Elena Delle Donne is a professional basketball athlete whose journey has been from the earth to the skies, making her the face of the women’s basketball scene around the world. Not only has she performed outstandingly well on public platforms, but the puppetry also strikes a chord with the fans through stories of her life that inspire the audience with the sacrifice, the grit, and all that goes behind the scenes over more than a decade in Elena Delle Donne’s career arc.

Elena Delle Donne stands as one of the best athletes on the courts today, but she is just not known for that. She is, in her own right, an employer of devotion to family. She had been a true supporter of family values. A true athlete is born from fire and sacrifice, and Elena was one such unique athlete. Injuries and some blows of life were all hurdles she faced and crossed successfully, leaving an everlasting imprint in the sport of basketball. Now, let’s take a look into the life of Elena Delle Donne on and off the court.

Elena Delle Donne Biography

Delle Donne, Gatorade Player of the Year thrice at the high school level in still Delaware, was compared to Diana Taurasi and Dirk Nowitzki by Sports Illustrated. Recruitment letters surged in, and she went with UConn.

“In my opinion, that may have been the first instance where you saw a tall person performing at such a level.” Huskies’ Coach Geno Auriemma later told the Washington Post. “These days, you could mention there are a few players like that around.” At that time, there simply wasn’t anyone to be found that way.

But Delle Donne was just two days in Storrs, Connecticut, and she had to leave. She wanted her family: Mom, Dad, her brother Gene, and Lizzie, her sister who was born blind and deaf and also had autism and cerebral palsy.

That amounted to Delle Donne going to the closest place, the University of Delaware, which is approximately 15 minutes away from her home. Instead of basketball, she opted to play volleyball, on which she performed very well. Delle Donne led the Blue Hens to a 19-win season and a CAA championship. They were taken to the NCAA tournament, where they fell to Oregon. In the CAA championship win against Northeastern, Delle Donne scored 15 kills, two digs, and three blocks. She was selected to the conference’s All-Rookie team.

Freshman Year:

There may not have been volleyball for Delle Donne, but basketball beckoned once again, and she joined Tina Martin’s team at Delaware for the 2009-10 season.

During her redshirt freshman year, Delle Donne posted the third-highest average points per game in the entire women’s Division I college basketball at 26.7. Scoring 54 points in a loss against James Madison—the highest an individual scored that season—she was named the CAA’s Player and Rookie of the Year.

It was a 21-win season for the Blue Hens, and they participated in the WNIT, where they were eliminated in the first round.

Sophomore Year:

In general, Delle Donne experienced several absences during her normal sophomore year caused by Lyme Disease, which she struggled with since high school and also during the span of her career in the WNBA.

In the end, she was able to return to play, and the Blue Hens registered a 20-win season and went back to the WNIT.

Junior Year:

Now, with her health back to a normal state, Delle Donne hit the country’s top mark in scoring with an average of 28.1 points per game. Attendances burgeoned later in the Bob Carpenter Center of Delaware, and the Blue Hens wound up with an incredible 18-0 record in CAA competition as well as a conference title and a trip to the NCAA tournament.

In that game, Delle Donne scored 42 points to lead her team to victory against Hofstra. She ranked eighth in the nation in free throw percentage (88.9) and 17th in rebounds (10.3 per game).

That was Delaware’s first NCAA tournament victory, as Delle Donne scored 39 points to help Delaware surpass the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. In the second round, Delaware led Kansas by six points at halftime but lost the game despite Delle Donne scoring 34 points.

Senior Year:

In all of Elena Delle Donne’s games during her senior year, he came out on top as the highest scorer either 29 out of 34 games. Over those match games, she scored more than 30 points in eight of her matches, topped off by an amazing 38 display in a victorious contest against Towson. In each game, therefore, Delle Donne averaged 26 points, 1.9 assists, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks with a shooting percentage of 45.2 from beyond the arc and 92.1 percent from the foul line.

The Delaware team recorded 32 wins against 4 losses, another sweep of the CAA competition, and again qualified for the NCAA. This time, Delaware’s sixth-seeded Blue Hens were shepherded by Delle Donne to defeat West Virginia and North Carolina, sending Delaware into the Sweet 16 for the very first time. Each of the wins bore 33 points for Delle Donne.

Delle Donne scored 33 points in the Sweet 16 clash against Kentucky that saw the Wildcats emerge victorious 69-62 at the end. Delle Donne received All-American honors three times during her stint at Delaware, was named CAA Player of the Year thrice, won the Honda Player of the Year award in the year 2013, and capped her college career by being the fifth all-time NCAA Division I women’s basketball scorer with 3,039 points. She set 45 records for games, seasons, and careers at Delaware and left the institution as the leading scorer in basketball, regardless of sex.

Elena Delle Donne Net Worth 2024: How Much Is She Worth?

As noted in the report of the Celebrity Net Worth, Elena Delle Donne possesses around 400,000 dollars in net worth in the year 2024. She bagged a lot in the pro-game basketball league and then made huge amounts from the WNBA again, but not only from the core sport she got the worth because she has collaborated with the brands, has been involved in endorsements, and has attended several events to earn remuneration from her work.

A player like Elena Delle Donne would accumulate the goodwill in addition to the earnings he/she garnered in sports. And, yes, you got it right! Elena Delle Donne is active in charity as well as motivating younger generations to play basketball. Support towards higher payment increases her worth, too.

Elena Delle Donne Salary & Contract: What She Earns From Basketball

Delle Donne’s earnings from basketball have proven her top-tier position in the WNBA. Starting in 2023, her agreement with the Washington Mystics showcases her position as one of the top earners in the league, as per the Sportrac data.

Her financial advancement reflects the increasing acknowledgment and funding in women’s basketball. Delle Donne has continuously championed equal pay and improved working conditions for women athletes, extending her impact to another domain rather than just the sport.

Elena Delle Donne Endorsements: Brands Backing Her Talent

Elena Delle Donne has made sure over her career that she builds upon her WNBA success. That’s why she joined hands with major brands for deals and endorsements:

• Nike: Delle Donne has been a part of Nike’s “FlyEase” series of basketball shoes for several years. She also launched her own signature shoe with Nike, the Air Deldon, which is designed to be accessible to people with special needs. The shoe features a collapsible heel and Velcro straps to secure the foot.
• Gatorade: Elena Delle Donne focuses more on hydration and she found Gatorade worthy of her expanding her message. It connected with the major athletic fanbase, and that’s why it increased Elena’s following.
• Octagon: Elena Delle Donne signed a representation agreement with Octagon in 2015. But the details of that transaction are not out yet.

It does prove how much Elena Delle Donne is versed in making the best out of her marketing value. She continued with her monetary aspirations, but the sudden break that she took from basketball has affected her marketability in recent times.

Elena Delle Donne Family and Social Life

Elena Delle Donne, who happens to be a very good basketball player, has a life that is equally inspirational outside of work. She is very much into the family, especially her sister, Lizzie, who has been immensely motivating to Elena because she is blind, deaf, and suffers from cerebral palsy. That’s how she would always draw motivation from the strength that Lizzie possesses.

She has a partner named Amanda Clifton, who is also a terrific part of her life where managing most aspects of her work and charity initiatives is concerned. So this would be the house of this couple in Washington, D.C., which is a kind of haven for them because it is filled with love and encouragement and is often later showcased on the social media happenings of Delle Donne.

Delle Donne (@de11edonne) has garnered quite a big following on Instagram. She uses her page to give glimpses of her life, including off-the-court memories from games, training, and wonderful moments with family. Most of her pictures also show her beloved dogs, Wrigley and Rasta, adding a human touch that her fans appreciate as well.

Elena Delle Donne WNBA Stats: Record-Breaking Performance

Statistically, Elena Delle Donne dominates the WNBA. She is a two-time WNBA MVP (2015, 2019), which has always been her hallmark in ranking among the best players in the league.

Career Stats

Delle Donne’s career highlights also include leading the Washington Mystics to their very first WNBA Championship in 2019, where she made a huge impact despite injuries. To top off her record on ESPN, her ability to deliver under intense pressure entitles her to be in the top list of players in the league’s history.

Conclusion

Elena Delle Donne has spent some time away from basketball, which is why she didn’t play in the 2024 season. But that doesn’t mean her basketball career is over. Players such as Diana Taurasi have taken such breaks before being able to return to the sport. So, it is likely that the WNBA athlete will be back in competitive action soon. Certainly, it will be interesting to see whether Elena accepts the max extension from the Mystics for this next year.

She probably would have still been around for quite a while after this as it is uncertain when she will come back to the court even now. Already, it is a year, and one wonders how much longer fans of Elena Delle Donne will have to wait in expectation. What are your thoughts on her absence and return, by the way? Let us know in the comments!

FAQs