Diana Taurasi, the leading scorer in WNBA history and voted “greatest of all time” by the league’s fans, announced her retirement Tuesday after 20 seasons.
“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi told Time magazine. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”
Taurasi, 42, steps away as one of the most decorated players in women’s basketball history. She made an impact from her first moments at UConn in 2000, and she was still in the spotlight through the end of her WNBA career, helping lead the Phoenix Mercury to the playoffs this month.
In August, Taurasi became the first basketball player to win six Olympic gold medals.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert hailed Taurasi as “one of the greatest competitors to ever play the game of basketball on any stage.”
“In a record-setting career that saw her play 20 seasons, score more points and make more three-point shots than any player in WNBA history, she has earned the unquestioned respect of players around the globe, delivered electrifying moments and captivated fans again and again,” Engelbert said in a prepared statement. “On behalf of the WNBA family, I thank Diana for everything that she has brought to the WNBA — her passion, her charisma and, most of all, her relentless dedication to the game.”
Taurasi scored 10,646 points — the only WNBA player to surpass the 10K mark in scoring — in 565 regular-season games, and she scored another 1,476 points in 72 playoff games. She led Phoenix, which drafted her No. 1 in 2004, to WNBA championships in 2007, 2009 and 2014.
A five-time WNBA scoring champion and 14-time All-WNBA selection, Taurasi was league MVP in 2009 and Finals MVP in 2009 and ’14. She also leaves as the WNBA’s leader in 3-pointers made with 1,447 in the regular season and 215 in the playoffs.
“Diana is the greatest to have ever played the game,” Mercury and Suns owner Mat Ishbia said. “I’ve been a fan of her my entire life. She is the ultimate leader and teammate. She’s had an incredible impact on our franchise, our community and the game of basketball. Her name is synonymous with the Phoenix Mercury and she will forever be part of our family.”
Josh Bartelstein, the chief executive officer of the Mercury and Suns, called Taurasi “the face of the Mercury and women’s basketball for 20 years.”
“She revolutionized the game with her scoring ability, infectious personality and the edge she brought to the court every night,” Bartelstein said. “There will only ever be one Diana Taurasi, and she will continue to inspire us for years to come and remain part of the fabric of this city.”
Despite the personal records and achievements, Taurasi was considered the consummate teammate throughout her career.
“I’ve always tried to be on everyone’s side, and tried to champion everyone on the team,” Taurasi said. “If they’re in your circle, you take care of them.”
Said Sue Bird, Taurasi’s longtime friend and UConn/USA Basketball teammate, to ESPN: “She has a way of making people feel connected to her, but also like the best version of themselves.”
New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who guided the Mercury for eight years, said Taurasi had what seemed like a sixth sense in dealing with teammates.
“She knows when she needs to take over; she knows when to get others involved,” Brondello told ESPN. “She knows when she just needs to whisper in their ear to get them going. When you see it up close and personal, you realize just the effect she has on her teammates, and they all look up to her.”
Taurasi first rose to national prominence at UConn two decades ago, leading the Huskies to three consecutive national titles from 2002 to 2004, including an undefeated season that many consider the greatest in women’s college hoops history.
“I have never, ever heard her say a negative word about a teammate, at UConn, the Olympic team, Phoenix,” Huskies coach Geno Auriemma told ESPN. “But I could say to her, ‘Dee, that was the worst god-damned pass I’ve ever seen in my life.’ If I said that to someone else, they might say, ‘Why are you disrespecting me?’ With her, she never took it personally. She already knew it was a bad pass and she needed to make it better. She wanted to be coached like that.”
UConn went 22-1 in NCAA tournament games in Taurasi’s career, and she finished her collegiate career with 2,156 points, 628 rebounds and 648 assists. After being selected No. 1 overall by the Mercury, she won the first of her Olympic medals in 2004.
Her first WNBA championship with Phoenix came three years later.
After leading Phoenix to its second title, Taurasi was arrested for driving under the influence in July 2009. Shortly afterward, while she was playing overseas in Turkey, Taurasi received a provisional ban in late 2010 for alleged use of the stimulant modafinil, but the lab conducting the test was discredited and Taurasi was cleared of all allegations in February 2011.
Taurasi and Bird became the cornerstones of USA Basketball for two decades. Along with her Olympic haul, Taurasi has three golds from the FIBA Women’s World Cup and won six Euro League titles.
“There never seems to be a bad day when you’re around Dee,” Carol Callan, longtime USA Basketball women’s national team director, told ESPN. “She doesn’t seek the limelight, and she’s totally comfortable in her skin not needing it.”
Taurasi was voted by fans as the WNBA’s “GOAT” during the league’s 25th season in 2021.
“To me, she’s the greatest player,” Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, who both played and coached against Taurasi, told ESPN. “She just hooped. I think one of the most underrated parts of her game was her passing. Her 3-ball and pull-up jumpers got so much attention, but she literally does everything.
“It’s like when you talk about LeBron James. … Some people would knock on him when he would pass the ball, but it was the right decision. Great players, the GOATs, just make the right play. And they make it over and over and over again, and it leads to winning.”
