‘If I didn’t I’d be done’: Delle Donne retrains her body as she looks to return for Mystics

When Elena Delle Donne says she had to retrain the way she moves, she doesn’t just mean on a basketball court. A nagging back injury caused the Washington Mystics star to make significant changes, from the way she got out of bed in the morning to how she’d walk her dogs. And, of course, it affected her basketball career, too. 

But the injury left Delle Donne unable to separate basketball from other activities. 

“All walks of life, I’m constantly thinking about my movement,” Delle Donne said, “and how that can support my body.”

Delle Donne gutted through the 2019 WNBA Finals with three herniated discs en route to helping the Mystics win a championship. Since then? The two-time MVP has only played in just three games: She missed all of 2020 because she opted out of the WNBA’s bubble season over concerns with the pandemic, while last year, the 32-year-old was stilled hobbled by her back. Delle Donne required multiple surgeries to address the issue, as well as a lengthy rehab.

Still, Delle Donne’s return is finally in sight — and so are the Mystics’ championship aspirations. After missing the playoffs last year, a healthy Delle Donne and forward Alysha Clark — who missed last year because of a foot injury — figure to make Washington contenders once again when the WNBA’s season starts May 6.

Until then, Delle Donne is gearing up to be ready. She laughed when asked what her goals for the year are. To her, they’re simple: Stay on the court.

“This has definitely been the toughest two years in my career,” she said. “To be able to have another chance at it and know the amount of time and work I’ve put into it is exciting that I can finally be back out there and competing alongside my teammates. I’m excited. It’s a newfound me, a newfound joy of the game, knowing that this game was nearly taken from me and could be at any point.”

Delle Donne’s changes start with her legs. They’re noticeably bigger, she says, and uses them to help with her explosiveness. By relying more on her strengthened legs, Delle Donne said she can alleviate some of the pressure off her back. Before, Delle Donne’s shifty style of play relied on twisting and turning her back to create different angles. Now, Delle Donne believes she’ll have “more options” thanks to her base. 

It’ll be a noticeable adjustment. After all, Delle Donne’s last healthy season not only resulted in a championship but also in another MVP. That year, Delle Donne became the WNBA’s first player to join the 50-40-90 club (at least 50% from the field, 40% from deep and 90% from the line). Will Delle Donne be able to have that same type of success if significantly altering her playstyle? 

Delle Donne believes so, but adds that her return will require management. During Monday’s media day, she mentioned the need for the Mystics to manage her workload during the season. That could come in the form of sitting out practices and even games. 

Mystics coach Mike Thibault said the team has a “good plan in place” for Delle Donne and others returning from injury. He added the Mystics are deeper than a year ago, which should allow them to sustain their absences in the meantime. Thibault said Delle Donne won’t play in Washington’s preseason opener on Sunday in Atlanta. 

“What people haven’t seen about Elena is there are days last year and this winter where she’s here six, seven hours doing different things to get her body ready right,” Thibault said. “It’s not just this half-hazard, ‘I feel better and I’m working on this.’ There’s a specific plan every single day for her and it’s been a progressive buildup.”

Delle Donne smiled when pointed out her rehab didn’t sound easy. 

“If it was easy, we’d all do it,” she said. “That’s what I like about this challenge is knowing that I have the mental capacity and the will to do it. Because if I didn’t, I’d be done.”