Elena Delle Donne Retires, but Remains Active in Basketball
Following the announcement of her retirement in April, two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne has revealed her next steps in the world of basketball. USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley reacted quickly, contacting her almost immediately to discuss her future plans. In a video call with reporters, one day after being announced as the director of the USA Basketball women’s 3×3 national team, Delle Donne explained that she was looking to stay challenged and “grow in the game”.In addition to her role in USA Basketball, Delle Donne will also serve as a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, the parent company of the Washington Wizards and Mystics. These roles will allow her to explore various facets of basketball beyond her playing career. Delle Donne, 36, overcame injuries and the effects of Lyme disease during her WNBA career. When healthy, she was one of the league’s best players, winning MVP in 2015 with the Chicago Sky and in 2019 with Washington, where she also won the WNBA title in 2019. The former player, who averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, has expressed her enthusiasm for staying active in the sport. “My body has felt really good. I still train a lot. I plan to be on the court with our athletes and help coach them a bit or defend when needed. I’ll do what’s needed. I’ll participate in some training sessions. We’ll see,” declared Delle Donne, who has been playing with her niece since her retirement. Delle Donne also expressed her interest in collaborating and learning from other USA Basketball directors, especially Jimmer Fredette, her counterpart in the men’s 3×3 program, with whom she has already had several conversations. “I think even when we select our teams, Jimmer and I will talk to each other. We know the importance of teamwork and sharing ideas,” Delle Donne said. The sport debuted at the Summer Games in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. Delle Donne also talked about Napheesa Collier, who matched her 2019 achievement of achieving a 50-40-90 shooting percentage in a WNBA season. Delle Donne recalled being worried during the last games of the 2019 regular season, but ultimately achieved the milestone. “I was thrilled to see Napheesa do it. She’s a player who has always been so efficient and played the game so beautifully. I texted her and said, ‘How happy are you that it’s over? How are your nerves now?'”, she finished.“I knew that I obviously needed to keep myself busy, just because of my personality during my playing career,” Delle Donne commented. “I wanted to stay involved in the game, but also have flexibility. That’s why I chose these two roles. The one I have with Monumental allows me to grow in many areas and see, ‘Am I interested in player development and coaching? Am I interested in being a general manager? Am I interested in all those things?’”
Elena Delle Donne
