Elena Delle Donne's Bond with her sister - a look into why she transferred

[FDNY99]

I just saw this on twitter:
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/elena-delle-donne-sister/
It is VERY well written by Elena and really gives a look into why she eventually left UCONN and went home to UD. I had heard the story about her sister Lizzie...and how close they were during Elena's recruitment. I had always figured that being away from her sister was the main reason she left to go back home to UD. Although I often think about what could have been for her if she had stayed at UCONN...when a kid makes a choice that is driven by things like she writes about...you have to admire them for that choice.

 

[Aluminny69]

Except for the possibility that accepting a UConn scholarship may have played havoc with UConn recruiting, not to mention a couple more NCs. Some fans feel Elena (if not her parents) should have realized her strong attachment to her sister BEFORE she accepted a scholarship. This is not necessarily my point of view, but it has validity nevertheless.

 

[UcMiami]

Except for the possibility that accepting a UConn scholarship may have played havoc with UConn recruiting, not to mention a couple more NCs. Some fans feel Elena (if not her parents) should have realized her strong attachment to her sister BEFORE she accepted a scholarship. This is not necessarily my point of view, but it has validity nevertheless.

But I don't think you can reasonably expect any 17 year old to project the emotional effect of distance in such a situation. Many kids get homesick when they leave for school in ways they could not imagine in much more easily dealt with situations - for EDD and her sister whose only means of communication is physical, it would have been much worse.

 

[grizz36]

Forget all the previous crap that has been posted by some "adults" on this board about EDD copping out on her "responsibilities" to UCONN. That was a very beautiful piece written by a very, very beautiful adult person.

 

[Sargassoc]

Really nice piece she wrote. I never actually understood how EDD was going to leave her sister, so I wasn't surprised when she returned home. Some things transcend basketball.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Except for the possibility that accepting a UConn scholarship may have played havoc with UConn recruiting, not to mention a couple more NCs. Some fans feel Elena (if not her parents) should have realized her strong attachment to her sister BEFORE she accepted a scholarship. This is not necessarily my point of view, but it has validity nevertheless.

I would say that view has ZERO validity!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Can practice at least start soon? Will we ever let this go? The is single reason that EDD arrived one day to go home less than 2 days later. I hope people do not forget that at the time , and, according to her, for at least a year before, she was sick of basketball and she looked at the UConn summer pick up game and said to herself I can't do this.

 

[boontonbomber]

Except for the possibility that accepting a UConn scholarship may have played havoc with UConn recruiting, not to mention a couple more NCs. Some fans feel Elena (if not her parents) should have realized her strong attachment to her sister BEFORE she accepted a scholarship. This is not necessarily my point of view, but it has validity nevertheless.

it has no validity.

 

[Aluminny69]

I would say that view has ZERO validity!

Which part? You don't think UConn recruiting was altered by EDD accepting a scholarship? You don't think that quality players were turned away?

 

[reno tony]

Except for the possibility that accepting a UConn scholarship may have played havoc with UConn recruiting, not to mention a couple more NCs. Some fans feel Elena (if not her parents) should have realized her strong attachment to her sister BEFORE she accepted a scholarship. This is not necessarily my point of view, but it has validity nevertheless.

I guess we just have to learn to deal with all these selfish narrow minded people.

 

[j66kicker]

Which part? You don't think UConn recruiting was altered by EDD accepting a scholarship? You don't think that quality players were turned away?

I don't 'blame' her, per se. And I do think that's a beautiful piece she wrote on her sister, and totally sympathize with her wishes to remain close back then. But some high school elite athletes DO know what they want at that age (for instance DT, KLS). And, since knowing what you want is a key component in actually getting it, those are typically the athletes who go on to actually win something.

 

[Orangutan]

I cringed when I read "a look into why she transferred" in the thread title.

The piece itself was a beautiful and poignant glimpse into Elena and Lizzie's relationship. I wish the other topic could be left in the past where it belongs.

 

[Kaizen]

A very touching story. EDD's mom is a such great mom and respectable.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I guess we just have to learn to deal with all these selfish narrow minded people.

we certainly have to deal with the snarkily sanctimonious

 

[reno tony]

we certainly have to deal with the snarkily sanctimonious

LOL..... first time I have ever been called sanctimonious. And snarky as well. Bravo. Do you seriously believe EDD owed anyone (except Geno) any explanation about her decision.

 

[TWG236]

I for one agree with Orangutan and wish that the Elena and UCONN situation disappear into the atmosphere, as I believe it should. Two nights at a university and never attending one class doesn't make one a student of that university. So again utilizing the word TRANSFER in this situation really doesn't have the same meaning as when utilized with the other UCONN players who have left in midseason or before they had completed their four years of eligibility. If I remember correctly Elena didn't commit to UCONN until late in the recruiting process and voiced her concerns about leaving home. I'm sure like most really good athletes Elena dreamed of playing for the "best" college basketball program in the US and winning multiple National Championships. You get recruited by UCONN and you really want to go, but as with most people there are other important factors besides basketball in their lives. We have a 17 who came to UCONN to win championships and shortly after arriving realized that her sister and family were more important to her then basketball and championships. I for one am very impressed that she choose the her sister and family over basketball and championships and believe that if she had chosen the other way, it most likely would bother her for the remainder of her life. Geno, the players and us fans did just fine without the services of Elena and I hope she is able to finally be coached by Geno during the forthcoming Olympic Games. In closing, think about when you were seventeen. I think of the girl I was dating and my priorities at the time. Thank "god" I didn't marry her and none of those so called priorities really had any barring on my adulthood. LET THE SEASON BEGIN.

 

[CocoHusky]

I for one agree with Orangutan and wish that the Elena and UCONN situation disappear into the atmosphere, as I believe it should. Two nights at a university and never attending one class doesn't make one a student of that university. So again utilizing the word TRANSFER in this situation really doesn't have the same meaning as when utilized with the other UCONN players who have left in midseason or before they had completed their four years of eligibility. If I remember correctly Elena didn't commit to UCONN until late in the recruiting process and voiced her concerns about leaving home. I'm sure like most really good athletes Elena dreamed of playing for the "best" college basketball program in the US and winning multiple National Championships. You get recruited by UCONN and you really want to go, but as with most people there are other important factors besides basketball in their lives. We have a 17 who came to UCONN to win championships and shortly after arriving realized that her sister and family were more important to her then basketball and championships. I for one am very impressed that she choose the her sister and family over basketball and championships and believe that if she had chosen the other way, it most likely would bother her for the remainder of her life. Geno, the players and us fans did just fine without the services of Elena and I hope she is able to finally be coached by Geno during the forthcoming Olympic Games. In closing, think about when you were seventeen. I think of the girl I was dating and my priorities at the time. Thank "god" I didn't marry her and none of those so called priorities really had any barring on my adulthood. LET THE SEASON BEGIN.

I agree with the sentiment of your post, but the bold part did not happen.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

LOL..... first time I have ever been called sanctimonious. And snarky as well. Bravo. Do you seriously believe EDD owed anyone (except Geno) any explanation about her decision.

Don't put words into my mouth - said nothing about that. Just see no reason to pounce on someone else's opinion with such a PC vengeance.

 

[Monte]

Rocky...I love your 2nd sentence.

 

[JoePgh]

Characterizing the article as being about "why she transferred" is a GROSS distortion. The article very intentionally is about her sister, how she lives her life, how others see her, and what she has taught those close to her. It is not even about Elena except very peripherally. There is one line that says Lizzy was a "contributing factor" to her decision to attend Delaware, and that's it (in hundreds of beautifully written words about the other topics).

The comments on Elena and UConn in this thread are totally irrelevant to the article. The criticism of the negative posts is more about reading comprehension than about political correctness.

 

[reno tony]

Don't put words into my mouth - said nothing about that. Just see no reason to pounce on someone else's opinion with such a PC vengeance.

You should take your own advice and not put words in my mouth, the author of the quote stated it wasn't necessarily his/her "point of view" and I was referring to quote, not the author. But I certainly see the misunderstanding on both side. I have a great deal of respect for EDD and am bothered when derogatory comments(no matter how slight) are made about her UCONN career... even if it is because of misinformation. All is good in my world... I hope yours is as well.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I recall the interview with EDD and Caroline Doty in 2008 after the Villanova game when EDD gushed about how excited she was about coming to Connecticut, how anxious she was to get on campus to be with and among her new teammates, to learn from them, etc. So what is one to believe?

Whether she counts as a transfer should not be a matter of opinion. She signed the letter of intent, then she left. After leaving, she was treated like any other transfer by having to sit out a year from playing basketball.

She is obviously quite talented. It would have been a shame had she not returned to the game to which she has been able to contribute so much.

 

[Bonpland]

EDD made the right decision concerning basketball in her life. Whatever she felt at the time it tore at her and she went home. That's enough to know. Homesickness, her sister, burnout, it doesn't matter. She reacted to her gut and she decided that UCONN was not for her. We were all disappointed not to get to see her play here, but she was probably disappointed as well not to get to compete in this program. We don't know for sure why she left, but like many have said, it's in the past and she has matured into an impressive individual both on and off the court.

At the time I was involved coaching college bound athletes and I picked up on the initial story of a kid rejecting the very competitive nature of her truncated childhood and how tired she had grown of camps, tournaments, recruiting and expectations. I considered it a cautionary tale for the parents of talented children. I hoped, I told the parents, that she would take some time away and then come back to the sport that she had dominated as a teen. Which of course is what she did, but as it turns out burnout was only a small part of the reason that she returned to Delaware.

I always wished her the best, and I'm thrilled to watch her now. Still ocassionally when thinking about her two day UCONN career I wallow in Vonnegut's phrase, "In all the words of mice or men the saddest are what might have been."

 

[RockyMTblue2]

You should take your own advice and not put words in my mouth, the author of the quote stated it wasn't necessarily his/her "point of view" and I was referring to quote, not the author. But I certainly see the misunderstanding on both side. I have a great deal of respect for EDD and am bothered when derogatory comments(no matter how slight) are made about her UCONN career... even if it is because of misinformation. All is good in my world... I hope yours is as well.

We generally see eye to eye or almost Reno. I just noticed there is a typo in my original post--I meant to say there was NO single reason why EDD bolted, though it became apparent much later that she was running away from basketball as much as running home. In the last year plus there has been a growing trend here for a vocal minority to get preachy about what they consider the proper view and then jump on the dissenters rather vigorously. Think it reached its apex in the whole go round about KML's level of fitness, weight, body type. Just feel we can have a lively debate without rancor.

 

[Carnac]

We generally see eye to eye or almost Reno. I just noticed there is a typo in my original post--I meant to say there was NO single reason why EDD bolted, though it became apparent much later that she was running away from basketball as much as running home. In the last year plus there has been a growing trend here for a vocal minority to get preachy about what they consider the proper view and then jump on the dissenters rather vigorously. Think it reached its apex in the whole go round about KML's level of fitness, weight, body type. Just feel we can have a lively debate without rancor.