Washington's Elena Delle Donne played Friday in her first WNBA game since last Aug. 26, and looked a lot like her old self. She had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Mystics to an 84-70 victory over visiting Indiana in the opener of the 2022 WNBA season.
The two-time WNBA MVP, who was limited to three games with back issues last season and didn't play at all in the 2020 season, said she didn't feel too nervous. It was the first season opener she has played in since 2018.
"My shot looked like it had nerves," Delle Donne joked, although she shot 50% (8-of-16) from the floor in 30 minutes. "I was struggling a little bit to get in the flow and to trust in my legs. So I guess I might call that a little bit of nerves, or it's been a while. But I was able to play my way into it.
"The game kind of just comes to you. This is a fun, exploratory season for me being back out there."
Delle Donne, 32, led the Mystics to the 2019 WNBA title despite having three herniated disks in her back during the playoffs. It's been a long journey for her to return, and she and the Mystics want to be careful not to push too hard. As part of load management, Delle Donne won't travel to Sunday's game at Minnesota (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET).
"Obviously, I want to be in every single game, but I also know the importance of having the proper rest and return-to-play protocol," Delle Donne said. "We learned from last season: I don't need to go game-game-game. I need to space it out a little and see how I continue to respond.
"The time will come, and I'll be on road trips hopefully soon. Even before this season started, we sat down and looked at the schedule and weeks that might be too much and too many games. We've gotta pace it properly. We're all on the same page."
While the Mystics will no doubt miss Delle Donne on Sunday, it's important to have her for as much of the season as possible.
"She looked comfortable, I thought, for the most part," Mystics coach Mike Thibault said. "She will probably be a little tired tomorrow. She's not gonna play again until Tuesday, so she's got plenty of recovery time. But I thought she was really good."