Delle Donne played at the University of Delaware, where she was a two-time All-American and led the Blue Hens to the Sweet 16.
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Two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne has retired from basketball, saying her body “seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it” in an Instagram post.
Delle Donne won a WNBA title with the Washington Mystics in 2019 but was hampered by multiple back surgeries and did not play in the league in 2024.
“One of my favorite children’s books asked, ‘How did it get so late so soon?'” Delle Donne wrote in her post. “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. 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.”
Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne smiles after scoring during a WNBA basketball game against the Chicago Sky Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Chicago.
AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Delle Donne was drafted by the Chicago Sky in 2013 and pushed for a trade to the Mystics after the 2016 season. She won the 2019 title with Washington while playing with three herniated disks. But she didn’t play in the 2020 season in the COVID-19 bubble in Bradenton, Florida, and was limited to three games by back issues in 2021 before playing 25 games in 2022 and 23 in 2023.
She missed the 2024 season after deciding not to sign a one-year supermax offer from the Mystics.
Delle Donne, 35, won the WNBA MVP award in 2015 and 2019, becoming the first player to receive the honor with two different teams. She was a seven-time All-Star and a four-time All-WNBA first-team selection over her 11 seasons. She played college basketball at Delaware, where she was a two-time All-American and led the Blue Hens to the Sweet 16 in 2013.
“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,” Delle Donne wrote. “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!”
Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in 241 regular-season games. She played in 40 postseason games, where she averaged 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. She retires the league’s career leader in free throw shooting at 93.7%.
She will serve as a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, part of the company that owns the Mystics and Wizards.
“We’ll miss her on the court. But we’re glad she’ll still be with us, shaping the next chapter for Monumental Basketball and all we’re building,” Monumental Sports & Entertainment chairman and CEO Ted Leonsis said in a statement. “Elena’s impact has been immeasurable, and we’re eager to see how she’ll keep pushing the game, just in a different way.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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