Diana Taurasi Announces Retirement from WNBA After 20 Seasons

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the end of an era for Diana Taurasi…

The 42-year-old Argentine American professional basketball player, the leading scorer in WNBA history and voted “greatest of all time” by the league’s fans, has announced her retirement after 20 seasons.

“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi told Time magazine. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”

Taurasi steps away as one of the most decorated players in basketball history.

She made an impact from her first moments at UConn in 2000, and she was still in the spotlight through the end of her WNBA career, helping lead the Phoenix Mercury to the playoffs this past season\

In August, Taurasi became the first basketball player to win six Olympic gold medals at the 2024 Paris Games.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert hailed Taurasi as “one of the greatest competitors to ever play the game of basketball on any stage.”

“In a record-setting career that saw her play 20 seasons, score more points and make more three-point shots than any player in WNBA history, she has earned the unquestioned respect of players around the globe, delivered electrifying moments and captivated fans again and again,” Engelbert said in a prepared statement. “On behalf of the WNBA family, I thank Diana for everything that she has brought to the WNBA — her passion, her charisma and, most of all, her relentless dedication to the game.”

Taurasi scored 10,646 points — the only WNBA player to surpass the 10K mark in scoring — in 565 regular-season games, and she scored another 1,476 points in 72 playoff contests. She led Phoenix, which drafted her No. 1 in 2004, to WNBA championships in 2007, 2009 and 2014.

A five-time WNBA scoring champion and 14-time All-WNBA selection, Taurasi was league MVP in 2009 and Finals MVP in 2009 and 2014. She also leaves as the WNBA’s leader in 3-pointers made with 1,447 in the regular season and 215 in the playoffs.

Josh Bartelstein, the chief executive officer of the Mercury and Phoenix Suns, called Taurasi “the face of the Mercury and women’s basketball for 20 years.”

“She revolutionized the game with her scoring ability, infectious personality and the edge she brought to the court every night,” Bartelstein said. “There will only ever be one Diana Taurasi, and she will continue to inspire us for years to come and remain part of the fabric of this city.”

Despite the personal records and achievements, Taurasi was considered the consummate teammate throughout her career.

“I’ve always tried to be on everyone’s side, and tried to champion everyone on the team,” Taurasi said. “If they’re in your circle, you take care of them.”

Sue Bird, Taurasi’s longtime friend and UConn/USA Basketball teammate, said to ESPN: “She has a way of making people feel connected to her, but also like the best version of themselves.”

New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello, who guided the Mercury for eight years, said Taurasi had what seemed like a sixth sense in dealing with teammates.

“She knows when she needs to take over; she knows when to get others involved,” Brondello said. “She knows when she just needs to whisper in their ear to get them going. When you see it up close and personal, you realize just the effect she has on her teammates, and they all look up to her.”

Taurasi first rose to national prominence at UConn two decades ago, leading the Huskies to three consecutive national titles from 2002 to 2004, including an undefeated season that many consider the greatest in women’s college hoops history.

In a prepared statement Tuesday, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said that Taurasi “had as much to do with changing women’s basketball as anyone who’s ever played the game.”

“In my opinion, what the greats have in common is, they transcend the sport and become synonymous with the sport,” Auriemma said. “For as long as people talk about college basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball: Diana is the greatest winner in the history of basketball, period. I’ve had the pleasure of being around her for a lot of those moments, and she’s the greatest teammate I’ve ever coached. I’m happy for her and her family. At the same time, I’m sad that I’ll never get to see her play again, but I saw more than most.”

UConn went 22-1 in NCAA tournament games in Taurasi’s career, and she finished her collegiate career with 2,156 points, 628 rebounds and 648 assists. After being selected No. 1 by the Mercury, she won the first of her Olympic medals in 2004.

Her first WNBA championship with Phoenix came three years later.

After leading Phoenix to its second title, Taurasi was arrested for driving under the influence in July 2009. Shortly afterward, while she was playing overseas in Turkey, Taurasi received a provisional ban in late 2010 for alleged use of the stimulant modafinil, but the lab conducting the test was discredited, and Taurasi was cleared of all allegations in February 2011.

Taurasi and Bird became the cornerstones of USA Basketball for two decades. Along with her Olympic haul, Taurasi has three golds from the FIBA Women’s World Cup and won six EuroLeague titles.

“There never seems to be a bad day when you’re around Dee,” said Carol Callan, longtime USA Basketball women’s national team director. “She doesn’t seek the limelight, and she’s totally comfortable in her skin not needing it.”

Taurasi was voted by fans as the WNBA’s “GOAT” during the league’s 25th season in 2021.

“To me, she’s the greatest player,” said Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, who played and coached against Taurasi. “She just hooped. I think one of the most underrated parts of her game was her passing. Her 3-ball and pull-up jumpers got so much attention, but she literally does everything.

“It’s like when you talk about LeBron James. … Some people would knock on him when he would pass the ball, but it was the right decision. Great players, the GOATs, just make the right play. And they make it over and over and over again, and it leads to winning.”

Taurasi’s accomplishments include:

WNBA
– 3-time champion
– 2004 Rookie of the Year
– 2009 WNBA MVP
– 2-time Finals MVP
– 5-time scoring champion
– 11-time All-Star
– 10-time All-WNBA 1st-team selection

USA National Team
– 6-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)

College: UConn (2001-04)
– 3-time national champion (2002, 2003, 2004)

Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Jack Draper at Australian Open to Set Up Quarterfinal Clash Against Novak Djokovic

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is set to face former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic for the first time at the Australian Open.

In the eighth installment of the riveting, intergenerational rivalry between the 21-year-old Spanish professional tennis player and his 37-year-old Serbian nemesis, the meeting will not only be the first at Melbourne Park, it will also be the first in the quarterfinals of a tournament,

Each of Alcaraz and Djokovic’s other meetings came in either a semifinal or final.

“Well, this is not the right player to play in a quarterfinal, I guess,” a grinning Alcaraz said, looking ahead to Tuesday’s encounter. “But facing Novak, for me, it’s not going to change anything if I’m playing him [in a] quarterfinal or semifinal. Probably change a little bit if it is a final, obviously. Being in a quarterfinal, I’m going to approach the match the same as I did in the previous matches against him, and let’s see.”

Alcaraz reached his 10th career Grand Slam quarterfinal, tied for the most by a man before his 22nd birthday, by advancing when 15th-seeded Jack Draper stopped playing because of a hip injury after dropping the first two sets Sunday afternoon.

Djokovic, who is being coached in Melbourne by old rival Andy Murray, did his part at night in Rod Laver Arena, needing to work a little longer but getting through just the same with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over No. 24 Jiri Lehecka.

There is plenty at stake at this tournament for both No. 3 seed Alcaraz and No. 7 seed Djokovic.

Alcaraz seeks to become the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam with at least one trophy from all four of the most prestigious events in tennis. His four so far came elsewhere: two at Wimbledon by virtue of wins over Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 finals, and one apiece at the US Open in 2022 and the French Open last year.

Djokovic, meanwhile, is trying to claim an 11th title in Melbourne to become the first player in tennis history with 25 major singles championships. He leads the overall head-to-head against Alcaraz 4-3, including a victory in the final at the Paris Olympics last August to claim a gold medal for Serbia.

At the majors, though, Alcaraz leads 2-1.

“If I think about everything he has done in tennis, I couldn’t play. I mean, 24 Grand Slams, the most weeks at No. 1 — everything. He almost broke every record in tennis. I’m trying not to think about that when I’m in the match. I’m just trying … to beat him,” Alcaraz said. “I know my weapons. I know that [if] I’m able to play good tennis against him, I’m able to beat him.”

Rafael Nadal Named to Spain’s Davis Cup Finals Roster Alongside Carlos Alcaraz

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Rafael Nadal is preparing to represent Spain once again…

The 38-year-old Spanish tennis star, who represented Spain at the 2024 Paris Games, has been named to Spain’s roster for the Davis Cup finals alongside Carlos Alcaraz.

The announcement raises the possibility of a renewal of Nadal and Alcaraz’s “Nadalcaraz” doubles partnership from the Paris Olympics.

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, hasn’t competed anywhere since the Olympics, where he lost in the second round of singles to longtime rival Novak Djokovic and paired with Alcaraz to get to the quarterfinals of men’s doubles before exiting against Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.

Nadal then withdrew from the US Open and the Laver Cup while still dealing with health issues that’ve limited him to competing only sparingly over the past two seasons.

Alcaraz earned the men’s singles titles at the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July to raise his career Slam total to four at the age of 21.

Spain will take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinal round of the Davis Cup finals, an eight-team event November 19-24 in Malaga, Spain.

The other opening matchups are: defending champion Italy vs. Argentina; the United States vs. Australia; and Germany vs. Canada.

Victor Montalvo Earns Breaking Bronze at 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Victor Montalvo is breaking his way to the Olympic podium.

The 30-year-old Mexican American b-boy, known mononymously as Victor, claimed the bronze in the debut of the Breaking dancesport competition at the 2024 Paris Games.

Victor, the highest ranked American male breaker in the world, defeated won the battle for bronze 3-0 against Japan’s Shigekix at La Concorde in Paris.

Victor’s win comes just after he lost to France’s Dany Dann in the semifinal round, while Canada’s Phil Wizard beat out Shigekix.

Montalvo initially finished at the top of group A and took out Amir of Kazakhstan 3-0 in the quarterfinal knockout round.

The Paris Olympics‘ breaking competitions on Friday and Saturday saw 16 b-boys and 16 b-girls — the colloquial term for a breaker, or breakdancer — battle against each other one-on-one as a panel of judges scored the matches based on six different criteria: creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality.

Montalvo, who is originally from Florida, previously opened up about why he is passionate about breaking in an interview for Team USA, explaining that he first picked up the sport from his cousin when he was just 9 years old.

“It was something just so amazing,” he said. “I just loved the music and the way it made me feel. I’m a super shy kid, so for me it was perfect because you don’t need to talk to anyone. You just need the dance floor and yourself. So it was like a really awesome art form slash sport for me.”

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Earns Historic Medal in 100m Hurdles at the 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn has given Puerto Rico its first Olympic medal of the 2024 Paris Games.

The 27-year-old Puerto Rican track & field athlete came in third in the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2024 Summer Olympics with a time of 12.36 to claim the bronze medal, the first medal for Puerto Rico.

In the process, Camacho-Quinn is the only Puerto Rican athlete to win two Olympic medals.

She previously claimed the gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

This year’s race was a close one among the top three finishers…

Team USA’s Masai Russell claimed the gold with a time of 12.33, while Cyrena Samba-Mayela of France won the silver after finishing the race in a time of 12.34.

Camacho-Quinn was a two-time individual NCAA Division I champion.

Mari Leivis Sanchez Takes Home Weightlifting Silver at 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Mari Leivis Sanchez has earned her first-ever Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

The 32-year-old Colombian weightlifter claimed the silver medal in the women’s 71KG weightlifting Final on Friday with a final score of 257.

Sanchez came in behind Team USA’s Olivia Reeves, who set a new Olympic record with a score of 262.

Ecuador’s Angie Paola Palacios Dajomes finished with a score of 256 to claim bronze.

Mari Leivis Sanch is a three-time silver medalist in the women’s 71 kg event at the Pan American Weightlifting Championships.

She won two medals, including gold, at the 2022 Bolivarian Games held in Valledupar, Colombia.

Colombia’s Yeison Lopez Earns Weightlifting Silver in Olympic Debut at 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Yeison Lopez is celebrating an Olympic medal-winning performance.

In his Olympic debut, the 24-year-old Colombian weightlifter claimed the silver at the 2024 Paris Games on Friday in the Men’s 89KG Weightlifting final.

Lopez had a final core of 390 kg.

Lopez came in second behind Bulgaria’s Karlos Nasar, who lifted 224kg in the clean and jerk to earn a new world record. He also earned a world record in the overall lift with 404 kg.

Italy’s Antonino Pizzolatto won bronze with 384 kg.

López went from selling candy to earn bus fare to the top of world sports.

Lopez had previously placed seventh in the overall in his world championships debut in 2023 (96kg).

At the youth and junior level he was undefeated in the overall competition from his debut in 2015 to 2021, winning multiple world and Pan American titles.

Spain’s Men’s Kayak Four Team Claims Bronze at 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Saul Craviotto, Carlos Arevalo, Marcus Cooper and Rodrigo Germade have sprinted their way to an Olympic medal.

The Spanish sprint kayakers finished in third place in the Men’s Kayak Four 500M final at the 2024 Paris Games on Thursday to earn the bronze medal.

Craviotto, Arevalo, Cooper and Germade finished the race with a time of 1:20:05.

Germany’s team finished with a time of 1:19:80 to claim the gold; Australia’s team finished in 1:19:84 to claim the silver.

It’s Craviotto’s sixth career Olympic medal dating back to the 2008 Beijing Games. It’s Arevalo and Germade’s second Olympic medal, while it’s Cooper’s third Olympic medal.

Spain’s Artistic Swimming Team Earns Bronze at the 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Team Spain is celebrating a long-awaited medal-winning performance at the 2024 Paris Games.

After three days of thrilling competition, the country’s artistic swimming team secured a bronze medal in the Artistic Swimming Team Event in Paris.

The final rankings were determined by adding the scores of the Team Technical, Team Free and Team Acrobatic – on the Olympic program for the first time.

The Spanish team came into the night’s acrobatic event ranked third, but still in a tight fight with Japan and France to hang on to that position. The Spanish knew they couldn’t afford any mistakes, and handled the pressure beautifully in their “One Shot, One Opportunity” routine, which they had last showcased at the Doha World Championships.

They had an impeccable swim and reached a cumulative score of 900.7319 to clinch the bronze behind the People’s Republic of China (996.1389) in gold and the United States of America (914.3421) in silver.

“I feel really excited,” said team captain Meritxell Mas Pujadas. “It’s been a lot of work. We were really nervous before tonight, we knew that we had to fight a lot until the end, but I trusted my team and it was all worth it. It’s a lot of emotions right now… I’m really, really, really happy. I was also nervous because it was my first time being a flier for the acrobatics. It was crazy, I had never done it, but I accepted the challenge. It was a goal for me to achieve, so I’m really happy about that too.”

“I don’t realize what’s happening yet,” Lilou Lluis Valette said. “I can’t stop crying, I can’t even find the words. We’ve been so focused since we woke up, and all day has just been perfect. Today is really a perfect day.”

Spain had finished seventh in Tokyo – this Paris team actually includes five returning Olympians from that squad – and secured its first Olympic medal since 2012.

Erislandy Alvarez Borges Earns Cuba’s First & Only Boxing Gold at the 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Erislandy Alvarez Borges has defeated a hometown favorite to win gold at the 2024 Paris Games.

In the much-anticipated 63.5kg boxing final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, the 24-year-old Cuban boxer beat France’s Sofiane Oumiha 3-2 to earn gold in his Olympic debut in front of a packed crowd at the iconic Roland-Garros Stadium.

This marks the first and only boxing gold medal for Cuba at Paris 2024, a former Olympic powerhouse in the sport.

“I am very happy. He [Oumiha] is a very strong rival,” Alvarez said afterwards. “I had a lot of changes since the world championships. Thank God I got the gold medal which is what we promised, for me and for Cuba.

“All I’m thinking now is rest so I can have time to keep bringing gold medals back to Cuba.”

The two medalists advanced out of the semi-final rounds on Sunday, which saw Oumiha beat Canada’s Wyatt Sanford 4-1 to advance to the final. The second semi-final saw Alvarez beat Georgia’s Lasha Guruli 5-0. Both Sanford and Guruli were awarded bronze medals.

This is the first Olympic Games for Alvarez, who previously trained as a gymnast before committing to boxing.

He dedicated the gold medal to those who helped him become an Olympic champion, including “my grandmother, who sadly passed away, and I dedicate it to my country and to my old teacher who told me that I could achieve great things.”

Oumiha was under an incredible amount of pressure competing at home in France. On Sunday, after advancing to the final over Sanford, he said, “The wound of Tokyo [2020] is still there. It was dramatic for me. I was No.1 in the world ranking and I lost in the first round.

“The wound is not healed. There is also Rio [2016], where I lost in the final. I know what it’s like to lose a final, but I also know what it is like to win one.”

Oumiha was disappointed in Wednesday’s loss to Alvarez. “I am so disappointed as I wanted the gold medal,” he said afterwards. “The fight didn’t go the way that I wanted.”

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