Emma Meesseman signs contract extension with the Mystics through 2019

Correction and Clarification on March 9, 2016, 1:20 p.m. ET - Bullets Forever has confirmed with the Mystics that Meesseman's extension is for three years, not four as the article originally stated. However, she is under contract for the next four years, or through the 2019 WNBA season since she is now on the last year of her rookie contract.

Also, for reference, Meesseman was the 19th pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft.

My apologies for the error. The original article is below. - Albert

Over the last three years, the Washington Mystics have drafted a number of young players to form the long-term foundation of the team. On Tuesday, they announced that Emma Meesseman has signed a contract extension to stay in the nation's capital through 2019.

In a press release by Monumental Sports, Mystics GM/HC Mike Thibault said the following:

We are excited to have Emma signed for the next four seasons. She is one of the cornerstones of this team. She has had a tremendous start to her WNBA career, but I feel like she has only scratched the surface. Her game has continued to grow as she has become comfortable in the league and she has physically matured. Last year's All-Star selection proved to her that she can be among the elite players in our league.

I know it's a press release, and these overly positive quotes are said all the time. But I'm encouraged by the quotes.

For the first time, Thibault and the Mystics (Ted Leonsis aside) are FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGING what we have pointed out over the course of this winter.

Meesseman is the Mystics' best player and it isn't even close. Last season, she earned her first All-Star appearance and was among the WNBA's leaders in many statistical categories.

Because of her performance over the last three years, Meesseman can very well be one of the top players in the world and make us forget about the time when Washington ended up with the fourth pick in the 2013 Draft instead of the top three. Tayler Hill was the player who the Mystics picked at that position where she wasn't able to meet lofty expectations.

Meesseman, on the other hand, is playing at a high level both in the WNBA and in international play. Her 14 point and 7 rebound performance for UMMC earlier today is just an exclamation point that shows how much of an impact she can provide right now at the age of Taylor Swift's best song.

We will definitely see more of the Mystics' young core -- including Dolson and Hill -- sign their sophomore extensions in the near future. But today is a great day because the Mystics' messaging is now finally starting to truly align with the younger players who I believe form their long-term foundation for years to come.