ELENA DELLE DONNE

Becky Hammon's first two games as a head coach in the WNBA went well for the former NBA assistant with the Las Vegas Aces winning both contests.

The WNBA will begin its 26th season this weekend with many intriguing storylines, including the potential retirements of Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles, the return of Becky Hammon as a coach and the absence of Brittney Griner.

WASHINGTON--Their work for the evening complete, Elena Delle Donne gave Shakira Austin a big hug.

With Elena Delle Donne and Alysha Clark back from injuries, the 2019 WNBA champs look promising.

The WNBA enters the final week of the regular season with many playoff positions still to be decided as well as the final postseason berth.

The WNBA playoff chase may come down to the final day of the regular season on Sept. 19.

Elena Delle Donne and Chiney Ogwumike will have a major impact on the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks playoff chances now that they're back on the basketball court.

Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi will try and become the first five-time Olympic gold medalists in women’s basketball as they lead the U.S. team during the Tokyo Games.

The U.S. women’s basketball team has a few questions surrounding its roster as the Americans to make a run at a seventh consecutive gold medal in the Olympics.

NEW YORK The Seattle Storm are healthy to begin the season with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird back in the lineup and sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll. 1 in the preseason since the AP has been doing the poll. You have to go out there and play the games, said Bird, who missed last season while recovering from knee surgery. Connecticut and Washington, who met for the WNBA title last year, were sixth and seventh in the poll. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, July 28___Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

NEW YORK Elena Delle Donne is hurt that her request was denied to be medically excused for the season. And maybe being hurt just makes me naive, Delle Donne wrote. Had Delle Donne been medically excused, she would have earned her entire salary for the season. Charles and Delle Donne did not travel with the team to Bradenton, Florida. Phoenix forward Jessica Breland, who missed a year while at North Carolina to be treated for Hodgkins lymphoma, was deemed high-risk and was medically excused, the Mercury said.

NEW YORK Elena Delle Donne's request to be medically excused from the WNBA season was denied, according to the league's reigning MVP. Delle Donne has battled Lyme disease since 2008. But the question is whether or not the WNBA bubble is safe for me," Delle Donne said in the statement. Charles and Delle Donne did not travel with the team to Bradenton, Florida, last week. Phoenix forward Jessica Breland, who missed a year while at North Carolina to be treated for Hodgkins lymphoma, was deemed high-risk and was medically excused, the Mercury said.

The Washington Mystics won their first WNBA championship, getting 22 points from Emma Meesseman and 21 from banged-up league MVP Elena Delle Donne to beat the Connecticut Sun 89-78 in Game 5 of the Finals on Thursday night. It was a fitting conclusion to an entertaining series and WNBA season. Elena Delle Donne #11 of Washington Mystics celebrates after the Mystics defeated the Connecticut Sun to win the 2019 WNBA Finals at St Elizabeths East Entertainment & Sports Arena on October 10, 2019 in Washington, DC. Delle Donne came to Washington three years ago in a trade from Chicago, hoping to get the Mystics their first title. The victory gave coach Mike Thibault his first WNBA championship.