WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, Mystics Agree to New Contract After Winning Title

The Washington Mystics have officially re-signed 2019 MVP Elena Delle Donne.

"Elena is the most impactful player in the history of the Washington Mystics and her commitment to us three years ago set the stage for us to make our championship run possible," head coach and general manager Mike Thibault said in a statement. 

Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points and 8.2 rebounds and became the first WNBA player to join the 50-40-90 club one season ago, leading the Mystics to their first league title. The 30-year-old was an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Thibault didn't disclose the full terms of the deal but confirmed Delle Donne is under contract for four years.

She was one of three stars coming off the books for Washington. Kristi Toliver signed with the Los Angeles Sparks on the first day of free agency, making it even more important for the Mystics to retain Delle Donne and Finals MVP Emma Meesseman, who has yet to agree to a deal.

Thibault told the Washington Post's Ava Wallace that Meesseman has provided a verbal agreement to return.

Delle Donne's status was hardly in doubt.

The Wilmington, Delaware, native requested a trade from the Chicago Sky in 2017, and her move to Washington, D.C., brought her much closer to home.

The Mystics have been one of the league's best teams over the past three years as well, reaching the Finals in 2018 along with their WNBA championship in 2019.

The loss of Toliver—coupled with her move to another contender—will lead some to question whether Washington can successfully repeat.

The single-elimination format in the first two rounds of the playoffs and best-of-five format in the semifinals and Finals open the door for more postseason upsets. The Sparks were the last team to go back to back in 2001 and 2002.

Assuming the Mystics hold onto Meesseman, they'll have the pieces to make another Finals run with the bulk of their squad coming back.