Diana Taurasi, enjoying in her twentieth WNBA season, didn’t formally announce her retirement Thursday night time after the Phoenix Mercury’s common season finale towards the Seattle Storm. However the Mercury icon hinted the tip could also be imminent as she addressed the house crowd.
“If it’s the final time, it felt like the primary time,” Taurasi mentioned as the gang chanted, “another yr.”
“I really like you guys.”
Taurasi performed 18 minutes Thursday because the Mercury misplaced 89-70 to the Storm, the place she scored 9 factors and tallied one rebound and two assists. With 3:11 remaining within the fourth quarter, followers on the Footprint Heart obtained on their toes, urging Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts to sub Taurasi again into the sport. The primary-year coach obliged. Taurasi checked again into the sport the place she blew a kiss and clapped to the gang, who showered her with cheers.
It was a 10-second curtain name for the Mercury followers to point out their appreciation for a historic participant in probably her ultimate dwelling recreation. As Taurasi left the court docket, followers chanted, “Another yr.”
Diana Taurasi checks again in and the gang is lovin’ each second of it 🥹
SEA-PHX | League Move 📱 pic.twitter.com/MIaFPkvB0g
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 20, 2024
When the sport ended, the lights dimmed within the seating areas because the highlight beamed on Taurasi at heart court docket. Earlier than she addressed the gang, a tribute video for Taurasi performed on the display above. It was the identical video that the Mercury social media account posted to X on Thursday afternoon, teasing a possible retirement announcement.
Taurasi thanked the town of Phoenix, a spot she referred to as “dwelling.” She praised her teammates and coaches, together with the followers who supported her profession.
Expensive Dee –
Love,
All of Us pic.twitter.com/SnO1q10Fdp— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) September 19, 2024
“I wish to thank each single coach, each single participant, each single person who’s placed on a WNBA jersey as a result of it takes the village,” Taurasi mentioned. “For everybody who performed earlier than this league is the place it’s now — we’re grateful for you guys and we’re grateful for the subsequent era.”
A number of high-profile athletes and coaches attended Taurasi’s potential final recreation, together with four-time WNBA champion Sue Hen, World Cup and Olympic champion Megan Rapinoe, UConn coach Geno Auriemma, UConn affiliate coach Chris Dailey, Phoenix Suns taking pictures guard Damion Lee, small ahead Josh Okogie and Taurasi’s mother and father Mario and Lilliana.
If Thursday was the tip of Taurasi’s WNBA profession, she would go away the game a jam-packed resume. Profitable three championships, turning into the league’s all-time main scorer, incomes six gold medals with Workforce USA and making 11 WNBA All-Star Sport appearances. Her information embrace being the primary WNBA participant to attain 10,000 profession factors, turning into the oldest participant in both the NBA or WNBA to attain 40 factors in a recreation and her general level complete (10,646 factors).
For the Mercury, the group superior to the playoffs after lacking the postseason final yr for the primary time in a decade. However Thursday night time was about Taurasi, her doubtless farewell and an opportunity for the Phoenix crowd to have fun one of many franchise’s achieved gamers.
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(Picture: Christian Petersen / Getty Pictures)
