WNBA star Elena Delle Donne announces retirement from league after 10 seasons

ASFN Admin

Administrator
Administrator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 8, 2002
Posts
406,099
Reaction score
43
Elena Delle Donne, a seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time league MVP, has announced her retirement after playing 10 seasons in the WNBA.

Delle Donne took to social media to announce her decision to retire from basketball, explaining that her body has ultimately made the choice for her. She referenced one of her favorite children's books, "The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss, and its poignant line, "How did it get so late so soon?", to express her surprise at how quickly her career had proceeded to this point.

"Being able to say that out loud was one of the hardest parts of my career. My body seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it, but I now truly know this is the right thing for me at the right time," Delle Donne said on social media.

Dell Donne will continue to be involved in basketball as a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, which owns the Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards.

Elena Delle Donne

2013 NO. 2 OVERALL DRAFT PICK
2013 ROTY
2x WNBA MVP
4x ALL-WNBA FIRST TEAM
7x WNBA ALL-STAR

And we can’t forget 2019, bringing the first ever Championship to the Washington Mystics

Thank you for all that you’ve done for the game pic.twitter.com/hPwnE86rgO

— WNBA (@WNBA) April 4, 2025

More: Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi back for women's Final Four alternate broadcast: What to know

Elena Delle Donne's WNBA career​


Delle Donne was selected as the second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She was named the 2013 Rookie of the Year and won the WNBA MVP award in 2016. After spending four years in Chicago, she was traded to the Mystics following the 2016 season. While with the Mystics, she won the WNBA Championship in 2019 and earned her second MVP award in the same year.

After a series of injuries, including missing the 2020 season in the Covid-19 bubble, she missed the 2024 season after opting out and deciding not to sign a one-year supermax offer from the Mystics.

For her career, Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elena Delle Donne announces retirement from WNBA after 10 seasons

Continue reading...
 

Forum statistics

Threads
605,193
Posts
5,548,037
Members
6,349
Latest member
Puffer Fish
Top