Diana Taurasi

Diana Taurasi
No. 3 – Phoenix Mercury
Position	Shooting guard / Point guard
League	WNBA
Personal information
Born	June 11, 1982 (age 42); Glendale, California, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	163 lb (74 kg)
Career information
High school	Don Antonio Lugo; (Chino, California)
College	UConn (2000–2004)
WNBA draft	2004: 1st round, 1st overall pick
	Selected by the Phoenix Mercury
Playing career	2004–Present
Career history
2004–present	Phoenix Mercury
2005–2006	Dynamo Moscow
2006–2010	Spartak Moscow
2010–2011	Fenerbahçe
2011–2012	Galatasaray Medical Park
2012–2017	UMMC Ekaterinburg
Career highlights and awards
	3× WNBA champion (2007, 2009, 2014); 2× WNBA Finals MVP (2009, 2014); WNBA MVP (2009); 11× WNBA All-Star (2005–2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024); 10× All-WNBA First Team (2004, 2006–2011, 2013, 2014, 2018); 4× All-WNBA Second Team (2005, 2016, 2017, 2020); WNBA Rookie of the Year (2004); 5× WNBA scoring champion (2006, 2008–2011); WNBA assists leader (2014); 6× WNBA Peak Performer (2006, 2007, 2009–2011, 2014); WNBA 15th Anniversary Team (2011); WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016); WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021); 6× EuroLeague champion (2007–2010, 2013, 2016); 7× Russian National League champion (2007, 2008, 2013–2017); 3× Russian Cup winner (2013–2014, 2017); 3× Russian League Player of the Year (2007, 2008, 2009); Turkish National League champion (2011); Turkish Cup winner (2012); 3× NCAA champion (2002–2004); 2× NCAA Tournament MOP (2003, 2004); Wade Trophy (2003); 2× Honda Sports Award (2003, 2004); 2× Naismith College Player of the Year (2003, 2004); USBWA Women's National Player of the Year (2003); AP College Player of the Year (2003); 2× Nancy Lieberman Award (2003, 2004); 2× Big East Player of the Year (2003, 2004); 2x First-team All-American – AP (2003, 2004); 3x Kodak All-American (2002–2004); 2x All-American –USBWA (2003, 2004); Second-team All-American – AP (2002); 3x First-team All-Big East (2002–2004); Big East women's basketball tournament MOP (2001); Big East All-Freshman Team (2001); 4× USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (2006, 2010, 2012, 2016);
	Stats at WNBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference
Women's basketball
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
World Championship

Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Taurasi is widely recognized as one of the greatest women's basketball players of all time; she rose to fame while playing college basketball at the University of Connecticut.

She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft. Taurasi has won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2004), three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, and 2014), six Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024),^[1]^[2]^[3] one WNBA Most Valuable Player Award (2009), two WNBA Finals MVP Awards (2009 and 2014), five scoring titles (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011), and three FIBA World Cups (2010, 2014, and 2018). She has also been selected to ten WNBA All-Star teams and fourteen All-WNBA teams (including ten first-team selections). In 2011, she was voted by fans as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time, and was named by the league to its 20th and 25th anniversary teams, respectively the WNBA Top 20@20 in 2016 and The W25 in 2021.^[4] Also in 2021, she was selected by fans as the league's greatest player of all time.^[5] On June 18, 2017, Taurasi became the WNBA all-time leading scorer.^[6]

Her penchant for scoring in crucial situations has earned her the nickname "White Mamba", coined by Kobe Bryant.^[7] Taurasi is one of 11 women to win an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup, and a WNBA Championship.

^ Cite error: The named reference espn-ap202408 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "The Olympic history of UConn's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi". CT Post. August 8, 2021. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
^ Gregory, Sean (August 11, 2024). "U.S. Women's Basketball Team Wins Gold in Startlingly Close Paris Olympics Final". Time. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
^ "WNBA Continues Celebration Of Landmark 25th Season, Names Greatest Players In League History, "The W25"" (Press release). WNBA. September 5, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
^ "Diana Taurasi Voted By Fans As WNBA's Greatest Player of All Time" (Press release). WNBA. October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
^ "Taurasi becomes WNBA all-time leading scorer". ESPN.com. June 18, 2017.
^ "Calling it a 'bittersweet moment,' Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi scores season-high 34 while wearing Kobe Bryant's No. 8". ESPN. August 24, 2020.

[espn-ap202408-1] Cite error: The named reference espn-ap202408 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] "The Olympic history of UConn's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi". CT Post. August 8, 2021. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.

[3] Gregory, Sean (August 11, 2024). "U.S. Women's Basketball Team Wins Gold in Startlingly Close Paris Olympics Final". Time. Retrieved August 11, 2024.

[4] "WNBA Continues Celebration Of Landmark 25th Season, Names Greatest Players In League History, "The W25"" (Press release). WNBA. September 5, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.

[5] "Diana Taurasi Voted By Fans As WNBA's Greatest Player of All Time" (Press release). WNBA. October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.

[6] "Taurasi becomes WNBA all-time leading scorer". ESPN.com. June 18, 2017.

[auto1-7] "Calling it a 'bittersweet moment,' Phoenix guard Diana Taurasi scores season-high 34 while wearing Kobe Bryant's No. 8". ESPN. August 24, 2020.

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