After two decades as a WNBA star, Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi announced her retirement on Tuesday.
Taurasi, 42, leaves the sport as one of its most iconic figures after winning three championships, becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer, earning six gold medals with Team USA and making 11 WNBA All-Star Game appearances. With a flair for heroic plays and her trademark bun hairstyle, she was voted by fans in 2021 as the WNBA’s Greatest of All Time.
Taurasi told Time that while she will miss the competition, she came to the realization on New Year’s Day that “I knew it was time to walk away.
“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” she said. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”
Taurasi’s longevity was a testament to her hard work, competitiveness and, of course, talent. She handled the highest of expectations at every step — from winning three NCAA championships in four seasons at UConn, where she twice earned Player of the Year honors, to her selection as the No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft. She helped rechart the future of the Mercury franchise and brought new excitement to the WNBA, which wasn’t even a decade old when she entered it.
Her records include being the first WNBA player to score 10,000…
