Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for 20 seasons, spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury. Taurasi is widely recognized as one of the greatest women's basketball players ever. She rose to fame while playing college basketball at the University of Connecticut where she led the team to three consecutive NCAA championships.

Taurasi was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft and was the 2004 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She has won three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, and 2014), one WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award (2009), two WNBA Finals MVP Awards (2009 and 2014) and five scoring titles (2006, 2008–2011). She has also been selected to 10 WNBA All-Star teams and 14 All-WNBA teams (including 10 first-team selections). In 2011, she was voted by fans as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time and was named by the league to its 20th and 25th anniversary teams, respectively, the WNBA Top 20@20 in 2016 and The W25 in 2021. Also in 2021, fans selected her as the league's greatest player of all time.[2] On June 18, 2017, Taurasi became the WNBA all-time leading scorer.[3] As a member of the U.S. national team, she has won six Olympic gold medals (2004–2024) and three FIBA World Cups (2010, 2014, and 2018).

Her penchant for scoring in crucial situations has earned her the nickname "White Mamba", coined by Kobe Bryant.[4] Taurasi is one of 11 women to win an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup, and a WNBA Championship.

Early life

Taurasi grew up in Chino, California. Taurasi's father, Mario, was raised in Argentina. He was a professional soccer player in Italy and played for several years as a goalkeeper.[5] Taurasi's mother, Liliana, is Argentine. Mario and Liliana Taurasi emigrated from Argentina to the United States before Diana was born. She has an older sister named Jessika.[6]

In high school, Taurasi was the recipient of the 2000 Cheryl Miller Award, presented by the Los Angeles Times to the best player in Southern California.[7] She was also recognized as the 1999 and 2000 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year, the 2000 Naismith and "Parade Magazine" National High School Player of the Year. With 3,047 points, Taurasi concluded her prep career ranked fourth in state history. The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) designated Taurasi a distinct American.[8] She participated in the 2000 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored twelve points and earned MVP honors.[9][10]

College career

Taurasi (right) with President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony for the national champion 2002–03 Connecticut Huskies

Following a highly decorated high school career, Taurasi enrolled at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and began playing for the women's basketball team during the 2000–2001 season primarily as a point guard and shooting guard. After a poor shooting performance in UConn's 2001 Final Four loss to Notre Dame, Taurasi vowed, "We will not lose another tournament game while I'm wearing this uniform." They proceeded to win three straight national titles. Leading up to the final championship win, her coach, Geno Auriemma, would declare his likelihood of winning with the claim, "We have Diana, and you don't."[11]

Taurasi also received many personal accolades at UConn, including the 2003 and 2004 Naismith College Player of the Year awards, the 2003 Wade Trophy,[12] the 2003 and 2004 Honda Sports Award and the 2003 Associated Press Player of the Year award.[13][14] Additionally, Taurasi received honors and praise within the state of Connecticut. For example, state senator Thomas Gaffey nominated her to join Prudence Crandall as the state's heroine.[15] She averaged 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in her collegiate career. During her time at UConn, her team compiled a record of 139 wins and eight losses. In 2006, Taurasi was a member of the inaugural class of inductees to the University of Connecticut women's basketball "Huskies of Honor" recognition program.[16]

WNBA career

2004–2006: WNBA beginnings

Following her collegiate career, Taurasi was selected first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury,[17] a team that went 8–26 in the 2003 season. In her WNBA debut, Taurasi scored 22 points in a 72–66 Mercury loss to the Sacramento Monarchs.[18] For her rookie season, she averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Although the Mercury did not qualify for the playoffs, Taurasi was named to the Western Conference All-Star team and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.

In 2005, Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while battling an ankle injury. She was an All-Star for the second straight year, but the Mercury faded down the stretch and again missed the playoffs. Former NBA coach Paul Westhead became the Mercury's head coach heading into the 2006 season and brought his up-tempo style to Phoenix. Taurasi went on to have a historic season under Westhead's coaching, leading the league in scoring and earning a third straight trip to the All-Star Game. She broke Katie Smith's league record for points in a season with 741 points. In 2006, Taurasi averaged a WNBA record 25.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game, including a then-league record 47 points in a triple overtime regular season victory against the Houston Comets. During that game, she made a then-WNBA record eight three-pointers. Taurasi also set a WNBA record with 121 three-pointers in a single season. The Mercury finished 18–16 but missed the playoffs after losing a tie-breaker with Houston and Seattle.

2007–2009: Two WNBA championships

Taurasi at the White House in 2008

In 2007, Taurasi reached the WNBA playoffs for the first time. In the first round, the Mercury eliminated the Seattle Storm two games to none. Next, they swept the San Antonio Silver Stars, and Taurasi advanced to her first WNBA Finals, against the defending champion Detroit Shock. The Mercury went on to win their first WNBA title. With this victory, Taurasi became the seventh player ever to win an NCAA title, a WNBA title, and an Olympic gold medal.

In the 2009 season, Taurasi was named the WNBA MVP and later led the Phoenix Mercury to its second WNBA championship in three years by beating the Indiana Fever, three games to two, as Taurasi was named the WNBA Finals MVP. Taurasi was the second player, after Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, to win the season scoring title, the season MVP award, a WNBA Championship and the finals MVP in the same season.[19]

2010–2013: Injury and return

Young woman wearing a purple shiny warmup suit
Taurasi in 2013

In 2011, after being selected to her seventh All-WNBA First Team,[20] Taurasi was voted one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA by fans.[21] In 2012, Taurasi had an injury-riddled season, playing only eight games. She had to sit out the rest of the season with a strained left hip flexor.[22] The Mercury proceeded to finish the season 7–27 as the second-worst team in the league.

In 2013, Taurasi returned healthy for the season, and she played 32 games and averaged over 20 points per game for the sixth time in her career. The Mercury finished third in the Western Conference with a 19–15 record. They defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 2–1 in the first round, advancing to the conference finals, but would lose to the Minnesota Lynx in a two-game sweep.

2014: Third WNBA championship

Entering the 2014 season, Taurasi reached the number two spot in career points per game, fifth place in career points, and ninth in career assists. In the 2014 season, with a supporting cast of all-star power forward Candice Dupree, rising star Brittney Griner and new head coach Sandy Brondello, the Phoenix Mercury finished 29–5, setting the record for most wins in a regular season and earning the top seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, they advanced to the WNBA Finals, where they would sweep the Chicago Sky, earning Taurasi her third championship. Taurasi also won the WNBA Finals MVP for the second time in her career.

2015–2016: WNBA sit out and return

On February 3, 2015, Taurasi announced that she would sit out the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian Premier League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg. The team offered to pay Taurasi more than her WNBA salary to skip the 2015 WNBA season. For the 2014 WNBA season, Taurasi made just under the league maximum of $107,000. However, she made 14 times that – approximately $1.5 million – playing overseas.[23][24][25][26]

Taurasi returned to the Mercury for the 2016 WNBA season.[27] She averaged 17.8 points per game, helping the Mercury to another playoff berth with a 16–18 record. With the WNBA's new playoff format in effect, the Mercury were the number eight seed in the league, facing the Indiana Fever in the first round. The Mercury advanced to the second round, beating the Fever in the first-round elimination game as Taurasi scored 20 points. During that game, Taurasi made her 113th playoff career three-pointer, passing Becky Hammon as the all-time WNBA leader in playoff career three-pointers made.[28] In the second-round elimination game, the Mercury beat the New York Liberty and advanced to the semi-finals with Taurasi scoring a game-high 30 points in the win. In the semi-finals, the Mercury were swept by the defending champions, the Minnesota Lynx, in the best-of-five series.

2017: WNBA all-time leading scorer

Young woman wearing orange football uniform shooting a field goal
Taurasi became the WNBA's all-time highest scorer in 2017

In May 2017, Taurasi signed a multi-year contract extension with the Mercury.[29] Later that month, Taurasi became the first player in league history reach 7,000 points, 1,500 rebounds and 1,500 assists following an 85–62 victory over the Indiana Fever.[30] On June 18, 2017, Taurasi became the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, passing Tina Thompson's record.[31][32] Taurasi would be selected into the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game, making it her eighth career All-Star game appearance. The Mercury would finish with an 18–16 record as the fifth seed in the league. In the first-round elimination game, Taurasi scored 14 points in a 79–69 win over the Seattle Storm. In the second-round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the Connecticut Sun 88–83, with Taurasi scoring 23 points in the win. The Mercury advanced past the second round for the second season in a row but were eliminated by the Los Angeles Sparks in a three-game sweep.

2018: Continued success

In the 2018 season-opener on May 18, 2018, against the Dallas Wings, Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to make 1,000 3-pointers. On June 5, 2018, Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to score 8,000 points in an 80–74 victory against the Liberty.[33] Then on July 8, 2018, Taurasi became the league's all-time leader in field goals made in an 84–77 victory against the Connecticut Sun, surpassing Tina Thompson.[34] Taurasi would also earn her ninth career All-Star appearance after being voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game. On August 1, 2018, Taurasi scored a season-high 37 points in a 104–93 victory against the Las Vegas Aces.[35] The Mercury finished off the season 20–14 with the number five seed in the league. In the first-round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the Dallas Wings 101–83. Taurasi scored 26 points in the win. In the second-round elimination game, the Mercury defeated the Connecticut Sun 96–86, advancing to the semi-finals for the third year in a row. In the series against the Seattle Storm, the Mercury came back from 0–2 to tie the series 2–2. In game 5, the Mercury lost 94–84, ending their season.

2019–2020: Injury and COVID-19

Taurasi in 2019

In April 2019, the Mercury announced that Taurasi's wife, Penny Taylor,[36] had been hired as an assistant coach.[37] Taurasi started the 2019 WNBA season on the injured list after undergoing back surgery.[38] A hamstring injury limited her to only six games with very minimal playing time. Without a healthy Taurasi, the Mercury barely made the playoffs as the number eight seed with a 15–19 record. The Mercury were eliminated in the first-round elimination game 105–76 by the Chicago Sky. In September 2019, Taurasi confirmed that she intended to play for the team in 2020.[39][37]

In 2020, the season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at IMG Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taurasi would come back healthy for the season and played 19 of the 22 games. On August 23, 2020, Taurasi scored a season-high 34 points in an 88–87 victory over the Washington Mystics while honoring the late Kobe Bryant on his birthday by wearing number 8 along with his last name on her jersey.[40][41] The Mercury had finished 13–9 as the number five seed and defeated the Washington Mystics 85–84 in the first round elimination game; however, they were eliminated by the Minnesota Lynx in the second-round elimination game by a final score of 80–79.

2021–2024: Injuries and final seasons

In February 2021, Taurasi re-signed with the Mercury on a two-year deal.[42] She injured her ankle and broke a bone in her foot late in the 2021 season and opted to sit out of the first-round elimination game against the New York Liberty. She returned for the second-round elimination game against the reigning champions Seattle Storm, which the Mercury won in overtime. In the best-of-five semi-final series against the Las Vegas Aces, Taurasi led her team to a tie series after a Game 1 loss. During that game, Taurasi, aged 39, made history as the oldest player in league history to score an over 30-point game. Her eight three-pointers were the second-most made in a playoff game in the WNBA's postseason history. The Mercury would go on to win the semi-finals in Game 5.

In August 2023, Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to score 10,000 career points.[43]

In 2025, Taurasi, who was 42 at the time, retired.[44]

Overseas career

2005–2010: Russian Premier League

Taurasi's international career began in 2005 when she played for Dynamo Moscow, a team that had been dominant in the Russian league until the late 90s. Their 2005 EuroLeague tournament ended in the quarter-finals, where Dynamo was eliminated by former champions CSKA Samara. In 2006, Taurasi was recruited to play for the Russian team Spartak Moscow. The team had finished in 11th place in the Russian league when Shabtai von Kalmanovich decided to buy the team.[45] The team would go on to win four consecutive EuroLeague championships from 2007 to 2010, and Taurasi was named Final Four MVP in 2009 and 2010.[46]

2010–2012: Turkish Super League

In 2010, Taurasi played for the Turkish team Fenerbahçe, helping the team to repeat winning the national league. On December 24, 2010, Taurasi's lawyers revealed that she had tested positive for a mild stimulant. According to her lawyer, Howard Jacobs, the positive test came from an "A" sample and testing had been requested on a second "B" sample. Until the "B" sample could be tested, Taurasi was provisionally suspended from the Turkish league.[47] In a statement, the Turkish Basketball Federation revealed that the WADA-list banned substance was modafinil.[48] On February 16, 2011, Taurasi was cleared of doping allegations as the test was found to be a false positive.[49]

In the 2011–2012 season, Taurasi played for Galatasaray, the other major team from Istanbul and Fenerbahçe's long-time rival. Taurasi joined WNBA stars Epiphanny Prince, Sylvia Fowles, Tina Charles and Ticha Penicheiro. The team ended up winning the Turkish Cup but lost to Fenerbahçe in the League Final and was eliminated in the Final Eight quarter-final round of the 2011–12 EuroLeague, again losing a decisive match to Fenerbahçe.[citation needed]

2012–2017: UMMC Ekaterinburg

On May 16, 2012, Taurasi signed a contract with UMMC Ekaterinburg,[50] joining fellow WNBA star Candace Parker. The team dominated national and international competitions, winning the 2012–13 EuroLeague, Russian Championships and Russian Cup.[citation needed] The UMMC team repeated their Russian Championship and Cup win in the 2013–2014 season but fell short in EuroLegue competition, losing in the semifinal game against eventual champion Galatasaray. This was repeated in the 2014–2015 season, with UMMC losing in the EuroLeague final against the Czech Republic's USK Praha, in a game where Taurasi had to sit out with a broken hand.[51]

The injury and the resulting loss in the EuroLeague final played a large role in the decision of UMMC club to offer Taurasi a deal to skip the 2015 WNBA season to rest. Taurasi accepted the deal, giving up her WNBA title defense but returning to the Phoenix Mercury in 2016.[52] Her decision caused a debate in the United States about salary policies in women's basketball compared to Europe and China, where women's teams receive governmental support.[53]

In 2015–2016, Taurasi was back to UMMC, leading the team to its third (and her sixth personal) Euroleague title, while also earning MVP honors.[54] In 2016–2017, Taurasi would once again return to UMMC, helping the team to its eleventh league championship. Though expected to play through the end of the 2017–2018 season with the team, Taurasi announced her retirement from European competition in December 2017.[55][56]

National team career

Taurasi was a member of the United States women's U18 team that won the gold medal at the 2000 FIBA Americas Championship in Mar Del Plata, Argentina. In the closest match of the tournament, the semifinal game against Brazil, Taurasi connected on seven of her eleven three-point attempts and ended the game with 26 points. She averaged 12.6 points per game and led the team with 5.46 assists per game.[57] Taurasi has also earned a bronze medal as a member of the 2001 U.S. junior World Championship team,[58] and a gold medal as a member of the 2000 U.S. Women's junior World Championship qualifying team.[59]

On May 12, 2004, Taurasi was selected to compete at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece with the United States national team.[60] She helped Team USA capture the gold medal, defeating Australia in the championship game. Taurasi was the second leading scorer on the U.S. national basketball team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship held in São Paulo, Brazil. The Americans earned the bronze medal.[61] She represented the United States at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China, where she started all eight games and helped lead the U.S. to the gold medal.[62]

Taurasi was invited to the USA Basketball women's national team training camp in the fall of 2009.[63] The team selected to participate at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics was primarily chosen from these players. At the conclusion of the training camp, the team traveled to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they competed in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational.[63]

Taurasi was named as one of the national team members to represent the U.S. national team in the WNBA versus USA Basketball.[64] This game replaced the WNBA All-Star game as part of the preparation for the 2010 FIBA World Championships. Taurasi was then selected to be a member of the national team for the World Championships. Because many team members were still playing in the WNBA until just before the event, the team had only one day of practice with the entire team before leaving for Ostrava and Karlovy Vary. Even with limited practice, the team managed to win its first game against Greece by 26 points. The team continued to dominate with victory margins exceeding 20 points in the first five games. The sixth game was against undefeated Australia — Team USA jumped out to a 24-point lead and ultimately prevailed 83–75. The Americans won their next two games by over 30 points before facing the host team, the Czech Republic, in the championship game. Team USA had a five-point lead at halftime, which the Czech team then cut to three points but never got closer. The U.S. team went on to win the championship and gold medal. Taurasi led the team in scoring with 12.0 points per game and was second on the team with 23 assists.[65]

Taurasi was selected to represent the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[66] Taurasi would win her third gold medal as the United States defeated France for the gold medal. She also played at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, earning her fourth gold medal while helping the United States overcome Spain 101–72 in the final. Taurasi was a key member of the gold medal-winning 2020 U.S. women's Olympic team in Tokyo, earning Taurasi a record fifth gold medal. Taurasi joined U.S. Olympic teammate Sue Bird as the only two Olympic basketball players of any gender to win five Olympic gold medals.[67] At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Taurasi again won Olympic gold to become the only basketball player with six Olympic gold medals, and she joined dressage equestrian Isabell Werth of Germany and Hungarian sabre fencer Aladar Gerevich as the only Olympians to win six gold medals in the same event.[68][69][70][71]

Off the court

Personal life

Taurasi is married to former teammate Penny Taylor. After eight years of dating, Taurasi wed Taylor, who at the time was the Phoenix Mercury Director of Player Development and Performance, on May 13, 2017. She later told People magazine in an interview, "It was the most amazing and beautiful day of our lives. To be able to share our love with family and close friends meant the world to us."[citation needed] On March 1, 2018, Taylor gave birth to the couple's son.[72]

Taylor expected to give birth to the couple's second child on October 6, 2021, but the pregnancy lasted beyond the due date. After a Game 4 loss in the semifinals, Taurasi played in a winner-take-all Game 5 that would decide whether the Phoenix Mercury would play in the 2021 WNBA finals. After a Game 5 win on October 8, 2021, Taurasi had a message for Taylor in her post-game interview, closing with "Hold it in babe, I'm coming." Taurasi then flew from Las Vegas, where the game took place, back to Phoenix, arriving in time to witness Taylor give birth to their daughter on October 9, 2021, at 4:24 am.[73]

Endorsements

Taurasi signed an endorsement deal with Nike in 2014.[74] She is set to release her signature sneaker, the Nike LeBron NXXT Gen AMPD PE, on October 1, 2024 in collaboration with LeBron James.[75] She also has a deal with BodyArmor sports drink company earning her $1.35 million, as well as deals with Coca-Cola and State Farm, Waymo, DeloitteUS, Twelvebooks, Togetherx, Cox Communications, and JBL.[74][76][77]

Education

Taurasi attended Don Antonio Lugo High School, where she graduated in 2000.[78][79] Next, she enrolled at the University of Connecticut, where she attended from 2000 to 2004. She then took a break from school to enter the WNBA draft, play in the Olympics, and then return to finish her first season in the WNBA. In 2005, Taurasi went back to college and earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut. As a first-generation college student, the first in her family to graduate from college, Taurasi said that earning her college degree "meant just as much as any championship ring, banner or gold medal."[80]

On July 2, 2009, Taurasi was arrested for driving under the influence. She pleaded guilty on October 29 and spent a day in jail after a judge suspended nine days of her sentence.[81]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader
† Denotes seasons in which Taurasi won a WNBA championship
* Denotes seasons in which Taurasi won an NCAA Championship

College

NCAA statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2000–01 Connecticut 33 14 23.9 .444 .386 .878 3.2 3.3 1.2 0.9 2.2 10.9
2001–02* Connecticut 39 39 29.0 .494 .440 .828 4.1 5.3 1.3 1.2 2.1 14.5
2002–03* Connecticut 37 37 31.9 .476 .350 .815 6.1 4.4 0.9 1.2 3.1 17.9
2003–04* Connecticut 35 35 31.9 .456 .390 .795 4.0 4.9 1.5 0.8 2.4 16.2
Career 144 125 29.3 .469 .392 .819 4.4 4.5 1.2 1.0 2.5 15.0

WNBA

Regular season

WNBA regular season statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2004 Phoenix 34 34 33.2 .416 .330 .710 4.4 3.9 1.3 0.7 2.7 17.0
2005 Phoenix 33 33 33.0 .410 .313 .801 4.2 4.5 1.2 0.8 3.4 16.0
2006 Phoenix 34 34 33.9 .452 .397 .781 3.6 4.1 1.2 0.8 2.3 25.3°
2007† Phoenix 32 32 32.0 .440 .367 .835 4.2 4.3 1.4 1.1 2.6 19.2
2008 Phoenix 34 34 31.9 .446 .360 .870 5.1 3.6 1.4 1.4 2.4 24.1°
2009† Phoenix 31 31 31.5 .461 .407 .894 5.7 3.5 1.2 1.4 2.7 20.4°
2010 Phoenix 31 31 32.2 .427 .374 .912 4.3 4.7 1.2 0.6 3.6 22.6°
2011 Phoenix 32 32 30.2 .449 .395 .903 3.2 3.6 0.8 0.6 3.0 21.6°
2012 Phoenix 8 8 20.8 .436 .395 .900 1.6 2.3 0.5 0.5 1.8 14.0
2013 Phoenix 32 32 32.3 .456 .347 .854 4.2 6.2 0.7 0.5 3.6 20.3
2014† Phoenix 33 33 32.3 .454 .365 .874 3.8 5.6° 0.7 0.3 2.6 16.2
2016 Phoenix 33 33 29.8 .396 .350 .909 3.0 3.9 0.9 0.1 2.6 17.8
2017 Phoenix 31 31 28.5 .400 .384 .912 3.0 2.7 0.5 0.3 2.0 17.9
2018 Phoenix 33 33 30.0 .446 .383 .925° 3.5 5.3 0.9 0.2 2.5 20.7
2019 Phoenix 6 6 21.4 .103 .042 .944 3.2 5.3 0.3 0.1 2.1 4.3
2020 Phoenix 19 19 28.1 .409 .365 .912 4.2 4.5 1.0 0.4 2.7 18.7
2021 Phoenix 16 16 28.4 .366 .339 .861 4.4 4.9 0.2 0.6 2.9 15.2
2022 Phoenix 31 31 31.0 .373 .337 .894 3.4 3.8 0.7 0.6 2.7 16.7
2023 Phoenix 26 26 27.3 .403 .342 .848 3.6 4.6 0.5 0.5 3.0 16.0
2024 Phoenix 36 36 29.0 .400 .333 .857 3.8 3.4 0.6 0.3 1.9 14.9
Career 20 years, 1 team 565 565 30.7 .425 .360 .870 3.9 4.2 0.9 0.6 2.7 18.8
All-Star 10 8 18.9 .400 .318 1.000 3.1 4.3 0.2 0.3 1.5 9.0

Playoffs

WNBA playoff statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2007† Phoenix 9 9 33.2 .504 .390 .731 4.3 3.0 1.4 0.8 2.0 19.9
2009† Phoenix 11 11 32.9 .451 .365 .893 5.9 3.8 0.7 1.3 3.0 22.3°
2010 Phoenix 4 4 31.3 .473 .542 .818 5.3 3.8 1.8 0.8 4.0 18.5
2011 Phoenix 5 5 31.2 .398 .286 .929 3.2 2.4 0.2 0.2 2.4 20.0
2013 Phoenix 5 5 37.2 .333 .176 .950 5.2 6.0 1.6 0.2 3.0 20.8
2014† Phoenix 8 8 32.4 .492 .386 .853 4.3 5.8 1.0 0.5 3.9 21.9
2016 Phoenix 5 5 30.7 .515 .432 .970 2.6 2.8 0.2 0.6 2.0 23.6
2017 Phoenix 5 5 31.8 .409 .353 .769 2.8 3.8 0.6 0.0 2.0 17.2
2018 Phoenix 7 7 35.3 .477 .419 .864 4.4 6.0 0.8 0.5 2.2 21.0
2020 Phoenix 2 2 35.0 .471 .476 1.000 4.0 7.5 0.5 0.0 2.0 25.5
2021 Phoenix 10 10 30.5 .391 .347 .884 3.5 2.9 0.5 0.6 3.0 17.6
2024 Phoenix 2 2 29.5 .423 .389 1.000 3.0 2.5 1.0 0.0 3.5 15.5
Career 12 years, 1 team 73 73 32.6 .446 .374 .882 4.2 4.1 0.9 0.6 2.8 20.4

Euroleague

Euroleague statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2005–06 Dynamo Moscow 9 9 28.4 .400 .419 .625 4.1 2.2 0.9 0.3 1.9 11.4
2006–07 Spartak Moscow 12 12 29.3 .417 .438 .652 5.3 2.1 0.7 0.5 1.9 13.1
2007–08 Spartak Moscow 14 14 30.6 .485 .481 .872 4.9 4.4 1.3 0.6 2.4 16.8
2008–09 Spartak Moscow 17 17 31.9 .485 .457 .831 5.6 3.8 1.4 0.3 4.0 20.5
2009–10 Spartak Moscow 16 16 30.3 .496 .446 .853 5.7 3.8 1.6 0.3 2.7 24.9
2010–11 Fenerbahçe 7 7 33.7 .492 .515 .886 5.4 4.7 1.1 0.0 2.4 24.6
2011–12 Galatasaray 18 18 30.4 .451 .440 .900 4.4 3.1 0.9 0.2 2.9 20.9
2012–13 UMMC Ekaterinburg 17 17 29.2 .439 .394 .895 4.4 4.7 0.6 0.5 2.4 15.5
2013–14 UMMC Ekaterinburg 14 14 29.5 .500 .481 .789 3.3 5.0 0.8 0.1 2.4 15.0
2014–15 UMMC Ekaterinburg 14 14 31.0 .479 .511 .844 4.2 5.9 1.1 0.1 2.3 16.9
2015–16 UMMC Ekaterinburg 19 19 32.1 .461 .432 .905 5.0 4.2 0.9 0.2 2.6 20.9
2016–17[82] UMMC Ekaterinburg 15 15 23.6 .488 .455 .865 1.9 2.8 0.8 0.1 1.1 17.9
Career 172 172 30.0 .466 .455 .826 4.5 3.9 1.0 0.2 2.4 18.2

Filmography

Film roles
Year Title Role Notes
2021 Space Jam: A New Legacy Herself, Voice of White Mamba [83]

See also

References

  1. ^ "WNBA Continues Celebration Of Landmark 25th Season, Names Greatest Players In League History, "The W25"" (Press release). WNBA. September 5, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "Diana Taurasi Voted By Fans As WNBA's Greatest Player of All Time" (Press release). WNBA. October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Taurasi becomes WNBA all-time leading scorer". ESPN.com. June 18, 2017.
  4. ^ "Calling it a 'bittersweet moment,' Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi scores season-high 34 while wearing Kobe Bryant's No. 8". ESPN. August 24, 2020.
  5. ^ David L. Porter, ed. (2005). Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-30952-6.
  6. ^ "Diana Taurasi". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "Diana Taurasi". WNBA. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
  8. ^ "Past WBCA HS Coaches' All-America Teams". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  9. ^ "WBCA High School All-America Game Box Scores". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  10. ^ "WBCA High School All-America Game Team MVP's". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  11. ^ "UConn's Taurasi proves why she's best in nation". Archived from the original on April 8, 2004. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
  12. ^ "The Wade Trophy". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  13. ^ Cacciola, Scott (April 21, 2004). "4/21/04 Taurasi wins sports award". New Haven Register. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  14. ^ "Basketball". CWSA. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  15. ^ "Senator nominates UConn's Taurasi for state heroine". CNN. Archived from the original on October 12, 2008. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
  16. ^ "Women's Basketball 1995 National Championship Team to be Recognized as "Huskies of Honor"". uconnhuskies.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
  17. ^ "2004 WNBA Draft". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  18. ^ "ESPN.com: WNBA – Taurasi impressive in debut, but not successful". ESPN.
  19. ^ "Taurasi, Pondexter lead Mercury to second title in three years". ESPN. October 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 13, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
  20. ^ "Playoffs 2011". WNBA.com. October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  21. ^ "AllStar 2011". WNBA.com. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  22. ^ "North Jersey News and Information | NorthJersey.com".
  23. ^ "WNBA loses star Diana Taurasi for season because of big Russia payday". Los Angeles Times. February 4, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "Russian team offering Diana Taurasi more than her WNBA salary ... to rest". For The Win. February 4, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  25. ^ Prada, Mike (February 3, 2015). "Russian team pays Taurasi to sit out WNBA season". SBNation.com. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  26. ^ "Taurasi opts for rest, to skip WNBA season". ESPN.com. February 3, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  27. ^ "Mercury's Diana Taurasi to rest, sit out 2015 WNBA season – FOX Sports". February 3, 2015.
  28. ^ "Diana Taurasi Sets WNBA Record For Most Postseason Three-Pointers – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA".
  29. ^ "Mercury, Taurasi Agree to Multi-Year Extension – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA".
  30. ^ "Diana Taurasi Makes History – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA".
  31. ^ "Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi becomes WNBA's all-time scoring leader". Espn.com. June 18, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  32. ^ "Diana Taurasi Breaks W.N.B.A. Scoring Record". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 18, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  33. ^ "Mercury's Diana Taurasi reaches 8,000-point milestone". ESPN. June 5, 2018.
  34. ^ "Diana Taurasi Becomes WNBA's All-Time Field Goal Leader". theuconnblog.com. July 8, 2018.
  35. ^ "Taurasi's 37 points push Mercury past Aces". gwinnettprepsports.com.
  36. ^ Jeff Metcalfe (May 14, 2017). "Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi marries former Mercury player Penny Taylor". Arizona Republic.
  37. ^ a b "Penny Taylor returning to Phoenix Mercury as assistant coach". azcentral.
  38. ^ Kim Doss (April 25, 2019). "Diana Taurasi out for 10–12 weeks after undergoing back procedure".
  39. ^ "Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner plan to return for Phoenix Mercury in 2020". azcentral.
  40. ^ "Diana Taurasi Scores 34 PTS While Wearing No. 8 Jersey, Honoring Kobe Bryant (August 23, 2020)". WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA.
  41. ^ Metcalfe, Jeff. "Diana Taurasi, honoring Kobe Bryant, scores 34 in Mercury win over Washington". The Arizona Republic.
  42. ^ Metcalfe, Jeff. "Diana Taurasi re-signs multi-year contract with Phoenix Mercury". The Arizona Republic.
  43. ^ "Taurasi Becomes First WNBA Player To Score 10k Career Pts". Sports-statistics.com.
  44. ^ "Taurasi officially announces retirement". Phoenix Mercury. February 25, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  45. ^ Wolff, Alexander (December 15, 2008). "To Russia With Love". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  46. ^ Coward, Cheryl (April 12, 2010). "Spartak Moscow EuroLeague champions again, Taurasi MVP again". Hoopfeed.com. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  47. ^ "Positive Test for Taurasi, Ex-UConn Star". The New York Times. December 24, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
  48. ^ "Taurasi tested positive for modafinil". The Washington Post. December 25, 2010. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
  49. ^ "WADA Could Suspend Turkish Lab in Taurasi Case". Retrieved February 17, 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  50. ^ "UMMC Ekaterinburg sign Diana Taurasi". lovewomensbasketball.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012.
  51. ^ "UMMC Left Reeling From Taurasi Absence". Archived from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  52. ^ "A Russian team paid Diana Taurasi to sit out 2015 WNBA season". February 3, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  53. ^ "Diana Taurasi's decision to sit out should spark WNBA salary changes". ESPN. February 3, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  54. ^ "UMMC Ekaterinburg claim 2016 EuroLeague Women title". FIBA.com. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  55. ^ Metcalfe, Jeff (December 17, 2017). "Diana Taurasi retires early from Russian team, continuing with Mercury". AZ Central. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  56. ^ "Thank You Very Much, Diana!". Basketball Club UMMC. December 16, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  57. ^ "Fourth Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team – 2000". USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  58. ^ "Fifth FIBA Women's U19/Junior World Championship – 2001". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  59. ^ "Fourth Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team – 2000". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  60. ^ "Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad – 2004". USA basketball. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  61. ^ "FIFTEENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 2006". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  62. ^ "Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad – 2008". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  63. ^ a b "USA Basketball Women's National Team To Tip-Off Training Tomorrow In D.C." USA Basketball. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  64. ^ "Six Olympic Gold Medalists Among 11-Member Team Set To Participate In WNBA vs. USA Basketball: The Stars at the Sun Game". USA Basketball. June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  65. ^ "FIBA World Championship for Women". FIBA. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  66. ^ "Twenty-One Finalists In The Mix For Final 2012 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team Roster". USA Basketball. February 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  67. ^ "The Olympic history of UConn's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi". CTPost. August 8, 2021. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  68. ^ Chandler, Made (August 8, 2024). "Beyond the Box Score: Why Diana Taurasi Is Vital to USA Women's Basketball". Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  69. ^ "Diana Taurasi wins basketball record 6th Olympic gold medal". ESPN. The Associated Press. August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  70. ^ "The Olympic history of UConn's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi". CT Post. August 8, 2021. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  71. ^ Gregory, Sean (August 11, 2024). "U.S. Women's Basketball Team Wins Gold in Startlingly Close Paris Olympics Final". Time. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  72. ^ Voepel, Mechelle (March 15, 2018). "Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor announce birth of baby boy". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  73. ^ Garner, Glenn (October 9, 2021). "WNBA's Diana Taurasi and Wife Penny Taylor Welcome Baby Girl Hours After Semifinal Win". people.com. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  74. ^ a b Gupta, Dimple (October 23, 2023). "EssentiallySports". EssentiallySports. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  75. ^ Gendoes, Brett (September 28, 2024). "LeBron James Makes Big Announcement With WNBA Legend". Athlon Sports. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  76. ^ Gupta, Dimple (September 13, 2024). "Diana Taurasi Net Worth and WNBA Career Earnings: How Much Has the Mercury Legend Earned During 20-Year-Old Career?". EssentiallySports. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  77. ^ "Diana Taurasi's Net Worth 2024: Net worth, salary, endorsements and more!". Business Upturn. August 15, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  78. ^ "Don Lugo High grad Diana Taurasi, the WNBA's All-Time leading scorer, signs contract extension with the Phoenix Mercury". February 2021.
  79. ^ Landon Brown, "Taurasi Meets High Schooler Who Shattered Her Record," Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, May 23, 2016.
  80. ^ "WNBA notebook: It was back to school for Taurasi". May 28, 2005.
  81. ^ "Taurasi pleads guilty to DUI, serves day in jail". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 29, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  82. ^ "Diana TAURASI #32 GUARD". fiba.basketball.
  83. ^ Conway, Tyler (June 19, 2019). "Report: Space Jam 2 Will Star Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, More". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.

Further reading

Further reading

Allikas: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Taurasi
No tags for this post.