Before she became the face of women’s basketball, Elena Delle Donne quit the sport entirely. Burned out and unsure of herself, Elena had to walk away to rediscover her joy and write her own story. Today, Elena is the 2019 WNBA MVP and a 6x WNBA All-Star. But Elena’s story has always been bigger than basketball. Her biggest motivation is her sister Lizzie, who was born deaf and blind with cerebral palsy and autism. On this episode, Elena talks about her journey of self-discovery, how she stays mentally tough, and the two biggest keys to her success.
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Show Notes
- Why Elena walked away from basketball as the #1 recruit in the country (2:00)
- Rediscovering her love for the game (3:14)
- What went into the decision to return to basketball (4:22)
- Elena talks about her biggest motivation- her sister Lizzie (5:55)
- Her leadership style on the Washington Mystics (7:18)
- How she strengthens her mental game (9:00)
- The importance of separating from what you do (10:12)
- How she keeps focused amid distractions (12:05)
- Embracing a learner’s mentality (13:25)
- Learning to be comfortable and confident in who she is (15:00)
- What she envisions for her life post-basketball career (16:28)
- The two biggest keys to Elena’s success (17:43)
- Her collab with Nike on the Air Zoom UNVRS (18:32)
Resources / People Mentioned
- WNBA
- Washington Mystics
- NBA Stars welcome Elena Delle Donne to 50-40-90 club
- Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: Elena Delle Donne
- Vogue: Meet Elena Delle Donne
- University of Connecticut women’s basketball
- University of Delaware women’s basketball
- University of Delaware volleyball
- Lizzie by Elena Delle Donne
- Sue Bird, WNBA
- USA Basketball
- Mike Thibault, Washington Mystics coach
- Stu Singer, performance psychologist
- Nike unveils the Air Zoom UNVRS
- Megan Rapinoe, US Soccer
- Tamika Catchings, WNBA
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Caril Lloyd on Outworking the Competition
- Jon Dorenbos on Life is Magic: A Story of Resilience, Faith and Forgiveness
- ESPN’s Maria Taylor on How to Land Your Dream Job
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