I saw her name on ESPN.com and thought it sounded familiar, and I knew where I had seen that name. I pull out my Feb 2005 ESPN magazine NEXT issue and there she was. Didnt grow much from a 6'4 14 year old. Such a great story, wish her the best.
delle donne would kill any guy who has watched this video. obviously you kno she has game or u wouldn't have watched this video. so stop hating. and watch some of her footage of her playing now. look her usa games up or delware games!!
Wow, this girl is now 20 and was not older than 16/17 in these snippets. She has everything to become one of the most dominant players in womens basketball. Though she has a little lack of quickness in her dribblings, what I think doesn't really matter and what we saw was 5 years ago. Because how do you wanna stop a 6'5 with an almost perfect shot from inside and outside the zone and outstanding defensive skills. The WNBA will be much tougher but I think she's really going to make it.
She's tall and got a deadly outside shot, but judging from her lack of quickness, the long time it takes her to gather herself to release a shot, and the fact she never gets more than 3-4 inches off the ground anytime during the 9-minute highlight reel, I think she's be hard-pressed to even get a decent look against a male pickup player who's at least 6-1 and has average athleticism, strength and IQ.
I think Lebron is better haha. Just kidding, shes very talent for a girl. I would compare her more to Larry Bird, Bird actually did the same thing his freshman year of college too, I believe it was to the Indiana Hoosiers or Kentucky Wildcats. He got homesick and just flat out left school, its true look it up. Then he ended up at Indiana State the next year and the rest is history.
Don't get it first she tells ESPN she wasn't having fun playing even in high school and hated the game, then she flip flops and says she misses the game now and decides to play for Delaware.
Did you actually watch the rest of the report? She was homesick, and burned out. That happens to a lot of people. Just watch Delaware get the Fina Four this year.
Good Luck to her at Delaware . . . has the ability to become a Lauren Jackson/Candace Parker type player . . . tall girls with so much versatility to their game . . . Enjoy!
Good for her, doing what she's passionate about in life. I wouldn't be surprised to see her on a US Olympic volleyball team someday.
It is really silly that kids come on here to trash her. Her game is better than that of 99% of the punky kids who play at the gym. She actually has touch on her shot and good shooting form.
Pretty good video. I hope she comes back to the game someday, on her own terms. It's probably a good thing she isn't playing for UConn this year. They'd be so good, the NCAA would probably have just sent them the trophy and told them to go play in the WNBA.
She just announced that she'll be playing bball again. Given that Delaware conference isn't as talented compared to the Big East or SEC, she will completely dominate.
Exceptional talent.Range remarkable for a center.Would be better than Parker or Turasi.With Auriemo guiding her,could be best of all time.BUT, understand she's emotionally still immature.Parents should have stayed arround UConn,until she adjusted.Then, perhaps, we would have seen history
I love all these white guys trying to talk like they're Barkley or Hubie Brown when analyzing someone playing basketball. GTF outta here with that junk. I'm sure you can't even get next at your local rec center and you're on here hatin'. Kill that noise. This girl could ball. If she didn't want to go to UConn, that's her decision. But trying to knock down her game. She's not posting up chairs like Yi Jianlian and her stroke from deep looked pretty pure
I don't think I saw a single person even close to her height guarding her. Makes for smooth sailing. Maybe in college someone would have played D on her... we'll never know how that would have affected her "game"
i'm so sad she left the game, she could have really made an impact on the women's game in the way MJ made an impact for the men's game. i totally understand that she was burnt out though. i know how she felt and i only played crappy d3 ball. i remember hearing about her when she was in 7th grade. the pressure must have been unbearable.
im not sure if i can believe all the hype looked kinda soft no way near candace parker nbut best of luck 2 her would like to see her play at UConn but that not going to happen no time soon
I thought that having Rebecca Lobo was the high mark for being a UConn alum, then we get Sue Bird, Sveta Abrosimova, Diana Taursi,Swin Cash, Tamika Williams, Maya Moore...and now Elena. I love UConn!!!
Amazing, just amazing. UConn is obviously set for quite awhile. Too bad Candace Parker is leaving Tennessee, it would have been awesome too the the too battle it off at The Summit or XL Center.
I saw her name on ESPN.com and thought it sounded familiar, and I knew where I had seen that name. I pull out my Feb 2005 ESPN magazine NEXT issue and there she was. Didnt grow much from a 6'4 14 year old. Such a great story, wish her the best.
loudblazer 1 month ago
I started in high school and have seen her play in person on several occasions and she would whoop my ass in a 1v1 game
dtboy1 2 months ago
delle donne would kill any guy who has watched this video. obviously you kno she has game or u wouldn't have watched this video. so stop hating. and watch some of her footage of her playing now. look her usa games up or delware games!!
kobekold 3 months ago
damn , she's good!
how tall is she ?!
softballallstar13 11 months ago
@softballallstar13 6'5.
TheDivineRights 11 months ago
I played with her for my basketball summer camp leauge, shes TALL Lol :)
220Rachel 1 year ago
Wow, this girl is now 20 and was not older than 16/17 in these snippets. She has everything to become one of the most dominant players in womens basketball. Though she has a little lack of quickness in her dribblings, what I think doesn't really matter and what we saw was 5 years ago. Because how do you wanna stop a 6'5 with an almost perfect shot from inside and outside the zone and outstanding defensive skills. The WNBA will be much tougher but I think she's really going to make it.
MarvinCooke 1 year ago
She's tall and got a deadly outside shot, but judging from her lack of quickness, the long time it takes her to gather herself to release a shot, and the fact she never gets more than 3-4 inches off the ground anytime during the 9-minute highlight reel, I think she's be hard-pressed to even get a decent look against a male pickup player who's at least 6-1 and has average athleticism, strength and IQ.
SportsFreakfrom94598 2 years ago
I think Lebron is better haha. Just kidding, shes very talent for a girl. I would compare her more to Larry Bird, Bird actually did the same thing his freshman year of college too, I believe it was to the Indiana Hoosiers or Kentucky Wildcats. He got homesick and just flat out left school, its true look it up. Then he ended up at Indiana State the next year and the rest is history.
funkmaster8219 2 years ago
This is a female version of Dirk Nowitzki.
jsjw2 2 years ago
Don't get it first she tells ESPN she wasn't having fun playing even in high school and hated the game, then she flip flops and says she misses the game now and decides to play for Delaware.
illinifan512 2 years ago
Did you actually watch the rest of the report? She was homesick, and burned out. That happens to a lot of people. Just watch Delaware get the Fina Four this year.
MVPacMan23 2 years ago
@illinifan512 She was a teenager! Haven't you ever said something, and changed your mind in the next ten seconds when YOU were a kid? PEACE.
BigBlackRod 1 year ago
Good Luck to her at Delaware . . . has the ability to become a Lauren Jackson/Candace Parker type player . . . tall girls with so much versatility to their game . . . Enjoy!
mquerol2002 2 years ago
GO URSULINE! We miss you Elena!
GalaxyLuma 2 years ago
Has that definite potential to be in the same breath as Candace Parker and Lauren Jackson . . . tall girls with versatile game : D
mquerol2002 2 years ago
i saw her today. shes sooooooo tall. she's like the michael phelps of womans basketball. its like she crafted to play basketball
zzzzzzzoe7 2 years ago
what a beast and shes Italian!!!!!!!!!!!
aimtcb 2 years ago
she going 2 play basketball at delaware next year since now she knows that she was homesick insteading burning out while she was at uconn.
mileseking 2 years ago
The LeBron of women's basketball? Talk about an apples to oranges comparison!!
pajaha1 2 years ago
duude she QUIT
XOXalllieXOX 2 years ago
Good for her, doing what she's passionate about in life. I wouldn't be surprised to see her on a US Olympic volleyball team someday.
It is really silly that kids come on here to trash her. Her game is better than that of 99% of the punky kids who play at the gym. She actually has touch on her shot and good shooting form.
Sierra688 2 years ago
omg!!! she was good! uconn was a machine this past year. imagine what they would've done to thier opponents with her!!
satnite2003 2 years ago
Pretty good video. I hope she comes back to the game someday, on her own terms. It's probably a good thing she isn't playing for UConn this year. They'd be so good, the NCAA would probably have just sent them the trophy and told them to go play in the WNBA.
derkommissar1917 2 years ago
She just announced that she'll be playing bball again. Given that Delaware conference isn't as talented compared to the Big East or SEC, she will completely dominate.
geoffds 2 years ago
The conference that Delaware plays in might as well mail them the trophy now. They already had all five starters back and now this...
derkommissar1917 2 years ago
Volleyball is a much better sport anyway. Yet another basketballer realizing it. We need a Pro Volleyball league in the states.
BriZimm 3 years ago
Dude no one would watch it. Only revenue sports deserve a pro league
CaucasianRaymond 2 years ago
y do they call her the female lebron james?? this girl can shoot.
harriszsultan 3 years ago
lol good one
janitordan 2 years ago
haha i like it but he's still sweet
ladyjmk20 2 years ago
Exceptional talent.Range remarkable for a center.Would be better than Parker or Turasi.With Auriemo guiding her,could be best of all time.BUT, understand she's emotionally still immature.Parents should have stayed arround UConn,until she adjusted.Then, perhaps, we would have seen history
vamanj 3 years ago
One of the weirdest stories to ever come out of the sports world
bobby90089lyte 3 years ago
Not a single person her height guarded her.
s1021201 3 years ago
I love all these white guys trying to talk like they're Barkley or Hubie Brown when analyzing someone playing basketball. GTF outta here with that junk. I'm sure you can't even get next at your local rec center and you're on here hatin'. Kill that noise. This girl could ball. If she didn't want to go to UConn, that's her decision. But trying to knock down her game. She's not posting up chairs like Yi Jianlian and her stroke from deep looked pretty pure
cbaldwinjr 3 years ago
Just how many women do you know of who are 6'5" and can play basketball? Of course there wasn't anyone her height guarding her!
derkommissar1917 2 years ago
I don't think I saw a single person even close to her height guarding her. Makes for smooth sailing. Maybe in college someone would have played D on her... we'll never know how that would have affected her "game"
s1021201 3 years ago
plus her three and her handle are unbelievable for a girl her size....i wish i had an 1/8th of her talent.
sam10christ 3 years ago
then you would be terrible
4benny 3 years ago
i'm so sad she left the game, she could have really made an impact on the women's game in the way MJ made an impact for the men's game. i totally understand that she was burnt out though. i know how she felt and i only played crappy d3 ball. i remember hearing about her when she was in 7th grade. the pressure must have been unbearable.
sam10christ 3 years ago
she quit basketball and plays volleyball for ud
ThatKidBryan 3 years ago
just saw a espn story on her....she quit
awbasketball48 3 years ago
I heard she is going to quit playing. Is that true?
Tehnoobadventures 3 years ago
yep. She quit and now plays volleyball at Delaware. What an idiot!
loobyjam 3 years ago
she quit 2 days into college.
bsting254 3 years ago
She has already quit and now play Volleyball at Delaware. Shocking!!! She said she was burned out and has faked likeing basketball since she was 13.
StanfordBasketball 3 years ago
already did
HardcoreDancr 3 years ago
good player
bexlions135 3 years ago
She is still like Lebron in the sense that she's a kid with a mature imposing physique. She totally towers over everyone on the volleyball courts
CaucasianRaymond 3 years ago
she shoots way better than candace parker. can she dunk?
SpeedPastYou 3 years ago
im not sure if i can believe all the hype looked kinda soft no way near candace parker nbut best of luck 2 her would like to see her play at UConn but that not going to happen no time soon
DubKballa 3 years ago
YH VERY SIMILAR 2 lauren jackson!
xXGowgasTracyxX 3 years ago
playing volleyball right now at Delaware univ.
nourinho19 3 years ago
yea shes a lauren jackson for sure...too bad she wont go to uconn....Geno couldve made her a star...i guess she doesn't want to make millions one day
btwpom 3 years ago
She changed her mind about UCONN. I heard in the news today she's not gonna play basketball again...right?!
chadgreenwood 3 years ago
volleyball?
uconnn 3 years ago
she just like lauren jackson. great player. no where near candace parker
jagee227 3 years ago
I actually thought more of Diana Taurasi when I watched this.
dezdavis 3 years ago
WHY did she leave UConn so soon??? Something is wrong. Burnout?????
hitman9900 3 years ago
Makes me proud to live in Delaware.
JLundy16 3 years ago
It's a girl version of Dirk Nowitzki!
davis21wylie 3 years ago
wtf 1000 points in her first year..damn
ryanduz 3 years ago
she's a straight up baller
UConn is gonna have a sick team this season
hsdp7 3 years ago
BTW, does anybody else think Larry Bird when they watch this...
squirrelsrfun 3 years ago
LOL!! It is close. But I am liking how EDD plays defense, though. I hope that Coach Auriemma lets the team have a wild open game this year.
My word!! She has mad range and handles. I see why the Lady Vols do not want to play us anymore... UCONN!!!
JellyBean2144 3 years ago
Man oh man! After a sad loss in the Final Four this year, I'm ready for this Lady Husky "power house to be". Thanks for posting this great footage.
squirrelsrfun 3 years ago
I thought that having Rebecca Lobo was the high mark for being a UConn alum, then we get Sue Bird, Sveta Abrosimova, Diana Taursi,Swin Cash, Tamika Williams, Maya Moore...and now Elena. I love UConn!!!
JellyBean2144 3 years ago
more female Dirk than Lebron, no offence to this girl but Lebron was already a COMPLETE player at HS.
mightyPants 3 years ago
she looks like a complete HS womens player to me.
bfurness80 3 years ago
She reminds me of Chanique Haislip, but Elena is faster and more athletic!
vpdcurt 4 years ago
Amazing, just amazing. UConn is obviously set for quite awhile. Too bad Candace Parker is leaving Tennessee, it would have been awesome too the the too battle it off at The Summit or XL Center.
JayZeeee3 4 years ago
How is anyone going to stop UConn now?!
simona189 4 years ago
shes amazing, end of story.
ayoamandaaa 4 years ago
She can ball
manny0298 4 years ago
she's freakin nasty. i've never seen an eighth grader/freshman play that way against players years older than them.
eagles2012w1 4 years ago
This girl is unbelievable! Seriously! And UConn is so set for years to come! Elena and May on the same floor!!
shesaballer 4 years ago
unbelievable
bosox798 4 years ago
No wonder Pat Summitt ended the UConn/TN series. She doesn't want to see EDD wipe up the court with her Lady Vos. ; )
CDeanWatcher 4 years ago
I love this girl already, did you catch the rebound "throwdown" so you know she has attitude. Reminds me of the Great Diana Taurasi... GO UCONN!
konumers 4 years ago
She reminds me a lot of Abby Waner but taller and a better outside shot.
CORiverRat 4 years ago
wow elena rox! i wish that when i get into highschool ill be able to play like that. Yeah rite! Shes awesome!
jumpgirl31 4 years ago
uconn!
IS SHE GREAT OR WHAT?!
suehieg 4 years ago
Great highlights, tyvm for posting this.
Congratulations and welcome to the UConn wbb family, Elena!
LauritzH 4 years ago