ELENA DELLE DONNE RETURNS TO COURT AT ALL-STAR WEEKEND

Elena Delle Donne competed in the inaugural Shooting Stars contest during All-Star Weekend, marking her first appearance on court since September 2023. She led the Washington Mystics trio to victory in the event. Before the competition, Delle Donne stated she had not shot a basketball in three years. The Mystics team, which also included Shakira Austin and high schooler Jezelle Banks, scored 39 points in the first round to lead all competitors.

When asked by reporter Holly Rowe whether she might consider a comeback to the WNBA, Delle Donne gave a non-committal response. She said: "That wasn't a no, but it was not a yes." She also noted that her stamina declined in the second round of the competition. The 36-year-old former WNBA champion and two-time MVP has been retired from professional play for over a year.

Player returns from retirement occur occasionally in the WNBA, though extended absences make comebacks less common. Tiffany Hayes retired in December 2023 and returned to play in May 2024. Chamique Holdsclaw returned to the Atlanta Dream in 2009, two years after retiring in 2007. Delle Donne's performance and subsequent interview prompted discussion of whether she might pursue a professional return, though she offered no firm indication of her intentions.