Latest Update on Diana Taurasi’s Retirement Rumor Almost Confirms Phoenix Mercury Veteran’s Last Dance

When Team USA took the court for one last time during the Paris Olympics, they benched Diana Taurasi for the entire game. Thus, the Semi-Finals against Australia were officially her last Olympic game. Since then, the questions about her retirement have only amplified. However, Taurasi, just before the start of the Olympics, had revealed “it is a bit disrespectful,” to ask her to give up the sport. Nonetheless, a recent tweet from the Phoenix Mercury again brought forward the query and was now backed by sports anchor Cindy Brunson.

Brunson was present in a chat with Lolivia Pope at ‘THE BEST DAMN W SHOW’ on Thursday when she gave her perspective on Taurasi’s retirement. And her answer had everyone going sentimental. “Okay, now you’re trying to make me cry off these eyelashes. I have personally thought since early July that this is Diana’s last year only because D said something when she was on the mega cast at the women’s final four in Cleveland with Sue Bird about when I am done nobody is gonna know. I’m just gonna bounce. And for whatever reason it stuck and rang in my head. And then I thought about all the round numbers. 20 seasons, 6 gold medals, like there really isn’t much left for her to do,” Brunson stated while getting emotional.

The Phoenix Mercury picked as the first overall pick Taurasi in 2004. Since then, she has helped the team touch more heights, winning the championship thrice. As of now, Taurasi has completed 20 seasons in the Valley, which is a rounded number that supports Brunson’s estimate. Meanwhile, when the 42-year-old won her sixth gold medal at the Olympics, she made clear her intention of not participating in 2028. And maybe this time too she will make public her decision soon.

“And then in October we see the practice facility up and running and the two basketball courts in it dedicated to Diana. And then this was looking good for me looking across court sometimes penny is there with the kids… and for the majority of the last three seasons, Penny hasn’t been around with the kids, but this season… Since July she has been there, Kyle has been there, Penny has been there and that has been my signal,” Brunson concluded.

To add to her honor, the Mercury opened a practice facility in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, in July, with two courts named after Taurasi. The courts named after 2× WNBA Finals MVP also have a logo inspired by her. All this makes this the apt moment for Taurasi to retire. To add to the buzz, the former Husky had signed a two-year contract ahead of the 2023 season. Hence, she would be in a free agency after this year. Perhaps she will retire, which was also stated indirectly in a Mercury post.

Phoenix Mercury called in Diana Taurasi’s fans to witness the legend during the last few home games

The Phoenix Mercury has a 17-19 tally and occupies the seventh place in the WNBA rankings. They will be playing four more games, 2 of which will take place at the Footprint Center in Arizona. Hence, before Friday’s game against the Connecticut Sun, the Mercury put out a post commemorating Taurasi’s achievements in a video snippet. The rush featured different moments from her court life and was captioned, “If This is It You have two more opportunities to see the Greatest of All-Time at home.”

“I’ll let you guys know when I’m done because you’re not gonna see me anymore,” Taurasi had previously stated in an ESPN interview in 2022 and hence it only fuels the retirement chants since, according to her, the California-born had enumerated that she will drop off silently. “Trust me, I’ll be in those workouts in the winter and be like, ‘Hmm, that’s it,’” she had added, reflecting on the abruptness of calling it a day.