Nearly 18 months after Elena Delle Donne last put a basketball through a hoop in a game, she has decided that was her last shot.
The 35-year-old Delaware icon officially announced her retirement Friday morning on her Instagram account.
“One of my favorite children’s books asked, ‘How did it get so late so soon?’” she wrote. “I have asked myself that over and over again in the process of coming to the decision to retire from playing basketball. Being able to say that out loud was one of the hardest parts of my career.”
Delle Donne last suited up for the Washington Mystics in 2023, when she was a WBNA all-star for the seventh time in her 10 league seasons. She averaged 16.7 points per game that year.
The 6-foot-5 Delle Donne, who had missed the 2020 NBA season and played just three games in 2021 after back surgery and other physical woes, did not play last season as she contemplated her future.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
ELENA ATOP THE LIST: Who are Delaware’s 100 most accomplished athletes of all time?
“My body seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it,” Delle Donne continued in her IG post, “but I now truly know this is the right thing for me at the right time.
“Words cannot adequately express how thankful I am to my family, all of my incredible teammates, friends, executives, sponsors, staff and most importantly the amazing fans that have accompanied me on this journey. This game has been my life and I am grateful for the memories and how much it’s given me. It feels good to close this chapter knowing I gave it my all and I can’t wait for what’s next!”
That will likely include her winemaking business; continued promotional opportunities; and advocating for those with disabilities, including sister Lizzie.
Delle Donne first became nationally known as a basketball player while being a five-time first-team All-State selection at Wilmington’s Ursuline Academy. She scored a state career record 2,818 points and was the consensus national high school player of the year as a senior in 2008.
She planned to attend frequent NCAA champion Connecticut but returned home after a few days during the summer of 2008, initially citing the need of a mental break from the pressures of basketball. She later realized detachment from family was at the root of her struggles.
She enrolled at the University of Delaware and played volleyball as a freshman for a Blue Hens team that reached the NCAA Tournament.
Delle Donne then returned to the basketball court, putting Delaware on the NCAA basketball map and filling the Carpenter Center while being a first-team All-American her junior and senior seasons. The practically indefensible Delle Donne sparked Delaware to two CAA titles and the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in 2013. Her 3,039 career points were fifth in NCAA Division I history when she graduated.
Delle Donne was then the second pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky and was league Rookie of the Year. She was WNBA MVP in 2015 with the Sky and, after a 2017 move to the Mystics, again in 2019 with Washington. She sparked the Mystics to the WNBA title that year.
In between, Delle Donne was on the United States Olympic team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She closed her WNBA career averaging 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game and was a 93.7% free-throw shooter.
“Elena Delle Donne has been a transformative force for the Washington Mystics and women’s basketball,” said Ted Leonsis, chairman and CEO of Mystics owners Monumental Sports & Entertainment, in a team statement.
“A champion and MVP on and off the court, her legacy as a player, leader, and ambassador will leave a permanent mark on the game, and on generations of young women, for years to come.”
Contact Kevin Tresolini at [email protected] and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
