Diana Taurasi, the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, a three-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and 2009 MVP, announced her retirement Tuesday in an interview with Time Magazine. Taurasi, 42, said she made the decision in early January when she realized she wasn't interested in starting her preseason routine.
"I just didn't have it in me," Taurasi said. "That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away. Mentally and physically, I'm just full. That's probably the best way I can describe it. I'm full and I'm happy."
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was one of many to honor Taurasi for her legendary career after news of her retirement broke.
"Diana Taurasi is one of the greatest competitors to ever play the game of basketball on any stage," Engelbert said in a statement. "In a record-setting career that saw her play 20 seasons, score more points and make more three-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.
"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."
Making the decision
Taurasi has been hinting at retirement for a few years, but always insisted that she did not want a big farewell tour. The Mercury ran an "If this is it..." campaign on social media toward the end of the 2024 regular season, and hosted a small ceremony for her after the final home game, but that was all.
The future Hall of Famer said she would make a final decision on her basketball future after the Mercury's season came to an end. Despite a few valiant efforts, that happened when they lost Game 2 of their first-round series against their old rival, the Minnesota Lynx.
"I was talking to [Brittney Griner] and I'm like, 'There's still days where I'm like, I could still do this," Taurasi said following the Mercury's final regular-season home game. "'I still want to play basketball,' and then there's the flip side where there are days where I'm crawling out of bed and that's, I guess, a struggle you have when you get to this point in your career. You have to do so much to be able to get back on the court and it's bittersweet in a lot of ways."
A career for the ages
The No. 1 pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft, Taurasi was an immediate star. She won Rookie of the Year, made All-WNBA First Team and finished third in the MVP voting in her first season, and never looked back. Over her two decades in the league, she won everything there was to win on a team and individual level.
In addition to her aforementioned major accolades, she made 14 All-WNBA teams and 11 All-Star appearances, won five scoring titles and led the league in assists once. She has more All-WNBA appearances and scoring titles than any other player, and was named to the league's 15th, 20th and 25th anniversary teams. On the international level, she won six gold medals with Team USA, which is the most ever by a basketball player at the Olympics, men or women.
Taurasi finished her WNBA career with 10,646 points. No one else has even reached the 8,000-point mark.
"My scoring record, or the six gold medals, someone's going to come around that has the same hunger, the same addiction to basketball, and put those records in a different way, a different name," Taurasi said. "That's what sports is all about. That's going to be fun to watch. Hopefully not soon."
Taurasi's next steps
Taurasi said that she doesn't know what's next for her. For now, she's focused on being a mom to her two kids with former Mercury teammate and Australian star Penny Taylor. One thing she is sure about, however, is there will be no comeback.
"I'm definitely retired," Taurasi said. "I'm going to miss the competition. I'm going to miss trying to get better every single offseason. 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."
