“Barbecues and pizza with egg, and a little spaghetti with sauce, gnocchi, mate, and wine.” What does that tell you? Simply the fact that 6x Olympian Diana Taurasi‘s taste is as unique as the skills she possesses. And it has been so for the last 2 decades where she has captivated the fans of the WNBA with her stunning performances. However, there is more than meets the eye apart from what she can produce on the hardwood.

Behind the feisty, no-nonsense, ‘American’ style of play, there is a family dedicated to women. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the type of culture she was born and brought up in.

An insight into the upbringing of Diana Taurasi

Diana Taurasi played soccer. Well, the kind of competitive spirit that she has, it might not be hard for many to believe. And the fact that her father Mario Taurasi was a former Italian professional soccer player and played as a goalkeeper makes it a more compelling case. Thankfully, she shifted her focus to basketball soon enough to become one of the most iconic names of the sport. Circling back to the fact that her DNA has an Italian finesse, wait till you get to know the secret behind her aggressive yet emotional side.

Diana Taurasi, in the 2012 EuroLeague, didn’t agree with the uniform regulations put forth by FIBA, terming it as an “insult to women“. Consequently, her refusal resulted in her paying hefty fines eventually. And this is where the Argentine heritage of her mother, Liliana Taurasi, comes in.

This reaction is a pure reflection of how a native Argentinian is carrying out explicitly expressing emotions. “I am 90 percent Argentine and Italian and 10 percent American,” Taurasi said in an early interview with ESPN during the National Hispanic Heritage Month back in 2016.

While the aforementioned statements of Taurasi do provide information about her parents, there are some interesting pointers as well about her time growing up.

Taurasi’s cherishable childhood moments and link to Argentina

“At home, we ate Argentine food, spoke Spanish, watched soccer. I still have the Latino and Italian spirit.” That is Diana Taurasi, summing up her early life in a nutshell. Born in Glendale, California, the 6x ESPY award winner spent most of her life in the United States alongside her sister Jessika, who went to play basketball for UC Riverside. But Argentina holds a very special place in her heart, blood, and even appetite.

It is the same place where one of her soccer idols, Diego Armando Maradona, is immortalized. “He is God; he is the one who always represented us in good times and bad. The champion,” Taurasi said when asked about her biggest Hispanic inspiration.

More importantly, though, it is the country where her mother was born. In addition to this, this is where her parents first met. It was during that time that her father arrived in Argentina for the first time as a goalkeeper to participate in the professional leagues. Further, after an illustrious career, Mario Taurasi decided not to travel any further and hung up his soccer boots in Argentina.

As it turns out, all these reasons are convincing enough to make Argentina her favorite destination. However, a certain individual from this country played an instrumental role in Taurasi choosing basketball as her career option.

Who made the “White Mamba” incline towards basketball?

The start of the 21st century saw a 6 ft 6 in Argentinian guard completely transform the NBA. In 2002, the San Antonio Spurs welcomed Manu Ginóbili and for 16 long years, he became a source of inspiration for many. And seeing greatness unfolding before her eyes, Diana Taurasi was one of them. Describing how, she said, “Manu (Ginobili) came from Argentina and changed the game in the NBA, how you play.“

Moreover, she also got a chance to interact with her idol. During the process, the 2× WNBA Finals MVP was at the receiving end of some valuable advice from him and former NBA star Luis Scola. While evaluating her experience, Taurasi expressed, “I have spoken a little with Manu and Luis Scola, we have the sense of being Argentine and I am very proud to play in the U.S. at such a high level.”

Indeed, who we see today is the 6x Olympic gold medalist, an elite basketball player who has spent over 20 years doing what she loves the most. More importantly, she is doing it while remembering where she came from and where she wants to be next. It is indeed a great journey of passions mingling in the heart of this 42-year-old basketball legend.