since opening the season on a 12-game losing streak, Washington still sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
“Hopefully the break is a chance for us to get some people healthy,” Thibault said, referring to the injury struggles of Shakira Austin, Brittney Sykes and Karlie Samuelson. “I think we’re a team that, if we can get some people back and we can get a little better … we can be a really tough team to play against down the stretch of the season.”
The Mystics will return to the court on Aug. 15 in Minnesota against the Lynx.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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