History of Elena Delle Donne in Timeline

Elena Delle Donne is an accomplished American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA. She starred at the University of Delaware before being drafted second overall by the Chicago Sky in 2013, leading them to the WNBA Finals in 2014. In 2017, she was traded to the Washington Mystics, where she spearheaded their historic 2019 WNBA championship victory. Delle Donne is known for her exceptional scoring ability and impact on the court.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

September 5, 1989: Elena Delle Donne Born

On September 5, 1989, Elena Delle Donne was born. She would grow to become a professional basketball player in the WNBA.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Lucienne Berthieu Won CAA Awards

In 1999, Lucienne Berthieu from Old Dominion won both the "Player of the Year" and "Rookie of the Year" awards in women's basketball by CAA coaches, sports information directors and media, being the first player to win both awards in one year. Elena Delle Donne would later win both awards in the same year.

2005: High School Basketball Success

In 2005, Elena Delle Donne began a successful high school basketball career, setting records and winning championships.

2006: Girls' High School National Record

In 2005-2006, Elena Delle Donne set the girls' high school national record for consecutive free throws made with 80.

2007: WBCA All-American Game

In 2007, Elena Delle Donne participated in the WBCA High School All-America Game, scoring 17 points and earning MVP honors for the Red team.

2007: Volleyball State Championship

In 2007, Elena Delle Donne won the volleyball DIAA state championship with Ursuline Academy.

2007: Personal Break in High School

Prior to the 2007-08 season, Elena Delle Donne took a personal break in high school.

June 2008: Delle Donne Dropped Out of Connecticut's Summer Program

In early June 2008, Elena Delle Donne abruptly dropped out of the University of Connecticut's summer school program after just two days due to being homesick and close to her family.

August 16, 2008: Delle Donne Enrolls at the University of Delaware

On August 16, 2008, Elena Delle Donne announced she would not accept the basketball scholarship from University of Connecticut due to burnout. She decided to enroll at the University of Delaware and join their volleyball team.

2008: Lyme Disease Diagnosis

In 2008, during her senior year in high school, Elena Delle Donne was diagnosed with Lyme disease after being bitten by an infected tick on her family's property in Delaware.

June 2, 2009: Announced Return to Basketball

On June 2, 2009, Elena Delle Donne announced that she would play basketball for the Blue Hens in the 2009–10 season.

2009: Productive Freshman Season

During the 2009-2010 season, Elena Delle Donne had a productive freshman season, averaging 26.7 points per game and being named CAA Rookie of the Week six times.

2009: Delle Donne Started College Basketball at Delaware

In 2009, Elena Delle Donne began her college basketball career playing for the Delaware Blue Hens.

2009: Joins Basketball Team

In 2009, Elena Delle Donne joined the University of Delaware's basketball team after playing volleyball.

2009: Brother Joins Family Company

In 2009, Elena Delle Donne's older brother, Gene, graduated from Middle Tennessee and returned to Delaware to work for their father's company.

February 18, 2010: Highest Single-Game Point Total

On February 18, 2010, Elena Delle Donne scored 54 points in a loss against James Madison, the highest single-game point total by any Division I female basketball player that season.

2011: World University Games Gold Medal

In 2011, Elena Delle Donne was selected to the USA Basketball Team for the World University Games in Shenzhen, China. She led the team to a gold medal with a 6–0 record, averaging 15.7 points. In the championship game against Taiwan, Delle Donne scored 18 points, leading with 11 rebounds and 8 assists.

February 16, 2012: Scored 2,000 Career Points

On February 16, 2012, Elena Delle Donne scored 42 points in a win over Hofstra, surpassing 2,000 points for her college career.

2012: Fought Lyme Disease

During the 2012-13 season, Elena Delle Donne fought Lyme disease, missing four games, but returning on December 12 against Maryland. That game had the largest crowd to ever see a women's basketball game at the Bob Carpenter Center.

2012: ESPN Writer Commented on Delle Donne's Return

In 2012, ESPN writer Graham Hays commented that it might not be a coincidence that Elena Delle Donne returned to basketball the year her brother returned to Delaware.

2012: ESPN Story on Delle Donne

In 2012, an ESPN story featured Elena Delle Donne's brother Gene discussing her close relationship with their family.

2012: Chicago Sky Record

In 2012, the Chicago Sky went 14-20.

2013: NCAA Tournament

In 2013, Elena Delle Donne led the Blue Hens to the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament, where they defeated West Virginia and North Carolina before losing to Kentucky.

2013: Endorsement Deals with Nike and DuPont

In 2013, Elena Delle Donne signed endorsement deals with Nike and DuPont, a chemical company based in Wilmington, Delaware.

2013: Drafted to Chicago Sky

In 2013, Elena Delle Donne was drafted by the Chicago Sky with the second overall pick of the WNBA draft.

2013: WNBA Draft and Rookie Season

In 2013, Elena Delle Donne was drafted second overall by the Chicago Sky and led all players in votes for the WNBA All-Star Game. She was also named the 2013 Rookie of the Year.

February 2014: Special Olympics Global Ambassador

In February 2014, Elena Delle Donne was named a Special Olympics Global Ambassador and participated in the NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game during All-Star weekend.

2014: WNBA Finals with the Chicago Sky

In 2014, Elena Delle Donne led the Chicago Sky to the WNBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury.

2014: NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

In 2014, Elena Delle Donne played in her first NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

2014: Lyme Disease Flare-Up and WNBA Finals Appearance

In 2014, Elena Delle Donne played only 16 regular season games due to a Lyme disease flare-up, but helped the Chicago Sky reach the WNBA Finals, where they lost to the Phoenix Mercury.

2014: Cut from World Championship Team

In 2014, Elena Delle Donne was considered for the U.S. team at the World Championship, but she was cut due to a back injury sustained during the WNBA Playoffs.

September 16, 2015: WNBA MVP Award

On September 16, 2015, Elena Delle Donne was named the WNBA MVP for the 2015 season.

2015: Representation Agreement with Octagon

In 2015, Elena Delle Donne signed a representation agreement with Octagon.

2015: WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

In 2015, Elena Delle Donne won her first WNBA Most Valuable Player Award.

April 27, 2016: Named to 2016 US Olympic Team

On April 27, 2016, Elena Delle Donne was named to the 2016 United States team that competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won a gold medal as the U.S. defeated Spain 101-72.

August 2016: Engagement Announcement

In August 2016, Elena Delle Donne announced her engagement to her longtime girlfriend, Amanda Clifton, in an issue of Vogue.

2016: Injury and Playoffs

In 2016, Elena Delle Donne averaged 21.5 points per game but suffered a season-ending thumb injury, keeping her out of the playoffs where the Sky advanced to the semi-finals.

2016: Second NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

In 2016, Elena Delle Donne played in her second NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

2016: ESPN Story on Delle Donne

In 2016, an ESPN story discussed Elena Delle Donne's childhood struggles with her height and her sister Lizzie's disabilities.

2016: ESPN Interview on Her Sister

In a 2016 interview with ESPN, Elena Delle Donne recalled meeting a basketball fan with cerebral palsy who inspired her to use her abilities.

May 14, 2017: Mystics Debut

On May 14, 2017, Elena Delle Donne debuted for the Mystics, leading the team with 26 points in an 89–74 victory against the San Antonio Stars.

May 19, 2017: Season-High 27 Points

On May 19, 2017, Elena Delle Donne scored a season-high 27 points in a 99–89 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.

July 14, 2017: Ankle Injury

On July 14, 2017, Elena Delle Donne suffered a sprained right ankle during a game against the Indiana Fever, causing her to miss the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game.

July 25, 2017: Season-High 29 Points Post-Injury

On July 25, 2017, after returning from an ankle injury, Elena Delle Donne achieved a new season-high of 29 points, along with 10 rebounds, in an 85–76 victory against the San Antonio Stars.

August 1, 2017: Thumb Injury

On August 1, 2017, Elena Delle Donne sustained a left thumb injury while playing against the Atlanta Dream and was sidelined for two weeks.

August 25, 2017: Return from Injury

On August 25, 2017, Elena Delle Donne returned from a thumb injury, scoring 15 points in a 74–66 loss to the New York Liberty.

September 1, 2017: Season-High 37 Points and Playoff Berth

On September 1, 2017, Elena Delle Donne achieved a new season-high of 37 points, along with a career-high of 6 three-pointers, in a 110–106 overtime win against the Seattle Storm. The Mystics secured a playoff berth as the No. 6 seed with an 18–16 record.

November 3, 2017: Marriage to Amanda Clifton

On November 3, 2017, Elena Delle Donne and Amanda Clifton were married.

2017: Joins Chinese Team Shanxi

In 2017, Elena Delle Donne signed a short-term deal to play for the Chinese team Shanxi in their league's playoffs. However, her time there ended early due to a Lyme disease flare-up, forcing her return to the US.

2017: Traded to the Washington Mystics

In 2017, Elena Delle Donne was traded to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Stefanie Dolson, Kahleah Copper and the second overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft.

June 13, 2018: Season-High 36 Points

On June 13, 2018, Elena Delle Donne scored a season-high 36 points in a 95–91 victory over the Connecticut Sun.

March 2019: Honored by US Women's National Soccer Team

In March 2019, for their first match, the women of the United States women's national soccer team each wore a jersey with the name of a woman they were honoring on the back; Emily Fox chose the name of Elena Delle Donne.

July 30, 2019: Season-High 33 Points

On July 30, 2019, Elena Delle Donne scored a season-high 33 points in a 99–93 victory over the Phoenix Mercury.

2019: First WNBA Championship

In 2019, Elena Delle Donne led the Washington Mystics to their first WNBA championship.

2019: Second WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

In 2019, Elena Delle Donne won her second WNBA Most Valuable Player Award.

2020: Opt-Out of 2020 WNBA Season

In 2020, Elena Delle Donne chose to sit out the entire season due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was initially denied a medical opt-out but the Mystics ensured she received her full salary.

2021: Limited Play and W25 Recognition

In 2021, Elena Delle Donne was limited to only three games during the WNBA season. That same year, she was named to The W25 as one of the top 25 players in the league's first 25 years.