Diana Tauurasi retires after 20 seasons, 3 titles and 6 Olympic gold

Sports

“It is the life of an extraordinary person who, I think, had so much to do with changing female basketball and anyone who has played the game.”

By John Marshall and Doug Feinberg, Associated Press

February 25, 2025

3 minutes to read

Phoenix (AP) – Diana Tauurasi retires after 20 seasons, finishing one of the best races in the history of female basketball.

The scoring leader of his WNBA career and three times league champion, Tauurasi announced his retirement on Tuesday in an interview with Time magazine. The Phoenix Mercury, the only WNBA team for which he played, also confirmed his decision.

“Mentally and physically, I am full,” Taura told Time. “That is probably the best way to describe it. I’m full and I’m happy. “

With his tense hair bun and his supreme confidence, Tauurasi inspired a generation of players while accumulating records and championships.

Taurasi took UCONN to three consecutive national titles since 2001-04 and continued winning after the Mercury selected it with the general selection number 1 of the 2004 WNBA Draft.

“It’s hard to put into words, it’s really what this means. When someone has defined the game, when someone has had so much impact on so many people and so many places. You can’t define it with an appointment, ”said UConn coach Geno Auriemma. “It is a life that is a novel, it is a film, it is a miniseries, it is a saga. It is the life of an extraordinary person who, I think, had so much to do with changing female basketball as anyone who has played the game.”

The 42 -year -old woman won her sixth Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games and ends her WNBA career with 10,646 points, almost 3,000 more than second place Tina Charles.

“I thank Diana for everything she has brought to the WNBA: her passion, her charisma and, above all, her implacable dedication to the game,” said Wnba Cathy Engelbert commissioner in a statement. “She leaves a lasting legacy and the future of the WNBA is in a great position due to its impact, which will feel for the coming generations.”

In addition to his three WNBA championships with Mercury, Taurasi won six Euroleague championships while playing most of his career throughout the year. She was the MVP of the 2009 WNBA and is one of the four players to obtain the MVP honors of the WNBA finals more than once (2009, 2014).

“Diana is the best to have played the game. I have been a fan of her all my life, she is the best leader and teammate, ”said Mercury’s owner Mat Ishbia, in a statement. “She has had an incredible impact on our franchise, our community and the basketball game. His name is synonymous with Phoenix Mercury and will always be part of our family. “

Taurasi converted the first WNBA team into the first team 10 times and was in the first or second team a record 14 times. He is also an athlete of the year of the WNBA WNBA, four times from the WNBA of the year.

“In my opinion, what the greats have in common is that they transcend the sport and become synonymous with sport,” said Auriemma. “While people speak about university basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball, Diana is the best winner in the history of basketball, point. I have had the pleasure of being close to her for many of those moments, and she is the best teammate I have trained. “

Glendale’s native, California, has numerous WNBA records, including playoff score, field goals, 3 points and 30 -point games. She also has 16 Mercury records.

Now that she is withdrawn, Taurasi can spend more time with his wife, Penny Taylor, a former teammate in Mercury, and her two children.

For his career, Taurasi averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. He averaged 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists while leaving the playoffs to mercury during his 20th season.

“I mean, she has just scored on the three levels,” said Las Vegas Aces coach Beck Hammon. “Simply unpleasant there. I just had that unpleasant, which I love. As, you love that as a competitor. Then our league is going to miss it. “

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Feinberg reported from New York.