It turns out Elena Delle Donne won't be returning to professional basketball after all.
The two-time WNBA MVP and 2019 champion with the Washington Mystics announced her official retirement on Friday, stunning fans who still held out hope she would play again.
In an Instagram post explaining the decision, the 35-year-old said "my body seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it, but I now truly know this the right thing for me at the right time". Delle Donne, who has been very open about her struggles with Lyme disease and endured multiple back surgeries, stepped from pro basketball in 2024, turning down the one-year supermax contract the Mystics offered her that offseason.
Delle Donne ends her career as a surefire Hall of Famer with a resume that's impressiveness is only matched by her overall potential. The Delaware product and 2016 Olympic gold medalist was a seven-time All-Star, four-time WNBA First Team ...
