Elena Delle Donne hasn’t been in a sanctioned match since Oct. 10, 2019. Success met her then; it was the end of an outstanding season that saw her turn the only 50-40-90 line in league history to a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and, ultimately, a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) championship. And then the pandemic struck, and, in the midst of the league’s refusal to grant her a medical exemption, she had two back surgeries on three herniated discs with which she had hitherto been playing. To argue that convalescence was difficult would be an understatement. Which, in a nutshell, is why she can’t wait to burn rubber anew.
As late as in June, there was little indication that Delle Donne was close to returning to the court. Even as she remained hopeful, she knew enough not to put a date on a comeback. The disposition continued when she met members of the media for the first time in a long while early this month. “Truly, it is still day by day,” she said. “Am I doing more and more each day? Yes. Some days, am I doing the same thing I did the day before to see how I can handle this type of load? Yes.” In other words, it was too early to rejoice, the strides she had been making notwithstanding.
Under the circumstances, the Mystics’ upgrading of Delle Donne’s status to probable for their set-to today is nothing short of remarkable. If nothing else, it underscores her fitness for competition. Not that she will be getting anywhere close to the 29 minutes she normed in 2019; her progression to the regular rotation will be gradual. That said, it’s a positive development that speaks to her full recovery as a matter of when and not if. And, certainly, it couldn’t have come at a better time — with the Storm on tap. Going up against the defending champions should provide her with a good indication of where she stands.
Needless to say, the Mystics will be all the better with Delle Donne around. They’ve been struggling to play .500 ball, so her return should be a boost, never mind that they have shifted focus and featured former MVP awardee Tina Charles out of necessity in her absence. Whether or not 2019 Finals supersub Emma Meesseman opts in, they will be noticeably improved once she regains her bearings. And since they’re just half a game out of a playoff spot, the intervening month before the end of the regular season should prove ample. Even as she’s turning 32 early next month, only a fool would dare bet against her — and them.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
