The Mystics are expecting to be without Marissa Coleman the next four to six weeks thanks to a high ankle sprain.
Washington brought in men to scrimmage against over the weekend while they waited out their nine-day break in between games, and Coleman stepped on someone’s foot and rolled her ankle. The rookie has had a big role in Washington’s 3-0 start, averaging 12.7 points in 23.3 minutes a game off the bench.
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“We don’t just rely on one player,” coach Julie Plank said. “Obviously, Marissa was a big part of our 3-point shooting and our bench, but we still have a lot of depth and other people are going to have to pick up the slack while she’s gone.”
Matee Ajavon and Tasha Humphrey will likely receive a bump in playing time while Coleman is sidelined. The Mystics also re-signed reliable 3-point shooter Kristen Mann to add depth on the perimeter, releasing center Josephine Owino to make room for her on the roster.
Mann was one of the last players cut in training camp and has experience in Plank’s system from her time with Minnesota and Indiana, so she stepped right in.
“The last week and a half has felt like an eternity, but today it felt like I never left,” Mann said. “I know the system already in and out, so it was an easy transition.”
The Mystics are hopeful trainer Navin Hettiarachchi will have Coleman ready to return in a month with up to six hours of rest and treatment a day. But since this is the first time she has sustained a major injury in her career — on any level — there is some uncertainty as to how quickly her ankle will respond to treatment.
