Last Updated on July 21, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Elena Delle Donne is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most versatile players in WNBA history, combining elite scoring efficiency, polished skill, and remarkable shooting touch in a forward’s frame. A multiple-time league MVP and WNBA champion, her unique ability to dominate from every area of the court has left a lasting mark on the game.

Here’s detailed information about Elena Delle Donne:

  • Full Name: Elena Delle Donne
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on September 5, 1989
  • Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 meters)
  • Weight: 187 pounds (85 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 meters)
  • Shoe Size: 13 (women’s size)
  • Shoe Brand: Nike Air Deldon, Nike KD 12
  • Jersey Number (College and WNBA):
    • #11 — Delaware Blue Hens (College)
    • #11 — Chicago Sky (WNBA)
    • #11 — Washington Mystics (WNBA)
  • Position: Small Forward / Power Forward
  • High School: Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Delaware)
  • College: University of Delaware (2009–2013)
  • WNBA Draft: 2013 (1st round, 2nd pick overall by the Chicago Sky)
  • Player Archetype: Stretch Point Forward / Scoring Hub
  • Primary Offensive Role: Three-level scorer and primary half-court creator
  • Defensive Role: Team defender with rim protection and positional versatility
  • Play Style: Highly efficient scoring forward with elite shooting touch, operates in isolation, pick-and-pop, and mid-post creation while facilitating offense
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed
  • Athletic Profile: Fluid mover with strong coordination and balance; not explosive but highly skilled and efficient
  • Recruiting Status: High-level recruit; originally committed to UConn before transferring
  • Draft Status Detail: 2013 WNBA Draft — 2nd overall pick by Chicago Sky
  • Injury Status Category: Moderate Risk — has dealt with chronic back issues and Lyme disease affecting availability
  • Career Stage: Late Career / Veteran Star
  • Comparison Style: Skilled oversized scorer with guard-like shooting and forward size
  • Comparable Players:
    • Dirk Nowitzki — elite shooting big with unguardable mid-post game
    • Kevin Durant — tall shot creator with perimeter scoring versatility
    • Breanna Stewart — modern two-way scoring forward with range
    • Lauren Jackson — dominant scoring forward with inside-out efficiency
  • Teams Played For:
    • Chicago Sky (2013–2016)
    • Washington Mystics (2017–present)
  • Championship Rings: 1 (2019 with the Washington Mystics)
  • Parents: Ernie Della Donne, Joanie Della Donne
  • Kids: None (as of 2024)
  • Siblings: 2 (an older brother, Gene Delle Donne, and an older sister, Lizzie Delle Donne, who has cerebral palsy and blindness)

Elena Della Donne’s player archetype is that of a stretch point forward who blends size with elite shooting and shot creation, making her one of the most efficient offensive engines in women’s basketball. Defensively, she operates as a positional team defender who can protect the rim in help situations while holding her own across multiple matchups. Offensively, she functions as a primary scoring hub, capable of scoring at all three levels while also facilitating through her gravity and decision-making. At 6’5” with guard-like skill and balance, she relies more on precision, footwork, and touch than raw explosiveness. Her overall play style is defined by efficiency, versatility, and matchup exploitation, allowing her to control games without needing high-volume usage.

Scouting Report

Elena Delle Donne has always created one of the hardest problems in basketball because defenders are forced to choose between giving ground to her handle or giving away clean looks to one of the purest shooting strokes the game has seen. I’ve always thought her footwork deserves more attention than the jump shot itself. She catches balanced, pivots with purpose, and rarely wastes movement, whether she’s flowing into a face-up jumper from the elbow, slipping out of a screen for a catch-and-shoot three, or turning over either shoulder after establishing deep position. That efficiency carries into her passing. She doesn’t hunt highlight assists, but she recognizes when a second defender commits and delivers the ball before the help can recover, particularly from the high post where the floor opens up in front of her. Defensively, she relies on anticipation and positioning more than overwhelming quickness, using her length to contest vertically, clog passing lanes, and force scorers into higher-arcing finishes instead of chasing blocks. The trade-off is that quicker perimeter players can pull her into uncomfortable space if she’s isolated too far from the basket, and her game is far more effective when she’s allowed to defend within a connected team structure rather than constantly switching onto guards. The ideal fit surrounds her with ball handlers who can initiate offense, allowing her to punish mismatches from virtually every spot on the floor while spacing the defense in ways that few frontcourt players can. To me, there are echoes of Dirk Nowitzki in the effortless shooting mechanics and impossible release points, blended with Candace Parker’s understanding of spacing and timing as an offensive hub. What stands out isn’t simply that she scores from everywhere—it’s how calmly she arrives at those shots, making difficult possessions look almost predetermined because her balance and decision-making consistently put the defense one step behind.

Sources:
Basketball Reference — Elena Della Donne WNBA Stats
WNBA — Elena Della Donne Player Profile
ESPN — Elena Della Donne Stats, News, Bio