Diana Taurasi, who is in her 20th WNBA season, didn’t officially announce her retirement after the Phoenix Mercury’s final regular-season game against the Seattle Storm on Thursday night. But the Mercury icon indicated the end was near as she addressed the home crowd.
“If it’s the last time, it feels like the first time,” Taurasi said as the crowd chanted, “one more year.”
“I love you guys.”
Taurasi played 18 minutes in the Mercury’s 89-70 loss to the Storm on Thursday, scoring nine points and grabbing one rebound and two assists. With 3:11 left in the fourth quarter, fans at the Footprint Center rose to their feet, urging Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts to bring Taurasi back into the game. The first-year coach obliged. Taurasi checked back into the game, blew a kiss and clapped to the crowd, which erupted in cheers.
It was a 10-second curtain call for the Mercury fans to show their appreciation for a historic player in what could be her final home game. As Taurasi left the field, fans chanted, “One more year.”
Diana Taurasi checks back in and the audience is enjoying it to the fullest 🥹
SEA-PHX | League Pass 📱 photo.twitter.com/MIaFPkvB0g
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 20, 2024
When the game ended, the lights in the seating areas dimmed as the spotlights focused on Taurasi at center court. Before she addressed the crowd, a tribute video for Taurasi played on the screen above. It was the same video that the Mercury social media account posted to X on Thursday afternoon, announcing a possible retirement announcement.
Taurasi thanked the city of Phoenix, a place she called home, praising her teammates and coaches, along with the fans who supported her career.
Dear Dee –
Love,
All of us photo.twitter.com/SnO1q10Fdp— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) September 19, 2024
“I want to thank every coach, every player, every person that has worn a WNBA jersey, because it’s a town celebration,” Taurasi said. “For everyone that played before this league got to where it is today — we’re thankful for you and we’re thankful for the next generation.”
Several notable athletes and coaches were in attendance for Taurasi’s potential final game, including four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird, World Cup and Olympic gold medalist Megan Rapinoe, UConn coach Geno Auriemma, UConn assistant coach Chris Dailey, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Damion Lee, small forward Josh Okogie and Taurasi’s parents Mario and Lilliana.
If Thursday was the end of Taurasi’s WNBA career, she would leave the sport with a packed resume. She won three championships, became the league’s all-time leading scorer, won six gold medals with Team USA and made 11 WNBA All-Star Game appearances. Her records include becoming the first WNBA player to score 10,000 career points, becoming the oldest player in the NBA or WNBA to score 40 points in a game and her career-high points total (10,646 points).
For the Mercury, the team reached the playoffs after missing the postseason for the first time in a decade last year. But Thursday night was about Taurasi, her likely retirement and a chance for the Phoenix crowd to celebrate one of the franchise’s most successful players.
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(Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
