Diana Taurasi has a major decision to make, but the Phoenix Mercury star also has her priorities sorted. Presently, it’s her former coach, Geno Auriemma, from the University of Connecticut. If the Uconn Huskies defeat Fairleigh Dickinson at their upcoming matchup, Auriemma will become the winningest coach in college basketball history. Taurasi does not want to miss the major moment of her ex-coach’s life, no matter what.

So, the Mercury star’s presence is confirmed for the next game of Huskies from a list posted on X by Maggie Vanoni. “The confirmed list of all 63 UConn women’s basketball alumni coming to tomorrow’s game (provided via UConn),” read the post. However, it’s not as if this one event caused a delay in the 3x WNBA champ making her mind. It has been quite some time since Taurasi has been mulling over her decision to retire.

And from what she said in her earlier interview, it seems fair for her to take all the time she needs. “I don’t take retirement lightly. I know the minute I say it or announce it, whether it’s, you know, in a month or two months, I’m going to mean it,” she told the Associated Press. And let’s face it, a 20-year career doesn’t wrap up overnight. So, she’s also talking it over with her wife, Penny Taylor, as confirmed by her.

However, a recent Instagram post with emojis like a ballerina and a finger pointing up made fans jump to conclusions, thinking it hinted at one last dance. But ESPN’s Michael Voepel cleared things up, posting on X, “The Instagram ad with Diana Taurasi was done before the WNBA season ended and has appeared elsewhere before today. It’s not intended as a ‘message’ about her future plans or anything else, her agent told ESPN.” 

What’s clear is this–right now, Taurasi’s focus isn’t on herself. It’s on honoring Geno Auriemma and the legacy he built.

More about Geno Auriemma’s upcoming historical moment

If you’ve followed UConn women’s basketball, you already know the magic Auriemma brought to the program. But as mentioned earlier, he’ll soon add another milestone to his legacy. Becoming the winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball history.

On Friday, Auriemma notched his 1,216th career win against North Carolina. Thus, he tied with former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer for the most wins. VanDerveer is retired, and so is Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke men’s basketball legend, sitting in third place. But Auriemma—he’s still coaching, still winning, and still making history. Starting at UConn in 1985, Auriemma has led the Huskies to 11 national championships.

During that time, he groomed multiple names, such as Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart, who shone in the WNBA. The upcoming achievement would be another addition to Auriemma’s legacy. It’s a big moment for sure. It’s totally worth putting your personal decision on hold and cherishing it when you have been trained under this icon. That’s exactly what Diana Taurasi is doing.