Delle Donne, Elena (1989-…), is a star player in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Delle Donne, who stands 6 feet 5 inches (196 centimeters) tall, plays guard and forward. Delle Donne was named the WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2015 and 2019.
Delle Donne was born on Sept. 5, 1989, in Wilmington, Delaware. She was a high school All-American at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, leading her school to three straight state championships. Delle Donne accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of Connecticut in 2008. However, she dropped out of the school soon after beginning classes and enrolled at the University of Delaware to be closer to her family. She played at Delaware from 2009 to 2013, leading the country in scoring as a junior with an average of 28.1 points per game.
The Chicago Sky selected Delle Donne as the second player in the 2013 WNBA draft. She was named Rookie of the Year for the 2013 season. In 2015, she led the league in scoring with an average of 23.4 points a game and won the MVP award. Chicago traded Delle Donne to the Washington Mystics in 2017. In 2019, Delle Donne won her second MVP award. She finished among the league leaders in points and rebounds while leading the Mystics to the league’s best record. That October, she helped lead the Mystics to their first WNBA title. Health concerns caused Delle Donne to miss the 2020 season and most of the 2021 season. Delle Donne has regularly ranked among the league leaders in free throw percentage.
Delle Donne was on the United States team that won the championship at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China. In 2016, she was a member of the women’s team that won the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Delle Donne has written a series of “Hoops” books for children, beginning with Elle of the Ball (2018). The books are inspired by her basketball experiences while growing up. She also wrote a memoir, My Shot (2018).
