Diana Taurasi, taking part in in her twentieth WNBA season, didn’t formally announce her resignation Thursday evening later the Phoenix Mercury’s common season finale towards the Seattle Typhoon. However the Mercury icon hinted the top could also be approaching as she addressed the house public.
“If it is the last time, it felt like the first time,” Taurasi mentioned because the public chanted, “one more year.”
“I love you guys.”
Taurasi performed 18 mins Thursday because the Mercury misplaced 89-70 to the Typhoon, the place she scored 9 issues and tallied one rebound and two assists. With 3:11 residue within the fourth quarter, fanatics on the Footprint Middle were given on their ft, urging Mercury tutor Nate Tibbetts to sub Taurasi again into the sport. The primary-year tutor obliged. Taurasi checked again into the sport the place she blew a kiss and clapped to the public, who showered her with much appreciated.
It was once a 10-second curtain name for the Mercury fanatics to turn their adoration for a ancient participant in doubtlessly her ultimate house sport. As Taurasi left the courtroom, fanatics chanted, “One more year.”
Diana Taurasi tests again in and the public is lovin’ each moment of it
SEA-PHX | League Move pic.twitter.com/MIaFPkvB0g
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 20, 2024
When the sport ended, the lighting dimmed within the seating boxes because the highlight beamed on Taurasi at middle courtroom. Earlier than she addressed the public, a tribute video for Taurasi performed at the display screen above. It was once the similar video that the Mercury social media account posted to X on Thursday afternoon, teasing a possible resignation announcement.
Taurasi thanked town of Phoenix, a playground she known as “home.” She praised her teammates and coaches, in conjunction with the fanatics who supported her occupation.
Pricey Dee –
Love,
All of Us pic.twitter.com/SnO1q10Fdp— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) September 19, 2024
“I want to thank every single coach, every single player, every single person that’s put on a WNBA jersey because it takes the village,” Taurasi mentioned. “For everyone who played before this league is where it is now — we’re thankful for you guys and we’re thankful for the next generation.”
A number of high-profile athletes and coaches attended Taurasi’s attainable ultimate sport, together with four-time WNBA champion Sue Hen, International Cup and Olympic champion Megan Rapinoe, UConn tutor Geno Auriemma, UConn workman tutor Chris Dailey, Phoenix Suns capturing preserve Damion Lee, petite ahead Josh Okogie and Taurasi’s folks Mario and Lilliana.
If Thursday was once the top of Taurasi’s WNBA occupation, she would reduce the game a jam-packed resume. Successful 3 championships, changing into the league’s all-time well-known scorer, incomes six gold medals with Group USA and making 11 WNBA All-Big name Sport appearances. Her data come with being the primary WNBA participant to attain 10,000 occupation issues, changing into the oldest participant in both the NBA or WNBA to attain 40 issues in a sport and her general level overall (10,646 issues).
For the Mercury, the workforce complex to the playoffs later lacking the postseason ultimate 12 months for the primary day in a decade. However Thursday evening was once about Taurasi, her most probably see you and a probability for the Phoenix public to praise one of the crucial franchise’s achieved avid gamers.
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(Photograph: Christian Petersen / Getty Photographs)
