Elena Delle Donne facts for kids
Delle Donne at the 2014 World Basketball Festival
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| Small forward / shooting guard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | September 5, 1989 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
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| High school | Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Delaware) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 187 lb (85 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Delaware (2009–2013) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Chicago Sky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2013–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2016 | Chicago Sky | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2023 | Washington Mystics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elena Delle Donne (born September 5, 1989) is a famous American professional basketball player. She last played for the Washington Mystics in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Elena played college basketball for the Delaware Blue Hens from 2009 to 2013.
She was chosen by the Chicago Sky as the second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft. Elena led the Sky to the 2014 WNBA Finals. Later, she was traded to the Washington Mystics in 2017. She helped them win their first WNBA championship in 2019. Elena has won two WNBA Most Valuable Player Awards (2015, 2019). She has also been selected to seven All-Star teams. She was the first WNBA player to join the 50–40–90 club. In 2021, she was named to The W25, a list of the top 25 players in the league's first 25 years. She holds the WNBA record for the highest free throw percentage at 93.7%.
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Elena's Early Life and Family
Elena Delle Donne is very tall, standing at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m). She got her height from her parents. Her father is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and her mother is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m). Growing up, Elena found it hard to accept her unusual height. When she was three, people thought she was much older because of her size.
By eighth grade, she was already 6 feet (1.83 m) tall. Elena also has an older sister, Lizzie, who was born deaf and blind. Lizzie cannot speak and also has cerebral palsy and autism. Elena's mother helped her accept her height. She told Elena that her height was beautiful and unique.
High School Basketball Star
Elena became well-known as a high school basketball star. She played for Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware. She led her team to win three Delaware State Championship titles in a row. She was considered the top high school player in the country.
Elena was the first student at Ursuline to score over 2,000 points in her high school career. She also set a national record for girls' high school basketball. She made 80 free throws in a row during the 2005–2006 season. Elena was also named a WBCA All-American. She scored 17 points in the 2007 WBCA High School All-America Game.
Besides basketball, Elena also played volleyball. She helped Ursuline win the DIAA state championship in volleyball in 2007.
College Career Journey
After high school, Elena received a basketball scholarship to the University of Connecticut. However, she left after only two days. Elena is very close to her family, especially her older sister, Lizzie. She was not ready to be far from them.
In August 2008, Elena decided not to take the scholarship. She felt "burned out" from basketball. Instead, she enrolled at the University of Delaware and joined their volleyball team. She played volleyball for one season in 2008–09.
Returning to Basketball at Delaware
On June 2, 2009, Elena announced she would play basketball for the Delaware Blue Hens. This was for the 2009–10 season. A woman Elena met at Lizzie's school encouraged her to use her abilities. This helped Elena decide to return to basketball.
Elena had a great first year in college basketball. She averaged 26.7 points per game. This was the third-highest among all Division I women's basketball players. She scored 54 points in one game, which was the highest for any female player that season. She won many awards, including "Player of the Year" and "Rookie of the Year" in her conference.
In her second year, Elena was diagnosed with Lyme disease. This made her struggle for the rest of the season. Despite this, she helped her team reach the conference tournament finals.
As a junior, Elena led the nation in scoring. She averaged 28.1 points per game. Her amazing skills brought many fans to Blue Hens games. Attendance increased by 250 percent. She scored over 2,000 career points. Delaware won their conference championship. Elena led them to victories in the 2012 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament.
During her senior season (2012–13), Elena again battled Lyme disease. She missed four games because of it. She still led her team in scoring in most games. She helped her team achieve a 27–3 record. After winning the conference tournament, Delaware was a #6 seed in the 2013 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament. Elena led them to wins over West Virginia and North Carolina. They eventually lost to Kentucky, even with Elena scoring 33 points.
WNBA Professional Career
After college, Elena was chosen second overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2013 WNBA draft. In her first professional game, she scored 22 points. She received the most votes for the 2013 WNBA All-Star Game. This was the first time a rookie had done this. Elena was named the 2013 Rookie of the Year.
In 2014, Elena played only 16 games due to her Lyme disease. However, she shined in the playoffs. She helped the Sky defeat the Atlanta Dream. She scored 34 points in one game, including a game-winning shot. She suffered a back injury in this series. The Sky reached the WNBA finals but lost to the Phoenix Mercury.
On September 16, 2015, Elena was named the WNBA MVP. She led the league in scoring with 23.4 points per game. She also shot a career-high 95% from the free throw line. She scored a career-high 45 points in a game against the Atlanta Dream. She made 19 free throws in a row, a WNBA record.
In the 2016 season, Elena averaged 21.5 points per game. She helped the Sky reach the playoffs again. However, she suffered a thumb injury and needed surgery. This kept her out of the playoffs. Without her, the Sky still made it to the semifinals.
Joining the Washington Mystics
In 2017, Elena was traded to the Washington Mystics. She made her debut for the Mystics on May 14, 2017. She scored 26 points in a win. She had some injuries during the season, including a sprained ankle and a thumb injury. Despite this, she helped the Mystics secure a playoff spot. They advanced to the semi-finals for the first time in team history.
In 2018, Elena continued to play a key role. She scored a season-high 36 points in one game. She also became the fastest player in WNBA history to score 3,000 points. She achieved this in 148 games. The Mystics reached the WNBA Finals for the first time in their history. However, they were swept by the Seattle Storm.
The 2019 season was a huge success for Elena and the Mystics. She was voted into the WNBA All-Star game. The Mystics finished as the top team in the league. Elena won her second WNBA MVP award. She also made the All-WNBA First Team. The Mystics defeated the Las Vegas Aces to reach the WNBA Finals again.
Elena played through injuries in the finals. She helped the Mystics win the WNBA championship. This was Elena's first WNBA championship. She also became the first woman to join the special 50–40–90 club. This means she shot 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line in a single season.
In 2020, Elena chose not to play the season due to health concerns. She had existing risk factors with the COVID-19 pandemic. She played only three games in the 2021 season. In 2021, she was named one of the top 25 players in the league's first 25 years. In February 2024, Elena announced she would step away from basketball.
Playing for Team USA
Elena played for the USA Basketball Team in 2011. This was for the World University Games in China. She led the team to a gold medal. She averaged 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
In 2016, Elena was named to the United States team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was a key player coming off the bench. The U.S. team won the gold medal. Elena is the sixth gold medalist from Delaware.
Personal Life and Interests
Elena Delle Donne was born in Wilmington, Delaware. Her parents are Ernie and Joanie. Her older brother, Gene, played college football. Elena has an older sister, Elizabeth (Lizzie), who is blind, deaf, autistic, and has cerebral palsy. Elena often cares for Lizzie during the WNBA offseason.
In 2008, Elena was diagnosed with Lyme disease. She takes many supplements and eats healthy to manage the disease. This condition led her to sit out the 2020 WNBA season.
Elena is a Special Olympics Global Ambassador. She also plays in the NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game. She plans to create a foundation. It will support Special Olympics and raise awareness about Lyme disease.
Endorsement Deals
Elena Delle Donne has signed many endorsement deals. In 2013, she partnered with Nike and DuPont. In 2015, she signed with Octagon.
She is also one of three WNBA players featured in the video game NBA Live 19.
Images for kids
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Elena shooting a free throw in 2017
See also
- List of NCAA Division I women's basketball career scoring leaders
- List of NCAA Division I women's basketball players with 2,500 points and 1,000 rebounds
