A’ja Wilson was mid-toast at TIME’s Women of the Year Gala, celebrating as a trailblazer, when news broke. Women basketball’s GOAT had played her final game. Diana Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time scoring leader, had officially walked off the court. By the time Wilson caught her breath and grabbed her phone, Taurasi’s retirement letter was already making waves. It wasn’t just the end of an era. It was the passing of a torch. Wilson knew she couldn’t let the moment slip by.

The 2024 MVP’s tribute landed 19 hours late, delayed by her own star turn at a glitzy L.A. event. But the Las Vegas Aces phenom didn’t just apologize—she penned a love letter to legacy, threading their parallel journeys from Olympic teammates to history-makers. Her message cut through the noise: “DT!!!!! Whew! 🤍 Game is gonna miss you! So lucky I call you my Olympic teammate! Thank you for always instilling confidence in me on the world’s biggest stage ✨.” 

The timeliness almost seemed poetic.

On Tuesday evening, Wilson stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Nicole Kidman and Olivia Munn at Hollywood’s NeueHouse, championing gender equity as a 2025 TIME Women of the Year honoree. Hours earlier, DT, one of the greatest to have an impact on women’s sports, had announced her retirement via the same magazine. “Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi told the Time. “I’m fully and I’m happy.”

After two decades, the baton is passed, with the 2x champion at the helm and in her prime. Many of those moments Dee has stood witness to.

Last summer, they sailed into Paris’ Olympic opening ceremony as Team USA’s bookends: Taurasi, with five golds, and Wilson, the rising heir. It was their second time on the Olympic roster together following their victory lap in Tokyo. Wilson would average 18.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in 2024 which are the second highest for an American in Olympics. They also shared the court as teammates thrice during their All-Star runs. This is something the Aces star is immensely proud of. 

“I am so honored to be able to say that I was your teammate at one point,” she says in the video shared by her team. And well, the respect is mutual.

DT would sign praises after the 2024 MVP put up a dominant 41-point, 7-rebound performance last season. “What A’ja is doing right now is really just changing the evolution of what you think a post-player is,” she explained. “Every year, she gets better.”

Taurasi’s retirement, though, ripples beyond stat sheets. Her trash-talking, logo-threes, and “White Mamba” grit made her the league’s face. Her influence lingers but a new era is on the horizon. 

Can A’ja Wilson catch Diana? The race for the WNBA’s scoring crown

Diana Taurasi’s career was a masterclass in relentless scoring. Now, as she steps away, the question isn’t if someone will break her all-time points record—it’s who. 

When Taurasi debuted in 2004, teams averaged 73.4 points a game. Now, the Las Vegas Aces are putting up 98.1 points. Plus, with seasons expanding from 34 to 44 games (and maybe even 50, as hinted by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert), path to history isn’t far off and well, DT isn’t bothered of the name and numbers being replaced. If anything, she is eager to watch the hunger in W.

“My scoring record… someone’s going to come around with the same hunger,” Taurasi said. “That’s what sports is about.” At 28, Wilson is sprinting up the ladder. With 4,782 career points and a record-breaking 26.9 PPG season, she’s already the first WNBA player to notch 1,000 points in a season. Her durability is another asset—missing only 11 games in seven years.

Though Wilson trails veterans like Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd by nearly a season’s worth of points, her consistency gives her an edge. “She’s nearly impossible to stop,” one scout noted, praising her footwork and touch.

Wilson’s secret weapon? The Aces’ dominance. More playoff runs mean more games. Still, records aren’t just math. They demand health, obsession, and luck. Taurasi played 20 seasons. Wilson’s on track for 15-18. Can she maintain MVP-level production into her mid-30s? If anyone can, it’s the player who treats every game like a statement.