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-Argentine former professional basketball player, widely regarded as one of the greatest in women's basketball history. Spending her entire 20-season WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury, she holds the league's all-time scoring record. Taurasi is also the most decorated Olympic athlete in any team sport, having won six Olympic gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team. Her impact on the WNBA is immense, credited with significantly boosting the league's visibility and overall standard of play.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2000: Enrolls at UConn

In 2000, Diana Taurasi enrolled at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and began playing for the women's basketball team.

2000: Taurasi Wins Gold at FIBA Americas Championship

In 2000, Diana Taurasi was a member of the United States women's U18 team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.

2001: UConn's Final Four Loss

Following a poor shooting performance in UConn's 2001 Final Four loss to Notre Dame, Taurasi vowed that they would not lose another tournament game while she was playing.

2001: Taurasi Earns Bronze at U.S. Junior World Championship

In 2001, Diana Taurasi earned a bronze medal as a member of the U.S. junior World Championship team.

2003: Phoenix Mercury's Season Record

In 2003, the Phoenix Mercury had a season record of 8-26.

May 12, 2004: Taurasi 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: WNBA Debut and Rookie of the Year Award

In 2004, Diana Taurasi made her WNBA debut, scoring 22 points for the Phoenix Mercury. Despite the team not making the playoffs, she was named to the Western Conference All-Star team and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.

2004: Taurasi Partners with Nike

In 2004, Diana Taurasi partnered with Nike, marking the beginning of a collaboration that has lasted over two decades.

2004: Drafted into WNBA and Quick Success

In 2004, Diana Taurasi was selected first overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA draft and quickly became the league's best scorer. She gained a reputation for her clutch scoring ability and competitiveness, earning the nickname "White Mamba".

2005: Second All-Star Year

In 2005, Diana Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while battling an ankle injury, making her an All-Star for the second straight year.

2005: Taurasi Joins Dynamo Moscow

In 2005, Diana Taurasi began her international career by joining Dynamo Moscow, participating in the EuroLeague tournament.

2005: Taurasi Debuts Signature Sneaker, the Air Taurasi

In 2005, Diana Taurasi debuted her signature sneaker, the Air Taurasi, as part of her partnership with Nike.

2006: Record-Breaking Season and Scoring Title

In 2006, Diana Taurasi had a historic season under Coach Paul Westhead, leading the WNBA in scoring with a record 741 points. She averaged a WNBA record 25.3 points per game, including a then-league record 47 points in a game against the Houston Comets and setting a record with 121 three-pointers in a single season.

2006: Taurasi Recruited by Spartak Moscow

In 2006, Diana Taurasi was recruited to play for Spartak Moscow.

2006: Taurasi Wins Bronze at FIBA World Championship

In 2006, Diana Taurasi was the second leading scorer on the U.S. national basketball team at the FIBA World Championship held in São Paulo, Brazil, where the team earned the bronze medal.

2007: First WNBA Championship

In 2007, Diana Taurasi reached the WNBA playoffs for the first time and led the Phoenix Mercury to their first WNBA title, becoming the seventh player ever to win an NCAA title, a WNBA title, and an Olympic gold medal.

2007: Spartak Moscow Wins EuroLeague Championship

In 2007, Diana Taurasi's team Spartak Moscow won the EuroLeague championship as part of a four-year winning streak.

2008: Taurasi Wins Gold at Beijing Olympics

In 2008, Diana Taurasi represented the United States at the Summer Games in Beijing, China, where she started all eight games and helped lead the U.S. to the gold medal.

2009: WNBA MVP and Second Championship

In 2009, Diana Taurasi was named the WNBA MVP and led the Phoenix Mercury to its second WNBA championship, winning the WNBA Finals MVP as well.

2009: Taurasi 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: Taurasi Selected for FIBA World Championship

In 2010, Diana Taurasi was selected to participate at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

2011: Taurasi Plays for Galatasaray

In 2011, Diana Taurasi joined Galatasaray, a major team from Istanbul and Fenerbahçe's long-time rival, alongside other WNBA stars.

2011: Top 15 WNBA Players

In 2011, Diana Taurasi was voted one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA by fans, after being selected to her seventh All-WNBA First Team.

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 had an injury-riddled season, playing only eight games due to a strained left hip flexor, leading to the Mercury finishing with the second-worst record in the league.

2012: Taurasi Selected for 2012 Olympics

In 2012, Diana Taurasi was selected to participate at the 2012 Olympics.

2012: Taurasi Wins Third Olympic Gold Medal

In 2012, Diana Taurasi won her third gold medal as the United States defeated France for the gold medal at the Summer Olympics.

2012: Galatasaray Wins Turkish Cup but Loses League Final

In 2012, Diana Taurasi's team Galatasaray won the Turkish Cup but lost to Fenerbahçe in the League Final and was eliminated in the EuroLeague quarter-final.

2013: Return to Form and Playoff Run

In 2013, Diana Taurasi returned healthy, playing 32 games and averaging over 20 points per game for the sixth time in her career. The Mercury finished third in the Western Conference and advanced to the conference finals.

2013: UMMC Wins EuroLeague, Russian Championships, and Russian Cup

In 2013, Diana Taurasi's team UMMC Ekaterinburg dominated national and international competitions, winning the EuroLeague, Russian Championships, and Russian Cup.

2014: Third WNBA Championship and Finals MVP

In 2014, Diana Taurasi led the Phoenix Mercury to a 29-5 record, the most wins in a regular season, and swept the Chicago Sky in the WNBA Finals, earning her third championship and second WNBA Finals MVP award.

2014: WNBA Salary

In 2014, Diana Taurasi made just under the league maximum of $107,000 playing in WNBA.

2014: UMMC Wins Russian Championship and Cup Again

In 2014, Diana Taurasi's team UMMC Ekaterinburg repeated their Russian Championship and Cup win but fell short in EuroLegue competition.

February 3, 2015: Sits Out 2015 WNBA Season

On February 3, 2015, Diana Taurasi announced that she would sit out the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian Premier League team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, due to a lucrative offer.

2015: Taurasi Back with UMMC

In 2015, Diana Taurasi returned to UMMC, leading the team to its third Euroleague title, earning MVP honors.

2015: UMMC Loses in EuroLeague Final

In 2015, Diana Taurasi's team UMMC lost in the EuroLeague final against USK Praha, with Taurasi sitting out due to a broken hand.

2015: UMMC Offers Taurasi Deal to Skip WNBA Season

In 2015, UMMC offered Diana Taurasi a deal to skip the WNBA season to rest due to injury and resulting loss in the EuroLeague final.

2016: Taurasi Returns to UMMC

In 2016, Diana Taurasi once again returned to UMMC, helping the team to its eleventh league championship.

2016: Playoff Berth and Playoff Career Three-Pointers Leader

In 2016, Diana Taurasi returned to the Mercury, averaging 17.8 points per game and helping them reach the playoffs. During the first-round game against the Indiana Fever, she became the all-time WNBA leader in playoff career three-pointers made, surpassing Becky Hammon.

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.

2016: Taurasi Wins Fourth Olympic Gold Medal

In 2016, Diana Taurasi won her fourth gold medal at the Rio Olympics, helping the United States defeat Spain in the final.

May 2017: Signs Contract Extension and Reaches 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, passing Tina Thompson's record.

December 2017: Taurasi Retires from European Competition

In December 2017, Diana Taurasi announced her retirement from European competition.

May 18, 2018: First to Make 1,000 3-Pointers

On May 18, 2018, in the season-opener, Diana Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to make 1,000 3-pointers against the Dallas Wings.

June 5, 2018: First 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 in a victory against the Connecticut Sun, surpassing Tina Thompson.

August 1, 2018: Season-High 37 Points

On August 1, 2018, Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 37 points in a victory against the Las Vegas Aces.

2018: Expected End of Season with UMMC

Diana Taurasi was expected to play through the end of the 2017-2018 season with UMMC.

April 2019: Penny Taylor 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: Confirms Intention to Play in 2020

In September 2019, Diana Taurasi confirmed her intention to play for the Mercury in 2020.

August 23, 2020: Taurasi Scores Season-High While Honoring Kobe Bryant

On August 23, 2020, Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 34 points in a victory over the Washington Mystics. She honored the late Kobe Bryant on his birthday by wearing number 8 and his last name on her jersey during the game.

2020: Taurasi Wins Fifth Olympic Gold Medal

In 2020, Diana Taurasi won her record fifth gold medal as part of the U.S. women's Olympic team in Tokyo, joining Sue Bird as the only basketball players to achieve this milestone.

2020: Intention to Play

In September 2019, Taurasi confirmed that she intended 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 two-year deal, continuing her career with the team.

October 8, 2021: Taurasi Plays in Game 5 After Semifinals Loss

On October 8, 2021, Diana Taurasi played in a winner-take-all Game 5 after a Game 4 loss in the semifinals, with a message for Penny Taylor during her pregnancy.