Diana Taurasi retires as WNBA’s all-time scorer, Phoenix Mercury legend

After scoring more than 10,000 points and winning three WNBA championships for the Phoenix Mercury, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi announced her retirement after 20 seasons in the league.

“I just didn’t have it in me,” Taurasi told TIME in an exclusive interview. “That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away.”

In her last season with the Mercury, Taurasi averaged 14.9 points while adding 3.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. The Mercury went 19-21 to reach the playoffs but lost both games to the Minnesota Lynx and were eliminated.

What’s next for her?

“That’s the question that I still don’t have an answer for,” Taurasi told TIME. “I really enjoy taking my kids to school, being home when they’re home, not leaving for a week at a time.

“I’m definitely retired,” she added. “I’m going to miss the bus rides, shootarounds. I’m going to miss the inside jokes. I’m going to miss the locker room, the things that come with being on a basketball team. All those things, I’ll deeply miss.”

Taurasi’s potential retirement was highly speculated coming into the season. Her final year nonetheless became a farewell tour, as has become the trend for legends retiring across sports in the last two decades.

The franchise promoted her last regular season home game of the season as, “If This Is It,” further fueling the notion that Taurasi could be done after this year. She checked back into the game late for a curtain call and received a standing ovation.

Earlier this summer, Taurasi also won her Olympic-basketball-record sixth gold medal at the Paris Olympics this summer.

What the Phoenix Mercury is saying about Diana Taurasi’s retirement

Mat Ishbia, Mercury and Suns owner: “Diana is the greatest to have ever played the game. 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.”

Jim Pitman, former Mercury and Suns executive VP and CFO, and Mercury GM (2013-23): “Playing an entire career with one team is rare, and it has been extraordinary for our organization and city to have Dee as the heart and soul of the Mercury for the last two decades. She is the most prolific scorer and fiercest competitor our game has ever seen. Having a close-up seat to her greatness, on and off the court, has been an incredible privilege.”

Vince Kozar, Mercury president: “Beyond the highlights and the accolades, Diana Taurasi is loyalty personified. She turned a city she’d never visited into her family’s home, and by virtue of her passion and play, turned legions of girls and boys, men and women into lifelong Mercury fans. To wear one uniform her entire career, like so many of her idols, is a testament to who she is and what she values. Her greatness was rooted in showing up every day – from workouts to practices to games, from signing autographs to talking to fans to meeting with sponsors. She was at her very best when the moments were biggest and the lights were brightest, and she always embraced her impact in growing our game. She was the best possible partner in this endeavor, a friend I’ll cherish forever, and the greatest athlete in Arizona history. We are where we are today – this organization, league and our game – because of Diana Taurasi.”

Josh Bartelstein, Mercury and Suns CEO: “Diana has been 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. 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.”

Mercury GM Nick U’Ren: “Diana’s impact on our organization and league, the championships, and her countless accolades speak for themselves, but what will always stand out to me is her unmatched work ethic, dedication to her craft and passion for the game. She put in countless hours while no one was watching and she never took any shortcuts. I have tremendous respect and admiration for her – as a fan, as a colleague and as a friend. I am incredibly grateful for the friendship we have built over the years.”

The career of Diana Taurasi

A California native, Taurasi chose to play her college ball for Geno Auriemma at powerhouse UConn. In her first year on campus in 2001, the Huskies were bounced in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.

Taurasi’s and the Huskies’ fortunes would change, however, as they would go on to win three straight national titles with the guard on campus. In 2004, Taurasi was named the Naismith College Player of the Year.

With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 WNBA draft, the Mercury selected Taurasi, and the rest was history. The guard would go on to play every one of her seasons in Phoenix, 20 of the franchise’s 28 years, becoming one of the faces of Arizona’s sports scene.

Taurasi was named All-WNBA 14 times in her career and made the first team as a rookie in 2004 after scoring 17 points a game and contributing 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

Fast forward to the 2007 season when Taurasi and the Mercury went 23-11 in the regular season to top the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Taurasi averaged 19.9 points in nine games played as the Mercury would go on to win the first WNBA Championship in franchise history.

Taurasi would again lead the Mercury to WNBA glory in 2009. She was named the Finals MVP and MVP of the 2009 season after averaging 20.4 points per game along with 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

From 2010-14, Taurasi was named to All-WNBA first team each season. In the final year of that stretch, she would bring another championship to the Valley and was named Finals MVP in 2014.

The 42-year-old averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game over the course of her career with the Mercury.

Taurasi’s name will remain visible throughout downtown Phoenix, as part of 1st Street was renamed 7489 Taurasi Way in 2018, and the Mercury’s new state-of-the-art practice facility named its courts after the legend.

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