Career Timeline of Diana Taurasi: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Diana Taurasi built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Diana Taurasi is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest female basketball players of all time. Taurasi gained prominence during her college career at the University of Connecticut.
2000: Enrolled at the University of Connecticut
In 2000, Diana Taurasi enrolled at the University of Connecticut and began playing for the women's basketball team.
2001: Started playing for UConn
In 2001, Diana Taurasi began playing for the women's basketball team for the University of Connecticut, leading the team to three consecutive NCAA championships.
May 12, 2004: Selected for 2004 Olympics
On May 12, 2004, Diana Taurasi was selected to compete at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece with the United States national team.
2004: Drafted by the Phoenix Mercury
Following her collegiate career, in 2004, Diana Taurasi was selected first overall in the WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury.
2004: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2004, Diana Taurasi was a member of the USA women's Olympic Basketball Team and won a gold medal.
2004: Drafted by Phoenix Mercury and WNBA Rookie of the Year Award
In 2004, Diana Taurasi was drafted first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.
2004: Attended UConn
In 2004, Diana Taurasi was still attending the University of Connecticut.
2005: All Star Selection and Ankle Injury
In 2005, Diana Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while battling an ankle injury, and was also an All Star for the second straight year.
2005: Taurasi joins Dynamo Moscow
In 2005, Diana Taurasi began her international career playing for Dynamo Moscow, a team in the Russian league.
2005: Earned bachelor's degree from UConn
In 2005, Diana Taurasi earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut and considered it a major accomplishment.
2006: Taurasi Recruited to Spartak Moscow
In 2006, Diana Taurasi was recruited to play for the Russian team Spartak Moscow, marking a significant move in her international career.
2006: Addition of Paul Westhead and Cappie Pondexter
Prior to the 2006 season, Paul Westhead became the Mercury's head coach and Cappie Pondexter was drafted, forming a "Big 3" with Taurasi and Penny Taylor.
2006: Historic Season and Scoring Records
The 2006 season was historic for Diana Taurasi as she led the league in scoring, earned a third All-Star Game trip, and broke Katie Smith's league record for points in a season with 741. She averaged a WNBA record 25.3 points per game and set records for three-pointers made in a single season with 121.
2007: EuroLeague Championship with Spartak Moscow
In 2007, Diana Taurasi and Spartak Moscow began a streak of four consecutive EuroLeague championships.
2007: First WNBA Championship
In 2007, Diana Taurasi won her first WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury.
2008: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2008, Diana Taurasi won an Olympic gold medal.
2009: WNBA MVP and Championship
In 2009, Diana Taurasi was named the WNBA MVP and led the Phoenix Mercury to its second WNBA championship, earning the WNBA Finals MVP award.
2009: WNBA Championship and MVP
In 2009, Diana Taurasi won the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award and her second WNBA championship. She was also named WNBA Finals MVP.
2009: Invited to USA Basketball Training Camp
In the fall of 2009, Diana Taurasi was invited to the USA Basketball women's national team training camp.
2010: Candice Dupree Traded to Mercury
In 2010, Candice Dupree was traded to the Phoenix Mercury, becoming part of the supporting cast for Diana Taurasi.
2010: Participated in 2010 FIBA World Championship
In 2010, Diana Taurasi participated in 2010 FIBA World Championship.
2011: Taurasi plays for Galatasaray
In 2011, Diana Taurasi played for Galatasaray, a major team from Istanbul.
2011: WNBA Top 15 Players Selection
In 2011, Diana Taurasi was selected to her 7th All-WNBA First Team and voted one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA by fans.
May 16, 2012: Taurasi Signs with UMMC Ekaterinburg
On May 16, 2012, Diana Taurasi signed a contract with UMMC Ekaterinburg, joining fellow WNBA star Candace Parker.
2012: Injury-Riddled Season
In 2012, Diana Taurasi experienced an injury-riddled season, playing only eight games due to a strained left hip flexor, impacting the Mercury's performance.
2012: Participated in 2012 Olympics
In 2012, Diana Taurasi participated in 2012 Olympics.
2012: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2012, Diana Taurasi secured another Olympic gold medal.
2013: Brittney Griner Drafted
In 2013, Brittney Griner was drafted first overall and joined Diana Taurasi on the Phoenix Mercury.
2013: Return from Injury and Playoff Run
In 2013, Diana Taurasi returned from injury, played 32 games, and led the Mercury to the conference finals after defeating the Los Angeles Sparks.
2013: UMMC Wins Russian Championship and Cup
In 2013, the UMMC team won the Russian Championship and Cup but fell short in Euroleague competition.
2014: Third WNBA Championship and Finals MVP
In 2014, Diana Taurasi secured her third WNBA championship and earned her second WNBA Finals MVP Award.
2014: Taurasi Signs Endorsement Deal with Nike
In 2014, Diana Taurasi signed an endorsement deal with Nike, marking a significant partnership in her career.
2014: UMMC Wins Russian Championship and Cup
In 2014, the UMMC team won the Russian Championship and Cup but fell short in Euroleague competition.
2014: WNBA Salary
In the 2014 WNBA season, Diana Taurasi made just under the league maximum of $107,000.
February 3, 2015: Announcement to Sit Out WNBA Season
On February 3, 2015, Diana Taurasi announced she would sit out the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian Premier League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, for a higher salary.
2015: UMMC Offers Deal to Skip WNBA Season
In 2015, UMMC offered Diana Taurasi a deal to skip her 2015 WNBA season to rest, influenced by her injury and the Euroleague final loss.
2016: Taurasi leads UMMC to Euroleague title
In 2016, Diana Taurasi led UMMC to its third Euroleague title, earning MVP honors.
2016: Taurasi Returns to UMMC
In 2016, Diana Taurasi returned to UMMC, helping the team to its eleventh league championship.
2016: Return to Mercury and Playoff Performance
In 2016, Diana Taurasi returned to the Mercury, helped them reach the playoffs, and became the all-time WNBA leader in playoff career three-pointers made.
2016: Taurasi Returns to Phoenix Mercury
In 2016, Diana Taurasi returned to the Phoenix Mercury after accepting a deal to skip the 2015 WNBA season.
May 2017: Contract Extension and Scoring Milestone
In May 2017, Diana Taurasi signed a multi-year contract extension with the Mercury and became the first player in league history to reach 7,000 points, 1,500 rebounds, and 1,500 assists.
June 18, 2017: WNBA All-Time Leading Scorer
On June 18, 2017, Diana Taurasi became the WNBA's all-time leading scorer.
May 18, 2018: First Player to Make 1,000 3-Pointers
On May 18, 2018, Diana Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to make 1,000 3-pointers, in a game against the Dallas Wings.
June 5, 2018: First Player to Score 8,000 Points
On June 5, 2018, Diana Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to score 8,000 points, in a game against the Liberty.
July 8, 2018: All-Time Leader in Field Goals Made
On July 8, 2018, Diana Taurasi became the league's all-time leader in field goals made, surpassing Tina Thompson, in a game against the Connecticut Sun.
August 1, 2018: Season-High 37 Points
On August 1, 2018, Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 37 points in a game against the Las Vegas Aces.
2018: Expected to play through 2018 season
In 2018, Taurasi was expected to play through the end of the 2017–2018 season with the team
April 2019: Wife Hired as Assistant Coach
In April 2019, the Mercury announced that Diana Taurasi's wife, Penny Taylor, had been hired as an assistant coach.
September 2019: Confirmed Intention to Play in 2020
In September 2019, Diana Taurasi confirmed that she intended to play for the Mercury in 2020.
August 23, 2020: Taurasi Scores Season-High 34 Points Honoring Kobe Bryant
On August 23, 2020, Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 34 points in a victory over the Washington Mystics. She honored Kobe Bryant on his birthday by wearing number 8 along with his last name on her jersey.
2020: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2020, Diana Taurasi won an Olympic gold medal.
2020: Intention to Play for Mercury
In September 2019, Taurasi confirmed her intentions to play for the team in 2020.
February 2021: Taurasi Re-signs with Mercury
In February 2021, Diana Taurasi re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury on a 2-year deal, continuing her career with the team.
2021: WNBA's Greatest Player of All Time
In 2021, Diana Taurasi was selected by fans as the WNBA's greatest player of all time.
August 2023: Taurasi Reaches 10,000 Career Points
In August 2023, Diana Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to score 10,000 career points, marking a significant milestone.
October 1, 2024: Release of Signature Sneaker
On October 1, 2024, Diana Taurasi is set to release her signature sneaker, the Nike LeBron NXXT Gen AMPD PE, in collaboration with LeBron James.
2024: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2024, Diana Taurasi added another Olympic gold medal to her accomplishments.
2024: Stats current through end of 2024 season
In 2024, Stats current through end of season.
