Chicago Sky forward and reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne has become the latest – and one of the most high-profile – WNBA players to come out as gay.
According to the New York Post, Delle Donne recently revealed that she is engaged to 26-year-old Amanda Clifton in a year-to-be-published interview with the website Out Sports.
Delle Donne joins Brittney Griner, the iconic Phoenix Mercury center, who came out shortly after being chosen number one overall in the 2013 WNBA draft.
As the number two pick that same year, Delle Donne was frequently asked about Griner’s historic coming out, and she always offered words of support and encouragement:
“In our sport, we’re fine with it,” Delle Donne said. “We’re all friends, and I want everybody to be who they are. You shouldn’t have to lie, that’s not fair.”
“Hopefully the men can one day adopt that same attitude that we have.”
Both Griner and Delle Donne have drawn comparisons to Michael Sam, who became the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL.
While Delle Donne no doubt acknowledges the similarities in the situations, she also discourages fans from using women’s sports as a lens through which to explore and speculate men’s athletics:
“Stop taking Brittney out of our game and putting her in the men’s game,” she said in a 2013 interview. “She’s ours and she’s changing our game,” she said. “So it does upset me a little bit.”
“Respect women’s basketball for what it is.”
Delle Donne’s history-making profile is expected to be published as early as today.
Fans and colleagues are already praising the 26-year-old on social media.
Beginning next week, Delle Donne will compete in the Rio Olympics as a member of Team USA’s women’s basketball team.
