Elena Delle Donne missed a large part of the 2014 regular season due to injury and sickness, but she will return healthy and strong for the start of the 2015 regular season on June 5.

Last season Delle Donne, battled a late-season back injury and flare-ups from her previously diagnosed Lyme disease. Delle Donne only played 16 regular season, games but made a comeback in Chicago’s playoff run suiting up for all nine games. In the offseason, Delle Donne took time to rest and took strides towards a healthier life.

“My biggest thing was trying to get healthy. I was sick last season and my back was hurt, so I had to fix both of those,” Delle Donne said.

Nagging back pain and stiffness plagued Delle Donne starting in game one of the playoffs after being hit in the back trying to grab a rebound. Her pain progressively got worse as the Sky’s playoff run deepened. Delle Donne experienced excruciating lower back pain that traveled to her legs making it difficult for her to move and run. The only cure at that point was rest and treatment, which was extremely difficult to accomplish while still playing.

In 2008, Delle Donne was bitten by an infected tick while living at home in Delaware. It was not until two years after the bite that she first experienced the symptoms. She had migraine headaches and felt tired all the time. Sometimes so exhausted that she could not even lift her arms above her head.

Delle Donne’s Lyme disease symptoms flared up during the 2014 season keeping her sidelined for almost two months and a total of 17 games. Her focus was regaining her strength and getting back into her normal routine at a steady pace.

“I had a really good trainer and strength coach, and we did circuit training. It’s really up-tempo lifts and a lot more things with body control,” Delle Donne said.

Circuit training helps build strength and muscular endurance and uses a lot of rapid movement throughout the different exercises.

“I think the biggest improvement [in the offseason] was strength training and getting my core stronger,” Delle Donne said.

With the 2015 regular season tip-off just around the corner, Delle Donne looks to make a healthy return to the court against the Indiana Fever on June 5 at Allstate Arena and make another run for the Championship.

“I am really excited about this young team, and we have Cappie with us now and she’s a veteran. It’s so nice to have that presence here. It’s just nice to compete alongside my teammates.”