Washington Mystics star Elena Delle Donne underwent successful back surgery last Friday and is expected to return in time for the start of the 2020 WNBA season, the Mystics said in a statement Wednesday.
The reigning league MVP injured her back during the 2019 playoffs. Initially the team said she had one herniated disk, but after the Mystics won the WNBA title it was revealed that she was playing through three.
Delle Donne is coming off the best year of her career, in which she won her second MVP award and became the first woman to shoot 50-40-90 in a WNBA season. Washington won the 2019 WNBA title, Delle Donne’s first and the first in Mystics franchise history.
The Mystics will open the new season and raise their championship banner on May 16 at a home game against the Los Angeles Sparks. That gives Delle Donne close to four months to recover from surgery.
It might mean she misses training camp and preseason, but that is yet to be determined. The Mystics said they will provide an update on Delle Donne’s status at the start of training camp.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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