It’s well-known that Diana Taurasi might be taking part in her final WNBA common season recreation tonight. The Phoenix Mercury social media admins have actually hinted on the chance, spearheading an “If that is it” marketing campaign and posting a tribute video to her earlier on Thursday.
Whereas Taurasi herself has been noncommittal, rumors have swirled relating to her potential retirement on the finish of this season.
Taurasi was requested about retirement earlier this week, however didn’t give a agency reply both means.
“You understand, I don’t know,” Taurasi mentioned. “The final couple of weeks have been a little bit nerve-racking for myself. I don’t need to make any emotional, rash choices. I do know the top is close to. When that’s, I don’t know.”
Forward of the New York Liberty’s last common season recreation, head coach Sandy Brondello was requested about the opportunity of Taurasi retiring this 12 months, and took the chance to reward her former participant’s accomplishments. Brondello coached Taurasi from 2014 to 2021, and the Phoenix Mercury gained a championship as soon as throughout that span, in 2014.
“Wonderful, superb profession that she’s had. For 20 years to play on the stage that she has, what she’s dropped at that group,” Brondello mentioned. “She’s a winner. Three titles, championships. In 20 years doesn’t appear quite a bit, nevertheless it’s laborious to win one, some athletes don’t even win one, however simply how she’s capable of carry out it at such a excessive stage for therefore lengthy, it’s superb.”
At 42 years previous, Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time main scorer, and is broadly thought of to be one of many biggest gamers to ever play the sport.
This season, she has averaged 15.1 factors, 3.9 rebounds, and three.4 assists per recreation. The Mercury will face the Minnesota Lynx within the first recreation of the primary spherical of the playoffs on Sunday, September twenty second.
“It was a privilege for me to teach her,” Brondello mentioned. “She’s the GOAT. It’s not simply in regards to the scoring — she’s a tremendous scorer, however simply her aggressive hearth, her spirit, her will to win together with her teammates, her management. So, if that is the top for Diana, [she’s] nonetheless going out on her phrases and nonetheless taking part in nice basketball.”
