Phoenix (AP) – Diana Taurasi retires after 20 seasons, ending one of the biggest careers in the history of women’s basketball.
WNBA career leader and three times league champion, Taurasi announced his retirement on Wednesday In an interview with Time Magazine. The Phoenix Mercury – The only WNBA team for which she played – also confirmed her decision.
“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi in Time told Tau. “This is probably the best way to describe it. I am satisfied and I am happy.
With his tight hair bun and supreme confidence, Taurasi has inspired a generation of players while accumulating records and championships.
Taurasi led UCONN to three consecutive national titles from 2001 to 2004 and continued to win after the Mercury selected it with the n ° 1 choice of the WNBA 2004.
The 42 -year -old won his sixth Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games and ended his WNBA career with 10,646 points, almost 3,000 more than second place, Tina Charles.
In addition to its three WNBA championships with the Mercury, Taurasi won six championships in the Euroleague while playing the majority of his career all year round. It was the MVP of the 2009 WNBA and is one of the four players to win more than once the four players of the WNBA final (2009, 2014).
“Diana is the biggest to have ever played the game. I have been a fan of her all my life, she is the ultimate chief and teammate,” said Mercury, Mat Ishbia, in a statement. “She had an incredible impact on our franchise, our community and the basketball game. Her name is synonymous with the Phoenix Mercury and she will always be part of our family. »»
Taurasi did the first All-WBA team 10 times and was part of the first or second team 14 times. It is also an All-Star WNBA 11 times, quadruple American basketball athlete of the year and was the recruit of the year of the 2004 WNBA.
The native of Glendale, in California, holds many WNBA records, including the score in playoffs, the goals on the field, the 3 points and the matches of 30 points. It also holds 16 Mercury records.
For his career, Taurasi collected an average of 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. It collected an average of 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists while leading mercury to the playoffs during its 20th season.
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Feinberg reported in New York.
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-mazing
