Ms. Smith Goes to Washington!

It's official!

The BasketCases are on the scene here at the Mystics' press conference in the Verizon Center, where the team has just announced what has been rumored for a very long time: the signing of free agent Katie Smith, formerly of the Detroit Shock.

In their announcement on March 3 of today's press conference, the Mystics described the then-unnamed free agent as "one of the most prestigious additions in Mystics history." And now that the mystery player has been revealed, we can safely concur with that description. Simply put, Katie -- a WNBA superstar and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist -- is one of the best players to ever set foot on the court. And while Katie may be closer to the end of her illustrious career than to the beginning, she is still a competitor, a consummate professional, and a W-I-N-N-E-R, and she will bring much-needed veteran leadership to the Mystics.

Katie is also the first "big" free agent signing in Mystics franchise history, and we hope this is a turning point in the team's ability to attract top talent who have options to play elsewhere.

Please check back with us later for a report from this evening's "meet and greet" (and perhaps some tidbits and photos from the press conference as well).

In the meantime, welcome, Katie!

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases