Mystics officially announce acquisition of Elena Delle Donne

Today, the Washington Mystics officially announced something, which has been rumored for almost two weeks — that they would be acquiring Chicago Sky superstar Elena Delle Donne.

This is a major blockbuster deal, which immediately makes Washington one of the elite powers in the WNBA. Here is part of the release:

"Clearly, this is one of the biggest moves in the history of this organization,” said Thibault. “In only four years, Elena has established herself as one of the premier players in the world, as evidenced by her MVP season two years ago. Her impact on and off the court will be invaluable. Her pure basketball talents as a scorer, passer, rebounder, and shot-blocker will raise the level of effectiveness of all her teammates, and those talented teammates will take a lot of the day- to-day pressure off of her as well. She joins a core group that is just entering the best years of their careers and is making a commitment to helping the Mystics become one of the elite organizations in the WNBA. Her involvement in the D.C. community will have an impact on a daily basis. This is an exciting time to be a Mystics fan."

Delle Donne has distinguished herself as one of the WNBA’s most decorated players over her four-year career, earning league MVP honors in 2015, three All-Star selections as a starter (2013-15, no WNBA All-Star Game in 2016), two All-WNBA First Team and one All-WNBA Second Team selections and the 2013 Rookie of the Year award in addition to being named to the U.S. Women’s National Team that competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. She has also been recognized for her efforts off the court, earning the 2015 WNBA Community Assist award and the Dawn Staley Community Leadership award in 2014 and 2015.

“I’m really excited about this next chapter in my career with the Mystics,” said Delle Donne. “Coach Thibault, Mr. Leonsis and Ms. Johnson have built a strong team that is ready to make a significant impact in the league and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. I'm sad to be leaving Chicago, a place that was a fantastic city for sports and truly felt like home. I’d like to give a huge thank you to the fans there, and to the Sky organization for a great four years."