First State basketball legend Elena Delle Donne is retiring.
The two-time WNBA MVP made the announcement in an Instagram post Friday, saying her body made the decision before her mind accepted it.
Delle Donne has had multiple back surgeries and didn’t play in the WNBA in 2024.
Before that, Delle Donne played 11 seasons with the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics, leading the Mystics to the 2019 WNBA title. She was the first WNBA player to win MVP with two different teams, a seven-time All-Star and a four-time All-WNBA first-team selection.
But for Delawareans, Delle Donne’s story isn’t just about her magnificent WNBA career. At Ursuline Academy, she won four state championships while becoming the state’s all-time leading scorer.
She then led the University of Delaware to the Sweet 16 in 2013, including a win over North Carolina at UD in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Delle Donne also was selected to the 2016 Olympic team helping team USA win the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
