The WNBA is bidding farewell to a legend of the game as Diana Taurasi drew curtains on her all-time great career. The three-time WNBA champion announced her retirement on Tuesday, Feb. 25, and touching messages were pouring in worldwide, including from the league’s newest and perhaps biggest star, Caitlin Clark.
Caitlin Clark Reacts to Diana Taurasi’s Retirement
Taurasi, 42, spent all 20 seasons of her career with the Phoenix Mercury and retires as one of the most decorated basketball players in the WNBA. She led Phoenix to WNBA titles in 2007, 2009, and 2011 and was also named the MVP in her second championship win.
Taurasi is the fastest to score 5,000 points in WNBA history and is the league’s all-time top scorer, with 10,646 points, the only player to cross the 10,000 mark.
Meanwhile, Taurasi’s biggest achievement was perhaps her 3-point shooting, connecting on a staggering 1,447 3-pointers, which is over 40% more than the second-best shooter, Sue Bird.
As the 42-year-old announced her retirement, the Indiana Fever’s Clark summed up Taurasi’s career in one word — “legend.”
Caitlin Clark reacts to Diana Taurasi’s retirement announcement pic.twitter.com/7GdkJdfMpK
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) February 25, 2025
Clark and Taurasi share a close bond and were often pictured cracking jokes during the Fever vs. Mercury games last year. The WNBA Rookie of the Year also picked Taurasi as her favorite matchup in a Nike interview and called her an icon of the sport.
“Honestly, I’ll say like DT because she is such an icon in our sport and has been in the game for so long. You know, getting to share the court with her was pretty fun and you just see her competitive spirit, even though you’re not on her team like you can just feel it as a competitor.”
Although there was some hope, Taurasi’s retirement was coming, more or less, after she expressed gratitude to everyone who had been part of her journey during the Phoenix’s last game of the season in 2024.
“I want to thank every single coach, every single player, every single person that’s put on a WNBA jersey, because it takes a village,” Taurasi said then. “For everyone who played before this league was where it is now, we’re thankful for you guys. And we’re thankful for the next generation.”
But the 14-time All-WNBA star kept mum about her retirement plans in the coming months before realizing her time was over on New Year last month.
“I just didn’t have it in me,” Taurasi told Time. “That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away.”
“Mentally and physically, I’m just full. That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full, and I’m happy.”
Taurasi’s legacy stretches beyond the WNBA. She led the USA Women’s basketball team to six gold medals and her college team, UConn, to three national championships. Now, she retires as arguably one of the greatest female basketball players of all time.
