Diana Taurasi’s retirement, though expected, still feels surreal. As the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer and a champion at every level, she had been hinting at stepping away. The Mercury even honored her with an on-court sendoff after their final home game last season. Her children embraced her at center court, and after addressing the Phoenix crowd, she set the microphone down on the team’s logo. Despite the farewell moments, imagining the league without her remains difficult.
At 42, Taurasi played 20 seasons, all with the Mercury, appearing in over 60% of the franchise’s games since its inception as one of the WNBA’s original eight teams. Her accomplishments are unparalleled—she remains the only player to surpass 10,000 points in WNBA history, boasts six Olympic gold medals, three WNBA championships, two Finals MVPs, and was named league MVP in 2009. Drafted in 2004, she entered the league when current WNBA stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were just toddlers.
As expected, tributes poured in from across the basketball world. A lifelong Lakers and Kobe Bryant fan, Taurasi was famously dubbed “The White Mamba” by her idol. Now, she moves on to a well-earned retirement, with a Hall of Fame induction undoubtedly on the horizon. Meanwhile, Jack Maloney examines which players might have a shot at breaking her scoring record.
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