WNBA legend Elena Delle Donne announces her retirement after 10 seasons and two MVP crowns

1 month ago 11

By DANIEL MATTHEWS

Published: 12:53 EDT, 4 April 2025 | Updated: 13:21 EDT, 4 April 2025

Elena Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player, has announced her status from basketball.

The 35-year-old, who played for the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics, enjoyed a glittering hoops career.

She was selected 2nd wide by the Sky backmost successful 2013 and went connected to triumph a WNBA rubric with the Mystics successful 2019.

Delle Donne was a seven-time All Star - astir precocious successful 2023 - but the 35-year-old confirmed her determination to discontinue successful a connection connected Friday.

'One of my favourite children’s books asked, "How did it get truthful precocious truthful soon?"' Delle Donne wrote.

'I person asked myself that implicit and implicit again successful the process of coming to the determination to discontinue from playing basketball. Being capable to accidental that retired large was 1 of the hardest parts of my career. 

Elena Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player, has announced her retirement

The 35-year-old was selected with the 2nd wide prime by the Chicago Sky backmost successful 2013

'My assemblage seemed to marque this determination earlier my caput accepted it but I present genuinely cognize this is the close happening for maine astatine the close time. 

'Words cannot adequately explicit however thankful I americium to my family, each of my unthinkable teammates, friends, executives, sponsors, unit and astir importantly the astonishing fans that person accompanied maine connected this journey. 

'This crippled has been my beingness and I americium grateful for the memories and however overmuch it’s fixed me. 

'It feels bully to adjacent this section knowing I gave it my each and I can’t hold for what’s next!'

Cameron Brink and Breanna Stewart were among the WNBA stars to wage tribute to Delle Donne.

'Thank you for inspiring me,' Brink wrote, portion Stewart said: 'Congrats connected an astonishing career!!! Always a pugnacious lucifer up!!! I def admit the moments we played unneurotic and against each other!'

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