Elena Delle Donne is taking time away to evaluate what her future in basketball could look like.
Speaking with the media on Wednesday, Thibault said that it’s been a while since he’s spoken to Delle Donne. He noted that in their last conversation, Delle Donne said it was “difficult for her to imagine going through the daily process of having to be ready to play” given her injury history.
Delle Donne was unsure she could do that every day, Thibault said, and that she wanted time away to reflect on those feelings.
The star player, who was an All-Star last season, has struggled with injuries since 2019, which included having surgery on her back. She struggled last season as well, playing in only 23 of the Mystics’ 40 total games.
The Mystics had placed the core tag on Delle Donne, in hopes that she may want to come back at some point. Afterwards, Delle Donne announced that she was stepping away for the season.
Still, Thibault says that Delle Donne is on her own timetable, and the team is open to her coming back should she want to down the road.
The post Mike Thibault shares update on Elena Delle Donne’s status appeared first on Just Women's Sports.
