Diana Taurasi, taking part in 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 top 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 group chanted, “yet 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 Middle received 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 group, who showered her with cheers.
It was a 10-second curtain name for the Mercury followers to indicate their appreciation for a historic participant in probably her remaining dwelling sport. As Taurasi left the courtroom, followers chanted, “Another yr.”
Diana Taurasi checks again in and the group 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 middle courtroom. Earlier than she addressed the group, a tribute video for Taurasi performed on the display screen 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 town of Phoenix, a spot she referred to as “dwelling.” She praised her teammates and coaches, together with the followers who supported her profession.
Pricey 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 technology.”
A number of high-profile athletes and coaches attended Taurasi’s potential final sport, together with four-time WNBA champion Sue Fowl, World Cup and Olympic champion Megan Rapinoe, UConn coach Geno Auriemma, UConn affiliate coach Chris Dailey, Phoenix Suns capturing guard Damion Lee, small ahead Josh Okogie and Taurasi’s mother and father Mario and Lilliana.
If Thursday was the top of Taurasi’s WNBA profession, she would depart the game a jam-packed resume. Profitable three championships, changing into the league’s all-time main scorer, incomes six gold medals with Workforce USA and making 11 WNBA All-Star Sport appearances. Her data embody being the primary WNBA participant to attain 10,000 profession factors, changing into the oldest participant in both the NBA or WNBA to attain 40 factors in a sport and her total level whole (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 possible farewell and an opportunity for the Phoenix crowd to have fun one of many franchise’s completed gamers.
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(Picture: Christian Petersen / Getty Photographs)