Elena Delle Donne Announces Retirement from WNBA, Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne has announced her retirement from professional basketball, expressing that her body “made the decision before my mind accepted it,” as revealed in a heartfelt Instagram post. Delle Donne, who celebrated a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics in 2019, faced ongoing challenges with her health due to multiple back surgeries, resulting in her absence from the 2024 season. “One of my favorite children’s books asked, ‘How did it get so late so soon?’” she reflected in her post. “I’ve repeatedly asked myself that during the journey of deciding to retire from basketball. Saying it out loud marked one of the toughest moments of my career. Although my body reached the decision first, I now genuinely believe this is the right choice at the right time.”
Originally drafted in 2013 by the Chicago Sky, Delle Donne requested a trade to the Mystics after the 2016 season. Remarkably, she led the Mystics to a 2019 title victory while dealing with three herniated disks. Her career was further impacted when she opted out of the 2020 season within the COVID-19 bubble in Bradenton, Florida, and was limited to just three games in 2021 due to her back issues. In the following years, she played 25 games in 2022 and 23 in 2023 but decided against signing a one-year supermax contract for the 2024 season, marking her departure at 35. During her illustrious 11-season career, Delle Donne earned the MVP distinction in both 2015 and 2019, notably with two different teams, making seven All-Star appearances and four first-team All-WNBA selections. She shone in her college years at Delaware, earning two-time All-American honors and taking the Blue Hens to the 2013 Sweet 16.
“I struggle to fully express my gratitude for my family, my amazing teammates, friends, executives, sponsors, staff, and especially the wonderful fans who have journeyed with me,” Delle Donne shared. “Basketball has been my life. I’m thankful for the memories and everything it has given me. Ending this chapter feels right knowing I’ve given it my all—I’m excited for what’s next!” Over her career, she averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds over 241 regular-season appearances, and 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 40 playoff games. Delle Donne retires as the WNBA’s all-time leader in efficiency in free throw shooting at 93.7%. Looking forward, she will step into a new role as a special advisor for Monumental Basketball, the organization behind the Mystics and Wizards.
“We will miss her presence on the court,” stated Ted Leonsis, chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “Yet we’re thrilled she’ll continue with us, influencing the future of Monumental Basketball and all that we’re endeavoring to achieve. Elena’s impact has been beyond measure, and we’re excited to see how she’ll drive the game forward in new ways.”