After a legendary professional basketball career spanning two decades, Diana Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, a six-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time WNBA champion, is stepping away from the game of basketball for good.
Taurasi, 42, announced her retirement Tuesday afternoon in Time Magazine, telling the outlet that she realized on New Year’s Day “it was time to walk away.”
“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi told Time. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”
Diana Taurasi is retiring from the WNBA. Getty ImagesTaurasi is a sure first-ballot Hall of Fame selection and leaves behind a legacy as being one of the greatest women to have ever played basketball.
Known as the “White Mamba,” a nickname given to her by the late Kobe Bryant, Taurasi retires as the league’s all-time leading scorer (10,646 points) and all-time leading 3-point shooter (1,447 3-pointers made). She’s a five-time scoring champion and earned 14 All-WNBA selections. She’s fourth on the WNBA’s all-time assist list, too.
Taurasi, who won three NCAA Tournament championships at Connecticut, spent her entire illustrious career with the Phoenix Mercury.
After being picked first overall in the 2004 draft, Taurasi revolutionized the art of scoring in the WNBA.
She was a mainstream character before the league went mainstream.
Mercury’s Diana Taurasi (3) celebrates after making her 10,000th career point during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Atlanta Dream, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. APHer no-look passes and dagger 3s became routine plays.
The 11-time All-Star led the Mercury to three WNBA titles, earning two Finals MVP nods.
Praise and gratitude for Taurasi’s impact flooded social media shortly after the news broke.
Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives to the basket against Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3). Noah K. Murray-NY Post
Connecticut’s Diana Taurasi battles past Tennessee’s Kara Lawson as the Connecticut Huskies defeated Tennessee 79-56 during the 2002 NCAA women’s semi-finals. JACK GRUBER / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesMercury and Suns owner Mat Ishbia said Taurasi is “the ultimate leader and teammate” and that “her name is synonymous with the Phoenix Mercury and she will forever be part of our family.”
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert called Taurasi “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 3-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 statement.
iana Taurasi of United States celebrates her sixth Olympic gold medal after 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, the most Olympic gold medals by a United States basketball player. REUTERS
Diana Taurasi drives through French defenders at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. REUTERS“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. She leaves a lasting legacy and the future of the WNBA is in a great position because of her impact, that will be felt for generations to come.”
