Diana Taurasi, a star for the Phoenix Mercury and a UConn great, received a pass, and the ball went out of her hands in a second. Like so many other 3-point attempts, this one also went into the net.
With 8:23 left in the third quarter of Thursday night’s game against the Atlanta Dream, Taurasi became the first WNBA player to achieve 10,000 points.
Following the shot, the Phoenix audience exploded in applause, and Taurasi’s teammates gathered around her in a circle to celebrate while leaping up and down.
You couldn’t have written this better for our supporters and our city, Taurasi added. “It was a cool night.” “I’m so grateful for my colleagues because times like this are special for everyone. They genuinely supported me in coming and wanted me to perform it tonight.
Taurasi gave a classic effort, scoring a season-high 42 points on 12 of 21 shooting, including 6 of 13 from three-point range, to remind everyone just how outstanding she has been throughout her career. In addition, she made all 12 of her free throws as the Mercury triumphed 91-71.
The 41-year-old guard concluded the game with 10,024, having begun the game needing 18 points to reach 10,000.
Taurasi grinned, “I’ll feel like I’m 50 tomorrow.”
The pastor who was hit by a police car in Stamford will be laid to rest on Friday.
“I want to send Diana my sincere congratulations on reaching the incredible milestone of 10,000 points as she continues to write new chapters in an illustrious WNBA career,” I said on behalf of the WNBA and basketball fans worldwide. In a statement, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said
“Diana’s success is a credit to her talent, tenacity, and unrelenting devotion to the sport, which, together with her competitive character, has enthralled fans with her amazing scoring prowess, clutch performances, and unmatched basketball intelligence. We feel privileged to be present for this achievement.
About two minutes into the game on Thursday, Taurasi opened the scoring with a corner 3-pointer, and a few minutes later, she drove through the Atlanta defense for a layup. By halftime, she had 10 points.
She immediately resumed her offensive efforts in the third quarter, making a layup on the Mercury’s opening possession. She then made back-to-back 3-pointers, the latest of which was a 28-footer over two defenders to bring her total to 10,000.
Taurasi admitted that she had been a little anxious when she arrived. She didn’t want to let anyone down, so all she wanted was to finish the task at hand. But I was also only concerned with attempting to win a game at the time.
The Mercury have had a difficult year, as evidenced by their 7-19 record. However, this was a victory that the entire franchise could rejoice in. The NBA commissioner Adam Silver, tennis legend Billie Jean King, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson were among those who paid respect to Taurasi at a postgame celebration.
Since she was selected first overall in the 2004 draft out of UConn, Taurasi has been the cornerstone of the Phoenix organization.
She not only owns the record for most points scored in a career during the regular season, but also throughout the playoffs.
For the Mercury, she has three WNBA titles, and she has twice been named Finals MVP.
Taurasi averaged over 19 points per game throughout her career, with a career-high of 25.3 points in 2006. Tina Thompson, who is second on the scoring chart with 7,488 points, is more than 2,500 points behind her.
For the Dream, Cheyenne Parker scored 20 points.