Elena Delle Donne, a two-time MVP in the WNBA, will reportedly be taking some time away from basketball.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne reports that Delle Donne, 34, does not intend to sign the one-year super max offer she was given by the Washington Mystics under the “core player” designation.
Shelbourne adds that it is not known how long Delle Donne intends to stay away from basketball.
Delle Donne led the Mystics to the franchise’s only WNBA championship title in 2019. The six-foot-five forward has played the last six seasons in Washington after beginning her career with four seasons in Chicago. She won the MVP award in 2015 with Chicago and 2019 with Washington, but multiple back injuries have limited her in recent seasons.
The Mystics designated Delle Donne as a “core player” ahead of WNBA free agency opening on Feb. 1, which effectively takes away her unrestricted free agent status. Under the “core player” designation, players are automatically offered a one-year, super-max contract and can only change teams via trade.