May 9, 2022
Locked on Women’s Basketball: Elena Delle Donne is back and the Washington Mystics are rolling
By The Next
'After she takes that contact, plays 30 minutes a game, she wakes up the next morning and she still feels good'
It’s time for another episode of the Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast. This one features host Howard Megdal and Washington Mystics beat reporter Jenn Hatfield discussing the season opener for the Mystics. And more on Elena Delle Donne‘s first game back.
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Jenn speaks on Elena’s performance and if she is back like the Delle Donne we are used to seeing:
“I think in a lot of ways she did and in some ways she didn’t quite. So, I think the really encouraging sign is that she’s consistently said that she’s pain free. Even the next morning after she plays in a scrimmage or she’s been practicing for full practices, contact, five on five.
There aren’t any special Elena Delle Donne roles; which I asked her about a couple of weeks ago for for an article here at The Next. But importantly, after she takes that contact, plays 30 minutes a game, she wakes up the next morning and she still feels good. That’s something she was never able to accomplish last year.”
Jenn goes in-depth on Delle Donne’s schedule and traveling restrictions:
“So how the Mystics have said they’re going to approach it is looking at the schedule and seeing where it’s not just condensed but a little bit ridiculous, is how I’m phrasing it. They didn’t call it ridiculous. But three games in five days. That’s the stretch that the Mystics are in right now.
She played on a Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and then she was done. And so they’re, cautious about doing that again to her. They’re trying to space those out. And again, travel not great for back.”
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