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)

Mijaín López Earns Historic Fifth Career Wrestling Gold at 2024 Paris Games

Posted on August 6, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Mijaín López’s gold rush continues at the 2024 Paris Games…

The 41-year-old Cuban wrestler used to be part of a very exclusive club of athletes with four individual gold medals in the same event at an Olympic Games. Only seven athletes have achieved the feat, including swimming legend Michael Phelps, former track hero Carl Lewis and now Katie Ledecky.

But, on Tuesday at the 2024 Summer Olympics, López launched into a new group of his own.

He achieved a record-breaking fifth straight individual title — a five-peat — as he won gold in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 130-kilogram category.

Two other athletes — U.S. basketball stars Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi — have achieved the feat in team events. On an individual basis, though, López’s achievement is unparalleled.

“What’s great is the joy,” Lopez said through an interpreter. “It was a result that I was craving, but also for the whole world and my country. So happy to reach the Olympic elite. The reward of a lifetime of working hard with the help of everyone and my family. It is my biggest win.”

Another remarkable part of López’s gold medal win on Tuesday: He hasn’t competed internationally since the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Whereas other wrestlers compete year-round, López decided he was too old to put his body through the rigors of repeated competition, instead preferring to ready himself at lengthy training camps.

His advantage comes from his size. López’s frame is just that much bigger than any of his opponents. Out of competition, he typically weighs around 150kg (330 pounds), meaning he is able to put a lot more back on after he makes weight. That advantage and his skill have resulted in an Olympic dominance unlike any other.

López made his Olympic debut aged 21 at the 2004 Athens Games, where he exited in the quarterfinals. His golden run started at the 2008 Beijing Games.

In Tokyo, López became the first male wrestler to win four gold medals, blowing through the field without letting up a point in four matches.

The Cuban wrestler similarly dominated in Paris, as if his 41-year-old body were defying time itself. He made light work of his first-round match, achieving a 7-0 victory over South Korea’s Lee Seungchan. Hours after that, he booked his place in the final with a 3-1 win over Iran’s Amin Mirzazadeh in the quarterfinals and a 4-1 victory over Sabah Shariati of Azerbaijan in the semifinals.

Tuesday’s final was a mismatch, too. López steamrolled his opponent, Chile’s Yasmani Acosta Fernandez, in a 6-0 victory.

Shortly after winning this gold medal, López embraced Fernandez, a Cuban who moved to Chile to give himself a better chance of competing in the big events. Fernandez is the first wrestling medalist for Chile.

As López continued to celebrate, he dropped to all fours and began to unlace his shoes on the mat. López had said he would retire Monday, adding that there needed to be room for new faces in the sport.

“I have a lot of inspiration for all the young people that come to me for guidance,” he said. “I have a lot of inspiration to give to the world. I would like to educate the younger generations.”

After he removed his shoes, he held both arms in the air and acknowledged the fans again.

“To get to this point, the first thing you need is to love your sport, love what you do and show to the world that you are capable of winning with so little,” López said.

Diana Taurasi Expected to Compete in Historic Sixth Olympics at 2024 Paris Games

Posted on June 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Diana Taurasi is headed to the 2024 Paris Games.

The United States is expected to take the 41-year-old Argentine American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury, a five-time Olympic champion, for a sixth Olympics.

Taurasi will break the record for most Olympics played in the sport of basketball.

Five players, including former Taurasi teammate Sue Bird, have competed in five.

Taurasi, who will turn 42 on Tuesday, will be joined by her Mercury teammate Brittney Griner.

This will be Griner’s first time playing internationally since she was detained in a Russian prison for 10 months in 2022. She said she’ll play abroad only with USA Basketball.

Joining the pair will be Olympic veterans Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd and Chelsea Gray.

Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, who helped the U.S. win the inaugural 3×3 gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in 2021, will also be on the team.

First-time Olympians are Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kahleah Copper.

All three played on the American team that won the World Cup in Australia in 2022.

The U.S. women have won every gold medal in women’s basketball since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The U.S. team will get together to train for a few days in Phoenix in July. Then it’s off to London for an exhibition game against Germany before heading to France.

The Americans will play Japan, Belgium and Germany in pool play at the Olympics.

The U.S. team will be coached by longtime Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who has extensive USA Basketball experience.

Reeve, like former Olympic coaches, was allowed to give feedback on team makeup but was not part of the group that picked players.

Diana Taurasi Becomes First Latinx Basketball Player with Five Olympic Gold Medals

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Diana Taurasi is one of America’s Golden girls…

The 39-year-old Argentinian American professional basketball player and teammate Sue Bird have set a new Olympic record, alongside s the basketball players, men or women, with five gold medals.

Taurasi, Bird and their Team USA mates defeated Japan 90-75 in the women’s basketball final at Saitama Super Arena at the 2020 Tokyo Games, clinching a seventh straight Olympic gold medal for the U.S.

It was their 55th consecutive Olympic win.

“It’s been a tremendous journey,” Taurasi said. “It’s 20 years of sacrifice, of putting everything else aside and just wanting to win. It’s never easy playing on this team, the pressure, but this group found a way to win, and I am just happy that this group got to enjoy it.”

That’s an impeccable tour of Athens, Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro and now Tokyo as they showed off a global desire for winning and longevity that has defined the program. Likely playing in their final game with the national team, Bird and Taurasi made the first two baskets and then symbolically handed it off to the younger generation to carry it home.

Brittney Griner capped off a memorable Olympic run with her best game in Tokyo, putting up 30 points on 14-on-18 shooting, to lead the offensive attack. It was the most points ever in a gold-medal game for an American, besting Lisa Leslie‘s record of 29. But the young star was more thrilled she helped Bird and Taurasi get their fifth.

“Anyone who knows me and knows [Taurasi] knows how much I look up to her,” Griner said. “Even on the court I am still in awe. Like, yo, I get to play with Diana Taurasi. So to be a part of this, her fifth, it means everything to me, honestly.”

But is Taurasi ready to try for number six?

“See you in Paris,” Taurasi said during an interview with NBC Olympics after the gold medal game.

Taurasi then walked away from the interview, leaving the NBC crew to ponder if they were breaking news just after the big win.

Becky G Joins United Nations Human Rights “We All Rise” Campaign on International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is commemorating International Women’s Day in a big way…

The 24-year-old Mexican American bilingual rapper/singer has joined the United Nations Human Rights on International Women’s Day (March 8) for the “We All Rise” campaign for gender equality during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Becky G appears in the campaign alongside Celine Dion, Cher, Cyndi Lauper and many most stars.

The artists — joined by activist/tennis legend Billie Jean King, TV personality Padma Lakshmi, actors Renée Elise Goldsberry and Terry Crews, WNBA champ Sue Bird and singer/songwriter Amanda Shires — have partnered with the UN to select the 2021 We All Rise female empowerment anthem “Together We Are Stronger.”

The soaring song features KT Tunstall, Lolo, Devyn Lorea and Nikki Vianna, and was written by written by Morgan Dorr, Greg Hansen and Lorea, with production by the Highland Park Collective.

We All Rise aims to reach more than 150 million with its first effort, described in a release as a “celebrity-driven social media campaign promoting gender equality as a fundamental human right essential to achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” The coalition of celebrities and advocates participating in the effort also includes LeAnn Rimes, Dionne Warwick, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Liv Warfield, Blair Underwood, Gloria Estefan, Naomi Campbell, Bridget Moynihan, and Debbie Allen.

“Gender equality is one of the fundamental values of the United Nations and lies at the very heart of human rights,” said Veronica Birga, chief of the Women’s Rights and Gender Section of United Nations Human Rights in a statement. “That is why we are the global partner of WE ALL RISE, an exciting new initiative committed to promoting, protecting, and advancing the human rights of all women and girls around the world. Because gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, it is essential to achieving a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.”

The effort is one of many across the music world on Monday to celebrate International Women’s Day, including a playlist curated by BLACKPINK‘s Rosé and a remake of “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan and Idina Menzel, among other efforts.

“Gender equality and the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women are fundamental human rights and core values of the United Nations,” added Trish Golden, president of We All Rise. “Together with our Global Partner, United Nations Human Rights, We All Rise is dedicated to promoting gender equality around the world and the human rights of women and girls, in all their diversity. When we support women’s rights, We All Rise together.”

The video for the inspiring “Together We Are Stronger” features images of women from around the world marching for equality and securing a future for girls and young women where they can achieve their goals.

Taurasi & Team USA Win Gold in Women’s Basketball at the 2016 Rio Games

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Diana Taurasi is still golden…

The 34-year-old half-Argentinean American basketball player and Team USA defeated Spain in the gold medal game Saturday, 101-72, to give the US its sixth consecutive Olympic gold.

Taurasi, who led the way with a team-high 17 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals, is now a four-time Olympic gold medalist.

The United States is now a perfect 5-0 against Spain in Olympic play.

This was the first Olympic gold medal for Taurasi’s Phoenix Mercury teammate, Brittney Griner. The reigning WNBA MVP, Elena Delle Donne, also won her first Olympic gold.

The other Team USA star veterans Sue Bird, who sat out with a sprain knee in the semifinal win over France, and Tamika Catchings added another gold medal to their career — matching Taurasi with a fourth in Rio.

This could be the final Olympic appearance for the three WNBA icons.

With the loss, Spain finished with the silver. Serbia won bronze after defeating France earlier Saturday. This marked the first time on the podium for the countries in women’s basketball.

The U.S. women’s basketball Olympic play win streak was improved to an unmatched 49 games.

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