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]
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]
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
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
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 winter 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]
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]
Legal issues
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]
↑ Wolff, Alexander (December 15, 2008). "To Russia With Love". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
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