The WNBA tips off their 2019 season Friday night, while the last season’s Finals runner-up the Washington Mystics begin their season Saturday at the Connecticut Sun. Unfortunately, they will do so without their star player Elena Delle Donne.
Delle Donne jammed her knee and had not practice all week. Mystics head coach Mike Thibault waited until Friday to make a decision, opting to sit Delle Donne out.
Delle Donne was voted by league general managers as the favorite to win the WNBA MVP this season. Washington is primed to be a contender for the league championship.
Delle Donne injured the same knee during last season’s WNBA semifinals series against the Atlanta Dream, suffering a bone bruise after hyperextending the knee. She missed the next two games, but returned for the decisive Game 5 win that propelled the Mystics to the WNBA Finals.
Luckily for the Mystics, they will have full week before their next game on Jun. 1 — home opener against the Dream.
Last season, the five-time All-Star led the Mystics with 20.7 points and 7.2 rebounds.
