Elena Delle Donne On Getting Her Own Shoe

On the top of the heel of Elena Delle Donne’s first Nike player-edition shoe are the words, “Path Less Traveled.” The saying is a mantra that Delle Donne has lived by her entire life.

Delle Donne has been through a lot on her road to becoming one of the best players in the WNBA. EDD has always chosen her own path. As one of the top prospects in the 2008 high school basketball recruiting class, Delle Donne initially committed to Geno Auriemma and UConn before having a change of heart and returning home to the University of Delaware. The reason? She wanted to stay close to her family, particularly her older sister Lizzie, who is blind and has special needs. Burned out by basketball, Delle Donne decided to take a year off and played volleyball for UD. She returned to basketball a season later where she received Player of the Year honors in the Colonial Athletic Association. She has also battled Lyme disease since 2008 and became the first national ambassador for the Lyme Research Alliance.

Due to her inspiring story and dominant game, Nike honored EDD on Monday with her own Nike Hyperdunk 2016 PE that pays homage to her unique journey. There are about 15 symbols on the silhouette of the heel and tongue that represent the highs and lows of her life. One of the features: An “I Love You” symbol in sign language that appears on the tongue to show appreciation to her older sister.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with the former MVP about her new Nike PE and what it means to join the the lineage of WNBA greats that received their own shoe.

JH: What was your reaction when you learned you were getting your own Nike PE?

EDD: “I was super excited. I think I called everyone I knew. It was really one of those kind of moments where you don’t know what to say. I am just humbled and so excited that I am …

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