Delle Donne

[yankeewc]

What is the story behind the Della Donne fiasco.

 

[Icebear]

What fiasco? I know of no fiasco. If you mean why she ended up at Delaware then the answer is that she realized she needed to be near her older sister Lizzie who is blind, deaf, and has Cerebral Palsy. Elena recently made the comment that people need to understand that the only means she has to communicate with her sister is by touch.

 

[TDiNozzo]

Some of it is in this new story

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=320602729

 

[JonB]

She had the most compelling reasons to change her mind and stay home, and when it happened Geno and the UC staff were completely understanding. (NOT a Samarie situation at all.)

I have wondered how her family situation might affect her post-college basketball career, if any.

 

[vtcwbuff]

What happens if EDD gets drafted by LA or Seattle?

I'm not sure she will go pro, but if she does will she stick with a West coast team?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Some BYers are understanding. Some have never forgiven Elena. That is why there is controversy here.

I was dissappointed and recognize that it hurt our recruiting for some years, leaving a hole in the roster. There was no ill intent on her part. Once she got to UConn, she realized something was wrong--possible hoops burnout that later was more clearly identified as missing her sister.

She is a good person and very talented player, as gifted as anyone on the offensive end. She is clearly an anomaly, playing close to home for Delaware when she has more talent than anyone in her conference by a very wide margin.

By the way, the spelling is Delle Donne. Elena is often known as EDD (her father and both siblings are also EDD).

 

[DaddyChoc]

OMG... Elite Posters fell for that question! 3.5yrs later and still asking (banging head)

 

[Aluminny69]

At the time, I was one of the few posters who suspected what the real reason was. However, at the time, the reason that EDD gave to Geno and the press was that she was burned out, and had lost the enjoyment of playing basketball. Geno, based on his comments, seemed perplexed at the time. Giving EDD the benefit of the doubt, she probably didn't really understand what she was feeling at the time, and why.

 

[MilfordHusky]

OMG... Elite Posters fell for that question! 3.5yrs later and still asking (banging head)

I treated it as a legit question. Yankeewc is a newbie and may not know the story.

 

[Icebear]

What happens if EDD gets drafted by LA or Seattle?

I'm not sure she will go pro, but if she does will she stick with a West coast team?

She is no longer a 17 year old kid. By the time she leaves college she will be 23. A tremendous time of personal growth.

 

[JonB]

She is no longer a 17 year old kid. By the time she leaves college she will be 23. A tremendous time of personal growth.

True, but has the situation with her sister changed materially?

 

[Icebear]

True, but has the situation with her sister changed materially?

My understanding is that they are still close but maturity does have a distinct way of changing things. Remember that Elena played for USA basketball this year. Something she had not done in awhile. Certainly, a promising example of change.

 

[FairView]

I just can't wait until this whole story is Delle Done!

 

[yankeewc]

I treated it as a legit question. Yankeewc is a newbie and may not know the story.

True, the last I heard was that she was leaving Uconn and there was a great deal of speculation concerning the real reason. As time went by and she enrolled at Delaware for volleyball and not basketball, I forgot about what had happened except when the issue of our lack of a frontcourt was brought. Now that she is doing so well at Bball, I thought about it again. I guess I could have googled for the info but thought I'd ask the forum....Sorry

 

[JonB]

True, the last I heard was that she was leaving Uconn and there was a great deal of speculation concerning the real reason. As time went by and she enrolled at Delaware for volleyball and not basketball, I forgot about what had happened except when the issue of our lack of a frontcourt was brought. Now that she is doing so well at Bball, I thought about it again. I guess I could have googled for the info but thought I'd ask the forum....Sorry

It's a perfectly reasonable question and a perfectly reasonable place to ask it.

 

[MilfordHusky]

True, the last I heard was that she was leaving Uconn and there was a great deal of speculation concerning the real reason. As time went by and she enrolled at Delaware for volleyball and not basketball, I forgot about what had happened except when the issue of our lack of a frontcourt was brought. Now that she is doing so well at Bball, I thought about it again. I guess I could have googled for the info but thought I'd ask the forum....Sorry

Unlike some others, the Boneyard is a full-service board. Always happy to help.

 

[magical2]

True, the last I heard was that she was leaving Uconn and there was a great deal of speculation concerning the real reason. As time went by and she enrolled at Delaware for volleyball and not basketball, I forgot about what had happened except when the issue of our lack of a frontcourt was brought. Now that she is doing so well at Bball, I thought about it again. I guess I could have googled for the info but thought I'd ask the forum....Sorry

Yankee,when you do not know the answer to something, the smart thing to do is to ask We should all hopefully remember this for ourselves and others. I would hope that we can all support this on here and in everyday life! When people forget this, we end up making it more difficult to ask for help. So Yankee and everyone when you have a question or need help "Please support those who ask and when any of us find ourselves in situations ask for help"
Yankee,you can also contact anyone on here privately Ira
One further thought! I understand and empathize with EDD! I admit that it has been disappointing at times,when I realize how EDD's circumstances,impacted our team makeup and recruiting and what might have been during this time frame. I believe we would be going for 4 consecutive NCs. I also realize how much more difficult this was for her. God bless her sister,EDD,and her family.

 

[Icebear]

Of course, the is about one or two threads a week on Elena Delle Donne so it isn't like such information is hidden. Problem I had was the initial OP was rather opaque and could have meant something entirely new given almost everything else has been discussed regularly and the OP contained a loaded word in using "fiasco?"

 

[winlots]

True, the last I heard was that she was leaving Uconn and there was a great deal of speculation concerning the real reason. As time went by and she enrolled at Delaware for volleyball and not basketball, I forgot about what had happened except when the issue of our lack of a frontcourt was brought. Now that she is doing so well at Bball, I thought about it again. I guess I could have googled for the info but thought I'd ask the forum....Sorry

 

[winlots]

YANKEE - (oops, think I messed up here...meant to put this right under your last post, which I copied right above here. ).

Anyhow, nothing to be sorry about, in my view. You were curious about something....and the something was (and continues to be) a very major story, and this is a sports talk place. So, where else to ask such a question?

Also, I am not troubled by "fiasco" either. Easy to see some elements of fiasco in this situation, especially for those who were beside themselves with anticipation of what might well have been the best squad in the history of the womens game at the collegiate level. Damn.....what a shame......I can still picture YKW and Maya on the floor together....and additional banners flying.

Yankee, one thing I would like to add to the thread FYI is that, when she left, her dad was VERY explicit about the fact that Geno had handled her departure VERY well (and it HAD to be a killer for Geno, given this kid's vast talent.....I've always referred to her as "Larry Bird in a skirt") The dad was very complimentary re our program and the staff, as was the kid herself.

One other FYI: during the home visits, Geno wowed the family when the little sister took to him immediately....evidently in a manner they had seldom seen. (Yankee, just so you know, this is being written by one who is not a member of the "Geno walks on water" Club. Everybody with more than a couple months on here knows I'm among the first to point out Coach's shortcomings when they reveal themselves, but I've always been very clear about my appreciation of his outstanding abilities and traits as well. In this whole "fiasco," if you wish, it seems to me he handled himself like the champion he is, from start to finish.)

 

[DaddyChoc]

Of course, the is about one or two threads a week on Elena Delle Donne so it isn't like such information is hidden. Problem I had was the initial OP was rather opaque and could have meant something entirely new given almost everything else has been discussed regularly and the OP contained a loaded word in using "fiasco?"

BINGO... thats why I "assumed" they already knew the story. Ice you're DA MAN. If you call it a "fiasco" obviously you heard some or most of the story.

but welcome to the board...

 

[Bestiarius]

Imagine if Delaware goes all the way to an NC. What a movie that would make!

 

[DaddyChoc]

Imagine if Delaware goes all the way to an NC. What a movie that would make!

I wouldnt mind it... EDD is good, hopefully they win atleast 3 games in the tourney. She has a chance to do it all again next season. Do they have any solid recruits coming in?

 

[msf22b]

Last season at this time, they announced almost nothing. Still with transfers and what ever they pulled out of the hat, they wound up with a decent enough supporting cast

 

[Scotter]

What happens if EDD gets drafted by LA or Seattle?

I'm not sure she will go pro, but if she does will she stick with a West coast team?

1. Kids grow up and change.

2. The WNBA is no where near the time commitment that playing college basketball is. It is only a six month per year commitment and in the WNBA you are an autonomous adult outside of team responsibilities. Playing basketball at UConn is basically a full-time 11 month a year commitment, and the only holiday break the team takes is about 3 days at Christmas. They are also playing games during Thanksgiving and Spring Break, and even Easter some years. Typically the players stay at UConn for 2 out of the 3 summer months or are playing USA Basketball. Elena has said she didn't really understand the full extent of the time commitment until she arrived at UConn. That she wouldn't be able to go home for an occasion weekend to see her sister like the vast majority of college students do. I don't expect Elena to go play in Europe, but the WNBA and an elite college program are two very different commitments.