When Diana Taurasi, one of women’s basketball’s greatest stars, announced her retirement this week, it brought a chorus of praise from fans, competitors, and sports peers. She ends a 20-year career with the same attitude that has defined her greatness – a calm confidence that counters any setback.
“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Ms. Taurasi told Time magazine. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”
She should be full. After playing 565 games in the Women’s National Basketball Association, she leaves as the league’s all-time leading scorer with 10,646 points. She helped win three championships, two Finals MVPs, and a league MVP, and she proudly represented the United States for six consecutive Olympic Games, winning gold each time.
It is an understatement to say that Ms. Taurasi left an indelible mark on women’s basketball and helped grow women’s sports in general. Her name should be mentioned with the likes of Serena Williams in tennis, Megan Rapinoe in soccer, Simone Biles in gymnastics, and Danica Patrick in car racing. These women carried much more than themselves with each mountain they climbed via their individual sport. There is still room to go, but because of talents like Ms. Taurasi, newcomers in basketball like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have bigger platforms with bigger benefits.
For those who don’t follow sports, Ms. Taurasi expressed characteristics that others sought to follow. She is humble and confident with swag on the court, but graceful in victory and defeat. Former teammates say that she empowered them as a leader.
Her coach during her time at the University of Connecticut, Geno Auriemma, says she has one ability unlike anyone else. “I’ve never been around anyone who is just immune to the pressures of the moment and just lives in the moment and has such joy and passion for the game and shows it on every possession,” he told The Associated Press in 2003.
Ms. Taurasi probably best explains her driving force. “As a little kid, being a kid of immigrants coming to this country, basketball always made me feel a part of something,” she told Time. “It always made me feel comfortable. It brought me to a place where, you know, I could love others. I could love myself.”
No wonder so many have loved her on the court and off. She’s an athlete in full, even in retirement.
