MINNEAPOLIS — If this was it, then maybe there was no more fitting way for it to end.
Diana Taurasi fouled out one last time. As she walked to the bench, she shook her head at her coaches like, “I know, I know,” and then broke into a smile, again, like, “But of course. What else would you expect?” As the P.A. announcers called her name potentially one last time, the arena — an opposing venue, no less — rose to its feet to honor a player who has defined and changed the game.
Perhaps the fairy tale would’ve been Taurasi riding off into the sunset with a championship in hand, retiring while on top, and leaving the game with a win. Maybe that would’ve felt like a Disney movie. But the reality is — if this was it — she had that chance. She was a free agent. Multiple times. She could’ve left the Phoenix Mercury (her team for the entirety of her 20-year career) and joined another roster — one that wasn’t welcoming a new coach or rebuilding with new players. She could’ve chosen an easier road — with an exit more idealistic by narrative standards.
A standing ovation for Diana Taurasi in the Target Center 👏 pic.twitter.com/JzQxpEbQYa
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 26, 2024
But that’s not Taurasi. She’s not looking to appease writers or critics. At 42…
