Elena delle Donne listens to the body, announces retirement

Double WNBA MVP Elena delle Donne left out of basketball and said in Instagram post that her body “seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it”.

Delle Donne won the title WNBA with Washington mystics In 2019, but was limited by several interventions and did not play in the league in 2024.

“One of my favorite children’s books asked:” I asked that I was again and again in the process of admitting to leave basketball. Being able to say that aloud was one of the most difficult part of my career. My body seemed to make this decision before my mind, but now I know it is the right thing for me. “

DELE DONNE WAS WORD OPERATED No. 2 Chicago Sky In 2013 and after the 2016 season he promoted mystic trade. When playing with three herniated discs, she won the 2019 title with Washington. That year had only 50-40-90 in the league history, fired 51.5% of the field, 43% 3-point line and 97.4% of the foul.

“She put us across the top,” said former Mystics coach Mike Thibault Associated Press. “We tried to build where we could have a team with which someone like her would like to play, and we could win the championship we were looking for and looking for.”

But Donne did not play in the COVID-19 bubble in the 2020 season in Bradenton, Florida, and in 2021 it was limited to three games in 2021 before playing 25 games in 2022 and 23 in 2023.

She missed the 2024 season after she decided not to sign a one -year offer Supermax from Mystics.

Thibault told many hours that delle Donne spent in the gym and tried to keep his body and deal with the range of injuries and illnesses like Lyme’s disease.

“She had a lot of days in the arena after surgery, which started at 6 am, and when other players were finished, she was still doing another treatment or massage or anything that could be played,” Thibault said.

Donne (35) won the WNBA MVP Award in 2015 and 2019 and became the first player to win two different teams. He was a seven-time All-Star star and a four-time selection of the first All-waita team during her 11 seasons.

“Words cannot adequately express how grateful to my family, all my incredible teammates, friends, managers, sponsors, employees, and most importantly, amazing fans who accompanied me on this journey,” Donne wrote. “This game was my life and I am grateful for memories and how much it gave me. It’s good to close this chapter because I knew I gave her everything and I can’t wait to see what’s going on!”

Donne, who also won the Olympic gold medal with US basketball in 2016 in 2016, average 19.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in 241 games in a regular season. She played in 40 Postseason games, where she average 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assistance. She retires as a leader of the career of the league in free throwing at 93.7%.

Donne Donne came to the high school scene as one of the most sought -after recruits in the country. Originally committed to Uconne before you decide at the last minute to return home Delaware be closer to your sister. After retiring from basketball to play her first year volleyball at school, she missed the sport and returned to play the hoop.

The Delaware helped to achieve unprecedented heights at the time, transferred the blue hens to their first Sweet 16 and ended with more than 3,000 points in her career.

DELE DONNE will serve as a special advisor to a monumental basketball, part of a company that owns mystics and Wizards.

“We will miss the court,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment and TED Leonsis CEO. “But we are glad to be with us, formed another chapter for monumental basketball and everything we build. Elena’s impact was immense and we were eagerly seeing how he would still push the game, just in a different way.”

Associated Press contributed to this report.