“If this is it…” read a Phoenix Mercury social media post in early September with two games left in their regular season. But the video that followed the caption shocked the WNBA world. Diana Taurasi’s imminent retirement suddenly turned into a near-reality ahead of their first-round playoffs against the Lynx. Not one fan was ready to bid goodbye to the league’s fiercest all-time scoring leader. But as she fouled out in what could’ve been her last game, the Target Center rose to its feet for a thunderous ovation. 2 weeks on, there has still been no confirmation, and 4x WNBA champ Sue Bird knows why.

Bird is considered one of the best players to have graced the WNBA. She was a 13x All-Star and boasted a record 5 Olympic gold medals before Taurasi surpassed her to win her 6th in Paris this year. Their partnership was as legendary as it could get, and their camaraderie was off the charts. But when Bird was questioned about Taurasi’s rumored retirement, her answer tilted towards ‘no’. “I got nothing. I got nothing. I’m not even being coy. I’m not avoiding,” the part-owner of the Seattle Storm told host Khristina Williams on the In Case You Missed It podcast.

Bird then cited her own retirement experience to infer the calculations running in Taurasi’s mind. “I can only speak from my experience, right? I ended up announcing during the season. Totally different experience. But prior to the 2022 season, which is when I retired, right after the 2021 season, this was the time where you really need to let the dust settle because there’s just so many different highs and lows in the emotions.”

According to Bird, her close friend might not make the final announcement anytime soon. “It would be impossible to make the decision now, anyway, unless she already knew with 100% certainty. Now wouldn’t be the time where she would say something, anyway. If I had to guess, I do know they had a vacation. Hopefully, she’s on the beach kicking it with her family, not thinking about this decision. And we’ll all find out soon,” Bird concluded on the podcast.

Ahead of the 2024 playoffs, Taurasi revealed how “nerve-wracking” the weeks leading up to it were, admitting the “end is near”. She did not give any deadline, and a week later, Bird advised her to do what was right for her. While there are many serious considerations for Taurasi to make, goodbyes where humor leads the way for emotions to pour out become unforgettable.

Sue Bird shares the amusing tale of Diana Taurasi’s “Two Left Shoes”

Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird shared the court for 22 years. From playing their first game as teammates at UConn on November 12, 2000, to their last as WNBA rivals on 22nd July 2022, their friendship stood the test of time. They also won 5 Olympic gold medals as teammates for the USA national team. And Bird’s latest hysterical anecdote dates back to their first Olympic game for the country in 2004.

After setting the scene about how Dawn Staley’s retirement after the 2004 Olympics would open up Guard spots in the team, Bird told Williams, “Dee (Diana Taurasi) definitely played a lot more than I did, but we’re both still there to learn. But we’re also excited. So we get to the very first game. We walk in the locker room, you know, just normal locker room stuff. She taps me and she’s like, ‘Oh no!’ I’m like, ‘What?’ She’s like, ‘I brought two left shoes.'” This sent Williams into a fit of laughter, as Bird chuckled as well for the nth time after telling this story.

The Storm Legend then shared another story of a similar happening in Russia. “Very, very long story short, we get to the gym. I’m actually not playing this game for whatever reason. It’s like I’m not even dressed. Maybe hurt, who knows? We get to the arena and she was like, ‘Oh my god, you have to go back to my apartment. I forgot my jersey’. I have a decently long list of D doing sh-t like that.”

Even if Taurasi was to abruptly retire before the 2025 season began, her unparalleled records and caring behavior toward her teammates are a testament to the player she has been. Who knows? Maybe she would become a co-owner of the Mercury and still continue her rivalry with Bird.