The WNBA has lost one of its most iconic superstars. Elena Delle Donne, a 10-year veteran for both the Chicago Sky and the Washington Mystics announced on Friday morning her intention to retire from basketball. Last playing in 2023, as she stepped away from basketball for 2024 and did not re-sign with the Mystics, Delle Donne made the announcement on her Instagram.
Delle Donne was a core piece during her time in Washington helping the Mystics win the WNBA Championship in 2019. Averaging over 19 points per game that season, she started every one of the Mystics’ contests. Delle Donne won the league MVP award for her strong performance that season. Now walking away from basketball, Delle Donne retires having played in over 240 games, where she averaged 19.5 for her career.
Delle Donne’s Career At a Glance
A four-year star at Delaware, Delle Donne was drafted by the Sky with the 2nd overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft. Delle Donne would go on to spend four seasons in Chicago. She was named Rookie of the Year in 2013 and the WNBA MVP Award in 2015. She was selected to three All-Star teams during her Sky tenure. With her rookie contract expiring at the end of the 2016 season and her nearing free agency, she was traded to the Mystics prior to 2017.
Immediately upon joining the Mystics, Delle Donne wasted no time in making her presence known in our nation’s capital. She was named to four All-Star teams and two All-WNBA first teams. In her MVP-winning season in 2019, Delle Donne also achieved a historic feat, joining the 50-40-90 club. She is the only player in league history to ever accomplish that. Now, Delle Donne retires as one of the most accomplished players to have played in the WNBA. She will go down as a legend in both Chicago and Washington.
What’s Next For the Mystics?
With the former MVP officially retired, the Mystics can turn the page to a new era and return to WNBA prominence. Struggling last season en route to finishing 14-26, the franchise will rely on their young stars to get them back into the playoffs in 2025, most notably players like Aaliyah Edwards and Karlie Samuelson. However, this season could also be the continuation of the rebuild as with Delle Donne officially done, the team will need to establish a new identity.
After the draft, training camp will open. It will be the first opportunity for each franchise to assess the talent they have. For Washington, figuring out who that next superstar is could go a long way toward surprising people and returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2023. With a new coach taking the reins, a new era is officially upon us in Washington.
Final Thoughts
Delle Donne retiring is a big blow to both the WNBA and the Mystics, but it is not catastrophic. Already having played a season without her, the Mystics have learned to be resilient without their superstar player and now that she has made it official, the franchise can finally move on and turn to the next woman up that can make a name for themselves. As the season inches closer and closer and the anticipation for opening night mounts, it will be interesting to see the product that Mystics put together.
