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Every week, across several sports, players around the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia) shine in individual performance. Every Monday, I’d like to take a minute to highlight some of those performances, including what I view as the best performance and name that athlete the “DMV Star of the Week.”
This week’s DMV Star of the Week is Washington Mystics Forward Elena Delle Donne.
The Mystics star player is off to a terrific start in 2023, averaging 21 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3 assists in Washington’s first four games. Her 21 points per game is currently seventh best across the WNBA.
This past week, the 6’5 forward and former second overall selection in the 2013 draft scored more than 20 points in each of Washington’s games.
Her more impressive performance came in a 88-81 losing effort against Connecticut on Tuesday, in which Delle Donne scored 27 points while hauling in 7 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists.
Three days later, she led the Mystics to victory with a 25 point performance in a 71-69 win against her former team, the Chicago Sky, handing them their first loss of the 2023 season.
The Mystics were a playoff team a year ago and will look to build off of last year's momentum with a deeper run in 2023. If Delle Donne can put together her best season yet in D.C, there’s no reason the team can’t excel.
The DMV saw four teams in action this past week, including the Washington Nationals, D.C. United, Washington Spirit, and Washington Mystics
Here are some honorable mention performances for DMV Star of the Week:
D.C. United Striker Christian Benteke scored his 7th goal of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Toronto, which is tied for the seventh-best mark in MLS
Washington Nationals Pitcher Mackenzie Gore recorded 11 strikeouts in 7 innings of work, allowing just 3 hits, 1 earned run, and 1 walk in Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Kansas City
Washington Mystics Center Shakira Austin recorded a double-double in Friday’s win over Chicago, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds
Here’s what’s coming up this week in DMV Sports:
Washington Nationals (23-31, 5th in NL East, 9 GB)
5/30 @ Los Angeles Dodgers
5/31 @ Los Angeles Dodgers
6/2 vs. Philadelphia
6/3 vs. Philadelphia
6/4 vs. Philadelphia
D.C. United: (5-4-6, 19 points, 8th in Eastern Conference)
5/31 vs. Montreal
6/3 @ Inter Miami
Washington Spirit: (4-4-1, 16 points, 5th in NWSL)
6/3 vs. Racing Louisville
Washington Mystics: (2-2, 4th in Eastern Conference)
6/2 vs. Dallas
6/3 vs. Minnesota
*Denotes games I will be covering in-person