WNBA’s Elena Delle Donne announces retirement…

[posty 2,608]

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/44531899/elena-delle-donne-listens-body-announces-retirement
 

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."

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."

[posty 2,608]

She was fun to watch…. It’s a shame she couldn’t go out on her own terms instead of the body forcing her to hang them up…

[Tree of Knowledge 1,689]

Would.  

[EternalShinyAndChrome 3,828]

Who?

[kilroy69 1,215]

I have no idea who this person is. 

[EternalShinyAndChrome 3,828]

Just now, kilroy69 said:

I have no idea who this person is. 

Let's ask the women who she is.  They must know, right?  They're the ones complaining about women not getting paid like the men so they MUST be watching to support that, right?

RIGHT?!?!?

[kilroy69 1,215]

Just now, EternalShinyAndChrome said:

Let's ask the women who she is.  They must know, right?  They're the ones complaining about women not getting paid like the men so they MUST be watching to support that, right?

RIGHT?!?!?

Other than Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese I could not name another WNBA player without looking them up. 

[patweisers44 815]

Seriously it amazes me that of all the things in the world for Posty to like, he goes with longer MLB games and focking chick basketball.

[HellToupee 1,582]

Lezzie or straight?

[posty 2,608]

Just now, HellToupee said:

Lezzie or straight?

She is a lesbian…. She was married to her in 2017…

[jbycho 577]

3 minutes ago, patweisers44 said:

Seriously it amazes me that of all the things in the world for Posty to like, he goes with longer MLB games and focking chick basketball.

He's rather slow I'm the head. 

[HellToupee 1,582]

2 minutes ago, posty said:

She is a lesbian…. She was married to her in 2017…

WNBA , ‘nuff said

[posty 2,608]

6 minutes ago, patweisers44 said:

Seriously it amazes me that of all the things in the world for Posty to like, he goes with longer MLB games and focking chick basketball.

As I have said many times before, when you have a close family friend that played varsity in high school as a freshman and became the leading scorer in the school’s history (both boys and girls) and went to about 60-70 games over her career, one tends to enjoy it more…

But if it helps you to get through your insecurities, feel free to attack…

[EternalShinyAndChrome 3,828]

27 minutes ago, kilroy69 said:

Other than Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese I could not name another WNBA player without looking them up. 

No problem.  I'm sure the women in this forum can tell you who she is.

[EternalShinyAndChrome 3,828]

24 minutes ago, posty said:

She is a lesbian…. She was married to her in 2017…

Seriously...is that even a question anymore?

It's just assumed they're all lesbians because, well, they are. 

[posty 2,608]

48 minutes ago, EternalShinyAndChrome said:

Seriously...is that even a question anymore?

It's just assumed they're all lesbians because, well, they are. 

Yes that is mostly true but there are some in the WNBA that are married to men…. And not tranny men…. Real men that were born that way…

[seafoam1 2,797]

4 hours ago, posty said:

She was fun to watch…. It’s a shame she couldn’t go out on her own terms instead of the body forcing her to hang them up…

 You go girl. 

[kilroy69 1,215]

3 hours ago, HellToupee said:

Lezzie or straight?

I would guess that MOST of the WNBA players are women in comfortable shoes.  Have you ever heard Brittney Griner speak? That thing has a deeper voice than any of us do. 

[Maximum Overkill 1,738]

4 hours ago, posty said:

She is a lesbian…. She was married to her in 2017…

Shocker, her and the other 90% of the league 

[KSB2424 3,148]

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