Elena Delle Donne's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Elena Delle Donne.

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

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.

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.

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.

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: 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.

September 16, 2015: WNBA MVP Award

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.