The story of Delaware women’s basketball star Elena Delle Donne didn’t end with her team’s upset exit from the NCAA tournament. Television execs already are already moaning the lost opportunity of not having the charismatic nation’s leading scorer in this coming weekend’s Sweet 16 — for good reason.
Ratings for the Delaware Blue Hens’ two tournament games were higher than they were for any other women’s games this past weekend — including those of undefeated Baylor.
The reason is simple. Delle Donne not only brings traditional Hollywood looks into play but also a moving Hollywood story — an unusually lovely young woman who sacrifices the shot at athletic greatness on the country’s best team to be near her special needs sister who doesn’t even know Elena is America’s best college women’s basketball player.
The ESPN story of the relationship between the two sisters has brought thousands if not millions of viewers to tears, reminding us of what was long truly important and meaningful in life — family love and support over national championships.
In that sense, Elena Delle Donna is an American national champion for calling us back to what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.