Matt York/AP
Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Atlanta Dream in Phoenix on Thursday.
CNN
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Diana Taurasi, the Phoenix Mercury star who sits atop the WNBA’s all-time leading scorers list, reached the next milestone in her highly decorated career by becoming the first player to score 10,000 points in league history.
Playing in front of a packed Footprint Center in Phoenix, Taurasi entered Thursday night’s game needing 18 points to reach the all-time mark. In the third quarter, the 41-year-old scored the historic field goal on a deep three-pointer against the Atlanta Dream.
With her arms waving and the crowd erupting in cheers, the game was immediately stopped as Taurasi gathered with her teammates near half-court to celebrate.
“All the time, I hope this doesn’t ruin our momentum,” Taurasi told ESPN of what was going through his mind at the time. “We really needed this win, but it was definitely a good feeling, you know when there’s anticipation and it works your way and what a great night for women’s basketball tonight.”
The former MVP finished the night with a game-high 42 points, the most she has scored in regulation in a game of her career, in the Mercury’s 91-71 victory over the Dream. According to ESPNTaurasi is the oldest player in league history to score 40 or more points in a game.
After the match, Taurasi was seen kissing teammate Brittney Griner, who she missed third consecutive match due to mental health.
“When you do something you love and you’re obsessed with it, you always want to push the limits,” Taurasi said after taking that step. “And sometimes pushing the limits has gotten me in trouble, but I love the game, I put my all into it and to spend a night like this in front of our fans and people I’ve known for a long time, it got me really helped. got here, couldn’t have been better.
Taurasi was drafted by the Mercury with the first pick in 2004 after a successful college career at UConn, where she helped the Huskies win three consecutive NCAA championships.
Her success continued at the professional level, where the 10-time All-Star led the Mercury to three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, 2014) while being named WNBA Finals MVP twice.
Among other milestones, Taurasi is the league’s all-time three-point and playoff leading scorer and holds the single-season scoring record (25.3 points per game in 2006). She also won the goalscoring title five times during her career, including four in a row from 2008 to 2011.
At the international level, Taurasi is fivefold Olympic gold medalist with the American team and six-time Euroleague champion.
“On behalf of the WNBA and basketball fans around the world, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Diana on reaching the incredible 10,000-point milestone as she continues to write new chapters of her career. “an illustrious career in the WNBA,” league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. .
“I have had the pleasure of watching her perform first as a fan and now as a WNBA Commissioner. Diana’s feat is a testament to her skill, determination and unwavering dedication to the game, which along with her competitive nature, has captivated fans with her incredible scoring ability, exceptional performance and unrivaled basketball IQ. previous. We are honored to witness this milestone.
