Elena Delle Donne fights through injuries, caps off historic season with WNBA title

Elena Delle Donne is a WNBA champion.

Let’s let that sink in for a moment.

Delle Donne, the Sky’s second overall pick in 2013 who was traded to the Mystics three years ago, finally finished on the winning end of a WNBA Finals series.

The moment was sweet. With 11 seconds left in the clinching victory Thursday against the Sun, Delle Donne let the ball bounce away from her as she tightly embraced teammate Natasha Cloud.

But what was most inspiring about Delle Donne’s performance was her persistence.

“She’s got some guts,” Mystics coach Mike Thibault told reporters during the series.

And that’s what sets her apart from the rest of the pack.

Delle Donne is one of the most resilient WNBA players ever. Despite wearing a bulky knee brace and plastic facemask and having three herniated disks, Delle Donne did everything in her power to help the Mystics in their quest for their first title in their 21-year history.

Her 21 points and nine rebounds in the Mystics’ 89-78 victory against the Sun capped what already had been a historic season for the 6-5 power forward.

Delle Donne shot 51.5 percent from the field, 43 percent from three-point range and an astounding 97.4 percent from the free-throw line. The 50-40-90 splits made her the first woman to join the elite company of eight NBA players, including Larry Bird, Steve Nash and Stephen Curry.

To no one’s surprise, Delle Donne was named MVP and was the only unanimous selection to the All-WNBA first team.

Delle Donne, 30, is humble in her accomplishments, sharing credit with her teammates who build her up.

But let’s get one thing straight: Delle Donne is on another level. Her versatility on the court makes her a deadly offensive weapon.

Over time, Delle Donne only has gotten better. But injuries have been a recurring nightmare for the two-time MVP.

Take this season. Delle Donne’s 2019 debut was delayed by a game because of a bum knee (hence, the knee brace). Then in July, she broke her nose. Though it has since healed, she still wears the mask for precautionary reasons. And, truth be told, she likes the style of it.

But the herniated disks almost were the last straw. After spending hours in the training room, she pushed herself to the limit.

“I’m trying to do whatever’s possible to just be out there,” Delle Donne told reporters.

Unfortunately, this was a familiar situation for her.

Call it a curse: Injuries tend to flare up at the most important part of her seasons.

“I guess I have experience playing injured in these freakin’ Finals,” Delle Donne said.

In 2014, Delle Donne had a lower-back injury that limited her to 16 games during the regular season with the Sky. But once the postseason came and upped the ante, the six-time All-Star was all in.

Delle Donne played in all nine playoff games. Despite her injury, she helped get the Sky to the Finals. And in the series, she scored 47 points. (The Mercury ultimately swept the Sky 3-0 in what has been Chicago’s only trip to the Finals.)

Delle Donne returned to the Finals last season with the Mystics. This time, she suffered a bone bruise on her knee. Still, Delle Donne managed to play through the pain and find ways to contribute, though the Storm won the title.

But this time, the pain and stiffness were different. Delle Donne said she felt as though she has a pole up her back. It was excruciating and unbearable at times.

“This hurts more,” said Delle Donne, one of eight players taking part in USA Basketball’s extended training program, which will supplement her income this offseason so she can stay stateside. “Knees, I feel like they’re achy, they hurt, but you can push through them. Back, it’s like you take one wrong step, and it feels like you’re paralyzed. This is worse.”

But Delle Donne always finds a way to push forward.